I know we've been here before on this board. The website continues to advertise a 45-day delay in payment, but I have never seen that.

In the two years I've shopped with them, I have had to ask a scheduler to intervene to receive payment for each shop, but the payment usually came within 10 days of the scheduler request. Now, I am at the 140-day mark, two different schedulers have asked Mark to pay me (one month since the second request) and still nothing.

Any evidence that Mark is getting out of the MSC business to focus on his other businesses? Anyone else missing payments?

Absolutely love(d) the schedulers....

Scheduler Kathy left a few weeks ago.

Ive said before about the issue Ive had about receiving payment from this MSC.
They screw EVERY SHOPPER over.
EVERYTIME

They are about the WORST when it comes to paying shoppers because when you bring it to their attention they make excuses and still delay

It sickening how many shoppers that trust an MSC to pay them and have not kept good books have been screwed by this MSC

The MSPA should shut them down

Thank you - they are now on my 10 foot pole list.

I have already contacted MSPA. They are going to open an investigation if my last plea for payment (today) does not happen. I suggest others who have not been paid and keep getting the runaround do the same.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2014 11:47PM by Hairballs.

I was paid for my shops after some emails. My hope is that you will all be paid as well. Even if payment is or has to be delayed I think Mark could help himself by answering your emails.

I got word today that Instant Replays has been dropped by (or dropped out of?) the Video Shopper Network (VSN). In addition, due to IR's record of late payments to shoppers, IMSC has declared IR ineligible to sponsor or display at IMSC conferences.

No word on MSPA action or lack thereof.

I used to grit my teeth and do a video for IR once in a while, knowing that I was going to have to pull somebody's teeth to get paid. But I only did so because I liked Kathy. Now, no more Kathy = no more IR.

I just sent all my correspondence to MSPA and they are going to open an investigation. Tired of chasing $$$ from them.

I notice that Instant Replays hasn't updated their website...they still show Kathy as Major Accounts Manager.

Also, if you're not receiving much help from MSPA, try contacting the National Association of Home Builders. IR shows they are a member and I know NAHB has high standards for membership. Can't hurt.

I heard last week that scheduler Dani has also departed. I do not have independent confirmation of that, but my source is usually very reliable.

I'm with the rest of you. I stuck around and did the occasional job when doing a shop would only cost me a half hour on an existing route. When Kathy left, the biggest shopper advocate there left. If Dani's left them, good for her. It's a shame how that company went down the tubes. Now when I see third-party schedulers recruiting for jobs I suspect are for them, I always ask up front if the job is through Instant Replays.

Many third party schedulers for video have no clue about video, which make it doubly difficult for even a veteran shopper, much less a newbie. There is one great video scheduling company (and there may be more that I have missed), but even when they have IR shops, I will not bite anymore.

I sent correspondence to Dani yesterday and had an automatic office reply message that she left the company on November 28th. First Kathy left, now Dani. I, like many other shoppers, still have invoices out that are in the 90-day+ stage. Quite disappointed that this company has come to this.

Does anyone have an email address that actually works? I only ever corresponded with Kathy and they owe me for the one shop I've ever done for them (around 90 days now). Only $70 but hey, that's most of an electric bill or something.

I haven't had emails kicked back from this address yet.

mark@instant-replays.net

Gracious Senorita

Yeah, the only ones I have is for Mark Bray (the owner) or Jan Browles. mark@instant-replays.net or jan@instantreplays.net.

Also I randomly checked their job board earlier this week and......nothing there. Don't know if it was because of the time of the year/quarter/month or if they are gone. I'm guessing gone but I could be wrong.

Mark Bray's e-mail is mark@instant-replays.net

Oops....cross posted

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2015 06:16PM by TechSavvy.

It may well be that Jan is the only one left there that knows how to post to the job board.

That is kind of sadly hilarious.

I also did a few shops for IR, totaling $180.00. One day I was talking to Kathy about a video shirt she altered for me. She asked if I had done any shops for IR. I said I had but hadn't gotten paid. She advised I write a strong letter to Mark, which did no good. Finally, I sent a letter to Dani, hoping she would intervene. The next day I got a letter from Mark, who apologized profusely, mentioning he had financial problems. Whatever the case, the really irritating thing about him is that he doesn't care that people need the money---that MS is not charity; and he also doesn't understand that if he's having problems he needs to ask shoppers to cut him some slack--that the money is on the way. Hiding behind a desk is just plain wrong. You're not a leader, Mark.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2015 07:51AM by smhasandras.

I have not had any help or any kind of response from MSPA so I went ahead and filed a claim with the BBB. He responded next day he was having "receivables" problems and would catch up and pay everyone by January 1, 2015. Guess what? Not paid! I use to be a collection agent. I won't go away Mark!

Mark Bray (Instant Replays)owes me nearly $1000. Some of these assignments, all video, were for <client>, doing shops on their agents renting office space, as well as doing comparison shops on their competition. These were done at the end of last summer. I also did a wacky video project involving <client>, the food chain. There were many hours that I put in, and there was also Bray's desperate calls made to me to do "emergency" tasks, which I also did. This project pretty much ended in the fall. I have only partially been paid for both of these client's projects, despite many emails, both to him and his schedulers. I've heard the same excuses that I read here. The last time I heard back from him was in early December, when I was promised full payment before Christmas. Kathy Hart left with him owing her $6000. She told me this herself. Dani left pretty much without notice in November, shortly after taking over for Kathy, presumably for the same reasons that others are having with him, i.e. payments. Both her and Kathy have always gone to bat for me, but I could sense their frustration level for having been put in the middle of a bad situation. Jan Bowles, who is now scheduling for IR, is Mark Bray's SISTER-IN-LAW, which seems to explain why she is still there, although I would not be surprised if she is farming out the scheduling to other MS companies.....
I have run out of leverage (I own my own video and audio equipment, don't have any more reports or assignments to hold as hostage), so I am considering small claims court in North Carolina, even though I don't live in that state. I researched the protocol and it doesn't seem all that complicated or expensive. In fact, the collection process for a successful judgment favoring the plaintiff (up to $10,000) includes seizing property (BY A SHERIFF!)and auctioning it off.....I really don't want to go to these extremes, but the situation is pissing me off. The lack of response from Bray, his empty promises when he does respond, all have made things uglier than they need to be. I'm sure that we have all experienced late payments before, but this is the first time in over ten years of doing this kind of work that I feel like I am getting "brushed off".
I hope that this missive will perhaps shed some light on what is happening with Instant Replays these days. It has certainly made me feel better by getting it off my chest, and seeing that I am not alone in my predicament(though I am NOT WISHING it on anyone) has even given me a sliver of hope to get what is owed to me.....I welcome any and all feedback.



Mod note: Welcome, Jayoldsun. Sorry to hear of your difficulties. However, in the future, the forum's owner asks that we not link client and MSC in posts.

So sorry to hear about your problems jayoldsun and Hairballs, and everyone else. I see on LinkedIn that Dani has removed Instant Replays from her bio. It looks like she isn't working anywhere right now. I hope she finds a better place to work. Kathy is working at Clear Evaluations. If any third party scheduler sends me an email for IR, and I sign up, I will cancel as soon as I know it is IR. I do not work for free. Good luck everyone.

Just a note to add that, unlesss I am much mistaken, Jan is Mark's former sister-in-law. When her sister, Jody, was still there, the checks went out on time, signed by Jody.

A very long time ago (can't remember the ms company name) I was not paid for an apartment shop. I threatened to go to the apartment company I had shopped and tell them their contracted company was not paying their mystery shoppers and perhaps they want to think twice about contracting with them. I was paid immediately.

It is sad to hear about these problems with Instant Replays. I don't have video equipment so I don't do a lot of video shops. I did do two some years ago for Instant Replays. I found them instructive and responsive. They were very helpful with regard to helping me learn how to use the equipment. I had no trouble getting paid. It is disappointing to learn that they are now having problems paying people.

The payment issues started creeping in nov 2013.
Initially when prompted they would pay right away. They just waited to be prompted.
In spring 2014 they started avoiding payment requests and making excuses