Sentry Paying Late This Month?

I completed a job for Sentry on July 30. My shop was accepted with no problems and the invoice is in my pay history with a date of August 16. I see on their website it shows payment will be in my bill.com account by the last day of the month following the invoice. Today is the last day and no money.

I've worked with them before and was paid well before the last day of the month with no problem. I sent them an email, just wondering if anyone else is running into the same thing this month.

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We processed all remaining payments for the current invoice this afternoon.

Thank you much for the quick reply! Was starting to get nervous with it being the end of the month and a large amount owed! I'll keep an eye out for the bill.com email letting me know it's there.

I still haven't gotten paid or any notice from bill.com. It's 10/1. At best we can get paid is Tuesday which is several days late. What should I tell my bank, "I'm sorry, but Sentry didn't pay on time?" And my shops were done towards the beginning of July. I inquired directly on Sentry's site and never got a response.

Did you check your bill.com account? I didn't receive an email from them, either, but my account shows that they anticipate the money on Oct 4.

edited to remove day of week

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2016 10:50PM by ChrisCooper.

I checked it yesterday and nothing. It shows now but it still shows a deposit date of 10/4. That's Tuesday and over 4 days late. If I did a shop 4 days late it would be canceled. Or if I pay a bill days late, I get a $37 fee each day for each item it's over from my bank. I don't see Sentry paying my late fees since they were late with the payment. Not even an apology or acknowledgement that it was late. They know how many days it takes to submit a payment from bill.com and should have anticipated that way before submitting the payments to bill.com. Which sounds like they did it the end of last day of the month, This isn't getting paid by the end of the month.

Do not rely on your mystery shop payments to post on time, like you would a traditional employer, to pay your bills on time. There are inconsistencies across many of the MSCs.

I am a little confused though. The OP mentioned one shop, the member that mysteriously joined today appears to be claiming they are due a substantial payment that their bills depend on. Exactly how much are each of you due?

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

@isaiah58 wrote:

Do not rely on your mystery shop payments to post on time, like you would a traditional employer, to pay your bills on time. There are inconsistencies across many of the MSCs.

I am a little confused though. The OP mentioned one shop, the member that mysteriously joined today appears to be claiming they are due a substantial payment that their bills depend on. Exactly how much are each of you due?

I'm owed just under $170. Not relying on it to pay my bills but still not an amount that I like in limbo!

Ok, I've never seen shops in my area that pay very much, all either box stores, childrens stores or quick casual opportunities in my area.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Sentry pays 3-4 months in arrears. It's a long time to wait for a check, so plan accordingly. For instance, if you're hoping to get money for the December holidays or New Years, don't take any Sentry shops now because you won't get paid until after the holidays.

Take a look at MSCs with faster turnarounds-Ipsos, Bestmark, GfK, DJC-all pay reliably within 2-3 weeks. It's a good way to build up a cash reserve so that you're not knocked for a loop when someone else pays late.

Take a look at the list @jpgilham compiled [www.mysteryshopforum.com] and sign up with the MSCs that other shoppers say are quick and reliable regarding pay.

While we don't pay in 2 - 3 weeks, it is not accurate to say that we pay in 3 - 4 months becuase we don't take that long to pay.

@ChrisCooper wrote:

Sentry pays 3-4 months in arrears. It's a long time to wait for a check, so plan accordingly. For instance, if you're hoping to get money for the December holidays or New Years, don't take any Sentry shops now because you won't get paid until after the holidays.

Take a look at MSCs with faster turnarounds-Ipsos, Bestmark, GfK, DJC-all pay reliably within 2-3 weeks. It's a good way to build up a cash reserve so that you're not knocked for a loop when someone else pays late.

Take a look at the list @jpgilham compiled [www.mysteryshopforum.com] and sign up with the MSCs that other shoppers say are quick and reliable regarding pay.

David, here's a simple question....everyone seems to hold Sentry and you in high regard......but....why don't you pay sooner?

@Sentry Marketing, that time frame is from personal experience, so I stand by it. It wasn't mentioned as a complaint, but to set expectations for shoppers who rely on prompt payment. My first shop with Sentry was paid using the time frame above, and as the saying goes--first impressions are lasting impressions.

ETA: I like Sentry shops, and have no ax to grind. But payments are sometimes late. Again, not a complaint, just a statement.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2016 11:25AM by ChrisCooper.

It sounds like we must have missed something with your payment. I apologize that it took so long to get you paid. Our current timing averages around 6 - 8 weeks. Some of this depends on when a report is validated and released to the client.

We are always reviewing processes and looking for ways to improve.

Many thanks for the feedback.

@ChrisCooper wrote:

@Sentry Marketing, that time frame is from personal experience, so I stand by it. It wasn't mentioned as a complaint, but to set expectations for shoppers who rely on prompt payment. My first shop with Sentry was paid using the time frame above, and as the saying goes--first impressions are lasting impressions.

ETA: I like Sentry shops, and have no ax to grind. But payments are sometimes late. Again, not a complaint, just a statement.

@ChrisCooper wrote:

Sentry pays 3-4 months in arrears.

I shop for Sentry every month. I have never, ever, had any payment made in arrears. Yes, their payment terms are far from immediate, but the payments are made within those terms. Arrears means payments which are past due. There are MSCs where that is a problem; Sentry, IME, is not one of them.

@Rousseau [www.paychex.com]
I'm using the term in the first sense (paying for services after service is rendered); you are using it in the second sense.

@ChrisCooper wrote:

@Rousseau [www.paychex.com]
I'm using the term in the first sense (paying for services after service is rendered); you are using it in the second sense.

It never occurred to me to go to a payroll company's website for a definition rather than a dictionary. I prefer the latter as a more authoritative source on words, none of which concur with your payroll company:

[dictionary.cambridge.org]
[www.dictionary.com]
[en.oxforddictionaries.com]
[www.collinsdictionary.com]
[www.merriam-webster.com]

I have been getting paid at the end of the month after I complete a shop for Sentry. There is some variability, but not much.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

Glad that others are paid within 6-8 weeks as Sentry states above. This thread was started because the OP hadn't been paid for July shops, neither had other shoppers including me. In a different thread on Friday, Sentry said the payments went out late Friday afternoon. That caused payments to be late to shoppers this month.

The fastest I've ever been paid is 66 days. I've never had a report returned to me nor had a question from an editor, so dickering over a report isn't causing the delay.

It's interesting that some folks are paid promptly and others are paid consistently late. Thanks for the info. I started out being fine with the late payments from Sentry since that was my expectation, but it seems I've been too complacent.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2016 11:53PM by ChrisCooper.

My payment is in my bill.com account showing a posting date of October 4. While this is slightly later than their payment policy states, I had a great time doing the shop which was a high-end restaurant and appreciate the full reimbursement plus payment whereas many companies only reimburse up to a certain amount with no payment.

Yes. I liked the shops, too, and did them as often as possible. I never had any complaints with Sentry shops or payments until reading this thread. The fastest I've ever been paid is the first week of the 3rd following month. I've been paid later than that, but never earlier. So, it's surprising to hear shoppers chime in about receiving payments at the end of the following month.

I like Sentry. I've done a lot of jobs for them. I've become accustomed to waiting up to 60 days for payment. If it's not showing on the 61st day I will contact them. I am not fond of bill.com-mainly as I never seem to be able to remember my password for them....While they pay slower than some others, so far they have been fairly consistent in payment. .

@TexGmn, I've been saying the same thing--with one exception. I never contacted them about late payments because it's par for the course. Other shoppers don't experience late payments and I wonder why. Maybe it (literally) pays to complain.

I did a shop mid July and I am JUST now getting paid (actually bill.com said 10/13). SOOOOO its safe to say 3 months.

ETA: It was a fairly simple shop so Im not complaining but.....

Red Lobster and Olive Garden are NOT fine dining!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2016 07:23PM by GrnEyedBandita.

The longest it's taken for payment to post at my bank is 75 days if I remember correctly. When the payment was by check in the mail, 93 days. Most are on the fringe of their posted payment policy: "Payments are processed approximately 60 days after a shop has been published to the client."

Yes, this is ambiguous yet what I agree to every time I apply for one of their shops. Payment terms are just as important to understand as the shop requirements when applying.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

I'm expecting my August shops to pay at the end of this month, by their timeline. The invoice was generated on September 16. Bill.com does not show any payments occurring before 10/27 and so I am still hoping this will pay on schedule. I now have 2 invoices generated which I find odd because I would have expected one to pay out before another is generated. They are definitely slow in paying, but their pay schedule says they will be.

@Sentry Marketing wrote:

We processed all remaining payments for the current invoice this afternoon.

I'm still waiting payment on a shop done 9/20/16. I've never worked a job that takes over 60 days to pay for my work.

What is Bill.com and how does that affect my payment. I'd like the money in my account yesterday as agreed.

I still haven't gotten a notice that I was getting paid for shops I did in September with Sentry. I keep writing and just get told by the end of the month. Well you know what? It's the end of the month.
I'm so tired of not getting paid on time. It's bad enough they wait 45 days after the invoice which can already be 30 days past the shop completion date. And then you still can't pay on time?
No shoppers can do shops late so why can they pay late and just expect us to wait?

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