I haven't seen this posted. If I have then forgive me.

Why do some MS companies offer only reimbursement shops? Is it because the form is so simple or the food is so good.

I know of the pizza place where it's reimbursement only unless it's bonus?

I'm guessing it is that the MSCs assume the value of the reimbursement is worth the effort of the shopper. I do take some high-value pizza shops, but usually a reimbursement only shop needs to be a hotel (with mileage or travel paid, or a substantial membership bonus) or an amusement venue. Some people take fine dining shops. If it's a place I've been wanting to try, I might do it on someone else's dime. However, usually I'd rather just fork out the money on a special and enjoy myself.

Which reimbursement-only shops do you do?

I think it depends. Some MSCs offer no payment on shops that are very popular, figuring that if enough shoppers will accept the shops for reimbursement only, then why pay a fee in addition to the reimbursement?

There are some MSCs that just do not pay fees for the most part. A Closer Look comes to mind. I will do a shop (restaurant shops are my favorites) for no pay and reimbursement only, BUT, to be attractive to me, the reimbursement must cover the cost of the ordering requirements and I must like the food and the location. Otherwise, why? Although A Closer Look has some shops I really like and the reimbursement is generous, so I happily do those shops, they have others with reimbursements that do not pay for the required items. I find myself doing fewer and fewer ACL shops because of that. In addition to no pay and low reimbursements on some shops (mostly fast casuals), they require recorded phone calls on some shops and an increasing number of shops require photographs. I saw one today and laughed out loud - the cost of the required items to be ordered exceed the reimbursement, there is no pay, and they require photos of inside, outside, all food items, and BOTH bathrooms - so I must send my guest into the restroom to take a photo. I was laughing as I deleted the e-mail for that one.

I did an ACL shop at a very good restaurant recently but found that while the food prices there have gone up substantially, the reimbursement has not. No way to stay under the reimbursement limit. However, ACL does not require inspections of both restrooms. Do one and check N/A for the other and you'll be okay.

@emccded wrote:

I did an ACL shop at a very good restaurant recently but found that while the food prices there have gone up substantially, the reimbursement has not. No way to stay under the reimbursement limit. However, ACL does not require inspections of both restrooms. Do one and check N/A for the other and you'll be okay.

Be careful to read the guides, though - most of their restaurants require only one bathroom check and most do not require bathroom photos. There is new client for them that does require that both bathrooms not only be checked but that a photo be taken in both bathrooms.

The rising menu prices without adjustment to shop reimbursement is another problem. I've worked with ACL since 2008. There is one restaurant which has never changed: no pay, $25 lunch reimbursement/$35 dinner (dinner bar visit required). The reimbursement was reasonable in 2008, by 2016, the menu prices have increased an average of 22%. I've noticed that now those shops tend to sit on the board awhile, where in earlier years they were snapped up as quickly as they were posted.

I have done the pizza one where you take a picture only with a bonus. My son loves it. I may do theses again when they are bonus. The First one I did I received a 7.

Last month I did a fine dining one for the first time.The one where you sit down in the restaurant. Once they are posted in my area they are grabbed very quickly. I love their food and I have been several times before.

The reason I happen to grabbed it is because I had the day off on Friday which is rare and my wife was not busy .

I have seen theses sit in other areas for a long time with a small bonus.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2016 04:33PM by Isaiah4031a.

I'm starting to understand the value of the occasional reimbursement-only shop sprinkled in to help offset some of my Mystery Shopping Business' net profit. It's amazing what doing taxes will do to one's perspective.

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

Why do some MS companies offer only reimbursement shops? Is it because the form is so simple or the food is so good.

@Isaiah4031a, It may not be the MSCs decision. The reimbursement only policy may be coming from their client. They pretty much have to do what the client wants.

@theotherforummembers, In general, I do not understand why shoppers get so annoyed, angry, etc. with reimbursement only shops. Since we are ICs, we have the right to just say no. If you do not want to do a reimbursement only shop, do not accept the job and just delete the email. Problem solved.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2016 02:19AM by Sybil2.

@Sybil2 wrote:

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

In general, I do not understand why shoppers get so annoyed, angry, etc. with reimbursement only shops. Since we are ICs, we have the right to just say no. If you do not want to do a reimbursement only shop, do not accept the job and just delete the email. Problem solved.

I was not getting annoyed or angry. I was just asking a question

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

@Sybil2 wrote:

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

In general, I do not understand why shoppers get so annoyed, angry, etc. with reimbursement only shops. Since we are ICs, we have the right to just say no. If you do not want to do a reimbursement only shop, do not accept the job and just delete the email. Problem solved.

I was not getting annoyed or angry. I was just asking a question

The first paragraph of my response was directed at you. The second paragraph was talking to the general forum. That is why I created a new paragraph and said "in general." I don't always think to put the @ symbol in every response.

I just recently signed up with ACL and I understand doing the reimbursement only shops for fine dining and hotel rooms in big cities. However, there's a hotel shop listed in a tiny little town about 40 miles from me and I'm wondering how it ever gets done. The place is so small I didn't even know they had a hotel. I have no reason to go there. Most people don't. I can't even make a route out of it since its so far out in the middle of nowhere. No way I'd do it for reimbursement only. I'd be losing money and wasting time. Now, pay me a little for gas and my time and I'd be happy to do it. I just wonder how long it's going to sit there till somebody picks it up.

Have you asked for a bonus?