A Closer Look - Reimbursement only?
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This is true for most of the shops that I see for them. I did one (not a restaurant) today that paid a fee. I occasionally do one of their restaurant shops if it interests me, but the large majority of those are reimbursement only.
I do their gas station shops. They are reimbursement only, but I ask for a bonus to do the shop. I always get it..
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
My understanding is most of their restaurants and hotels are no fee. Occasionally in my area they have other, non-purchase types of mystery shops with great fees. Those are all I take.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
They do very detailed no-purchase jewelry shops that pay well. If you're good at narratives, it's well worth it. For me, I'm too slow to make it profitable.
Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.
Most of their hotel and restaurant shops are no fee. However, i do as many of their hotel shops as i can because the hotel rewards points are GREAT. Those earn me a lot of frèe hotel stays for pleasure or to support very lucrative MS road trips. Two hotel rewards nights recently allowed me to travel to NYC and NJ to do a net $600 in easy video shops. You need to think about how to work all of these systems to your best advvantage. It may not work for you, but easy ACL hotel shops can provide significant, tax free, benefits.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2016 06:04AM by walesmaven.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2016 06:04AM by walesmaven.
Many are no fee, and you should proceed with that expectation. Occasionally I will be offered something with a fee, or a bonus, or a flat rate where you keep whatever you don't spend. If you choose to sign up with ACL, take one of their shops regardless of the fee so that you can see what other opportunities it unlocks in your area- this is true for every company as many do not offer their best shops until a shopper has a proven record.
Shopper since 2009
MSPA Gold Certified
MSPA Gold Certified
Most of ACL's dining shops are reimbursement-only. I take them if the reimbursement is sufficient to cover a reasonable meal at a place I would enjoy. Their fine dining shops usually offer a generous reimbursement. The casual dining shops, not so much. Many of their casual dining shops require an output of your own money in order to cover the items you are required to order. This reduces the value of the shops for me. Also, ACL seems to rarely review the shop requirements/reimbursement/fee for a client over the years. They have had one Mexican restaurant client for 10 years. There is no fee and the reimbursement hasn't changed in all that time. Ten years ago, when menu items were less expensive, it was a reasonable reimbursement. Now it is not very tempting.
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I do their gas station shops. They are reimbursement only, but I ask for a bonus to do the shop. I always get it..
Gas station shops with A Closer Look? Or with a different MSC? Are you sure you are talking about A Closer Look here?
I have worked for ACL for several years. I move around, so I've done shops for them in a several states, but I have never seen a gas station client. What are of the country are you in, HonnyBrown?
@PasswordNotFound wrote:
They do very detailed no-purchase jewelry shops that pay well. If you're good at narratives, it's well worth it. For me, I'm too slow to make it profitable.
I've done one of them it only pays $25. For the amount of time you are in the store and the write up I don't think it's worth it. For $25 u can easily do two convenience stores at $12 for a 5-10 min report each. I have seen the same jewelry store but a watch shop at $40.
For the past few months, I have been doing gas stations for ACL. Actually, I think that the client is actually the one which runs the convenience store, but getting gas is part of the mystery shop.
@Jay C wrote:
@HonnyBrown wrote:
I do their gas station shops. They are reimbursement only, but I ask for a bonus to do the shop. I always get it..
Gas station shops with A Closer Look? Or with a different MSC? Are you sure you are talking about A Closer Look here?
I have worked for ACL for several years. I move around, so I've done shops for them in a several states, but I have never seen a gas station client. What are of the country are you in, HonnyBrown?
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
I'm sure. The gas station shops aren't in all areas.
Like myst said, it's a combination of a gas station and convenience store. You have to make a coffee/food and gas purchase, stay in the store for 15 minutes and take pictures.
Like myst said, it's a combination of a gas station and convenience store. You have to make a coffee/food and gas purchase, stay in the store for 15 minutes and take pictures.
@Jay C wrote:
Gas station shops with A Closer Look? Or with a different MSC? Are you sure you are talking about A Closer Look here?
I have worked for ACL for several years. I move around, so I've done shops for them in a several states, but I have never seen a gas station client. What are of the country are you in, HonnyBrown?
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
You really only get good meal from them. I don't do them all of the time, but it beats eating a burger and fries, and you can have an "alcoholic drink on some on them. The restaurants where I live are really good!
I have seen a lot of the gas station/convenience store shops in MD and DE. They just showed up a few months ago.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
They shop some local pizza restaurants that are pretty awesome in my area. They allow to get any type of pizza I want with no limits or specifics of toppings, and other menu items are allowed as well with a pretty generous reimbursement of up to $32. They are carryout shops and are pretty easy. It's pizza I would spend my own money on, so why not get reimbursed for it? They also have an Italian fast food restaurant in my area that I get to shop from time to time, and I love the food there as well.
I usually go over the reimbursement with their fine dining, but I am sure a person could stay under it or very close to it for some of their locations. Others, I have tried to max out and its nearly impossible! ACL is an awesome company. I recommend them highly.
Doing what I can to enhance the life of my family! I LOVE what I do 
ACL is one of the MSCs where you apparently build with them over time. I had the reimbursement only shops for a long time and then suddenly there were a slew of different type of shops available to me. Some are not reimbursement based at all. They will bonus, when necessary, though it's usually not that much, at least in my experience.
You do indeed build with ACL over time. I rarely do shops for them other than casual dining.
@Orrymain wrote:
ACL is one of the MSCs where you apparently build with them over time. I had the reimbursement only shops for a long time and then suddenly there were a slew of different type of shops available to me. Some are not reimbursement based at all. They will bonus, when necessary, though it's usually not that much, at least in my experience.
I haven't done any shops for ACL because of the lack of fees. They e-mailed me and asked why I was inactive. I told them the truth.
About how many no-fee shops did you have to invest in before you started to get fees?
Anyone else experience the same?
Actually, I only ever done two shops at reimbursement only and both times it was because I was route shopping and the location fit right in where I was going to be. I needed to eat lunch anyway, so it worked out perfectly. Every other time, I've waited to be asked to do a shop and usually there is already a bonus attached to it before I'm asked. If not, I ask. So, I've done many shops but only two without a bonus/fee offered.
@Flash wrote:
You do indeed build with ACL over time. I rarely do shops for them other than casual dining.
Exactly, ACL has a $5 to $15 bonus on more expensive "lunch shops" when the shoppers are scarce. If you do not mind eating a fancy meal for your professional documentation of all events, its worth your time. We shoppers are notorious(is there another word for that?) for making our money last, is that why some of ACL's shops are sitting because nobody wants to spend $60 to $100 on lunch and drinks? ACL has a "fast pay" for special shops, if a shopper is competent, follows instructions and behaves nicely, ACL's Scheduler is known for fighting to get her shoppers reimbursed in two weeks or maybe three at most.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2016 12:36AM by GuyFawkes.
I don't do food or hotel shops so all of my ACL shops have been strictly fees.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Oh I did that wonderful gourmet takeout local pizzeria shop today...no fee but generous reimbursement of $32. I got their NY White Pizza with added grilled chicken and black olives and a pepperoni feast stromboli. That will feed me for 3 days at least.
I see non-restaurant shops for fees but just don't find them particularly interesting. On the other hand the restaurant shops work very well for me: first, it keeps the significant other from being annoyed with my other mystery shopping; second, they have restaurants we truly enjoy; third, the reimbursements are large enough to complete the shop requirements with enough leftovers for the next day's dinner; fourth, payment is about as like clockwork as is allowed by the USPS.
I've done a ton of shops for this company. Most are reimbursement only, however a few such as " mobile app" shops pay 5.00. There is one particular shop in a town about 30 miles from me that they always offer a bonus for. I guess no one wants to go there. I've been taking it for the last 3 months. Its an easy shop and it doesnt take me that long to write it up.
I have a fee only shop scheduled for tomorrow from ACL. Its a nice one too, 40.00 and does not seem that difficult.
ACL is my favorite company! Very few of their shops in my area pay a fee, but the high reimbursement for fine dining lets me visit restaurants I would never try on my own dollar. Sometimes my husband and I celebrate special occasions with a $200 meal that gets reimbursed. That is like getting paid that amount since we would spend that much for the celebration anyway. Of course, it would be nicer if I didn't have to do a lengthy report after arriving home drowsy from a huge meal with wine.
I have a reimbursement only hotel assignment, but the expectations on content is much, much more lax compared to other hotel shops I've done with a fee. This helped me subsidize my expenses on my mini-vacation.
Shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado. 33 year old male and willing to travel!
Are all their upscale restaurant reports really due the same night? I find it odd they wouldn't prefer a shopper submit it the next day after they have come out of their food coma.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I always write them up in the morning. They've never had a problem with it.
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