I really don't want to, but I feel a need to respond. To RedRose, thanks for the info, intended or not. In reference to CoffeeQueen's post, I haven't complained at all about the system. I just made an admission that I didn't even know when the pay date was. I had checked the guidelines and the MSC payment post here, but [MSC deleted] was not listed. I just asked out of curiosity. My shops were recent. There's no way I was expecting payment this month at all. If I'd been worried or put out, I would have dug more, but I wasn't.

I really wish people would stop making generalities and judgements. There are so many posts filled with venom and so often for no reason at all. It's life, though, so I expect the negativity won't stop. Very sad and I'm sure it stops many people from posting and sharing their knowledge and stories. I can say that I opt not to post many times, because I just don't want to be ridiculed and/or I don't want to get in the middle of the current fray. I wish we could all get along, but that's just a dream, one many have that has no chance of reality.

Mod note: Post edited for breach of forum rules and ICA violation.

@Orrymain wrote:

I really don't want to, but I feel a need to respond. To RedRose, thanks for the info, intended or not. In reference to CoffeeQueen's post, I haven't complained at all about the system. I just made an admission that I didn't even know when the pay date was. I had checked the guidelines and the MSC payment post here, but [MSC deleted] was not listed. I just asked out of curiosity. My shops were recent. There's no way I was expecting payment this month at all. If I'd been worried or put out, I would have dug more, but I wasn't.

I really wish people would stop making generalities and judgements. There are so many posts filled with venom and so often for no reason at all. It's life, though, so I expect the negativity won't stop. Very sad and I'm sure it stops many people from posting and sharing their knowledge and stories. I can say that I opt not to post many times, because I just don't want to be ridiculed and/or I don't want to get in the middle of the current fray. I wish we could all get along, but that's just a dream, one many have that has no chance of reality.

My post wasn't aimed at anyone in particular. It was just an observation. I'm sorry if you took it personally. I didn't even remember who asked in the thread when I posted it but it was more than one person.

My hide is very thick due to some years as a religious/political forum moderator. I often forget that others aren't quite so blase`. So I apologize. I'm really quite a nice person, but my blunt style can be hard to get used to.

Hi all, just a quick note about payments. I know that Ipsos is going to run an extra pay cycle (or two) - maybe as soon as Monday. They mentioned it on our weekly call just before the holiday. They are doing this because so many shops were in editing when the last pay cycle ran, and they don't want shoppers to have to wait until the 15th for their pay. I'll post something more specific as I know it, they aren't in the office for the holiday weekend.

Thanks for the response. I had made my comment shortly before your reply, so it just seemed like it might have been the latest catalyst and that's why I felt the way I did. Onward! :}

I'm also waiting on payment for 3 shops completed on 10/30. All have shown ok to pay for quite some time now.

They pay via Paypal, in case you were looking for a paper check.

@mccluskeyna1 wrote:

I'm also waiting on payment for 3 shops completed on 10/30. All have shown ok to pay for quite some time now.

have you thought, perhaps, to ask?

Just friggin pay me - is that so hard [MSC deleted].....???????

Stop creating ICA violations and breaking the forum rules

Will not work for them again - I hope ParkCity gets all those shops.

Per their website under Mystery Shoppers Agreement;

3. Payment. will pay you for each assignment within 45 days after you fulfill it; except that may withhold payment if you have broken any of the above promises or if or ' client otherwise determines that you did not properly fulfill your assignment. will not pay or reimburse your travel expenses or any other costs you may incur.

So if you completed the work on 10/30, then you probably shouldn't be looking for your pay until around the 15th of Dec.

Please stop creating ICA violations and breaking the forum rules

@sandyf wrote:

I would assume the shops will not roll out in the Christmas rush. The post office has enough on their hands without Mystery shoppers. Any negatives and there will be many, are forgivable if you have the holiday spirit but I, for one, would not want to deliberately go to a post office. I would sooner give it to my post person.


The scheduler for Y (and W as I guess it is the new company and the very old company)who contacted me said they will be allowing people to send their own things to their own places...no more requirement like for the current C shops that they must be mailed to a specific place. Beyond that she was not sure what other differences there will be.
For those who recently signed up I have not seen any jobs on their website and I checked about 10 popular states a few days ago. I sent an email to the scheduling company that was mentioned by someone in the other thread and heard back with the above information. They have not had a whole lot of clients for Y but as soon as they start this shop up they will be having many shops. Next month sometime....

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2015 02:55PM by Piled Hip Deep.

I'm confused. I worked with the old company and did many of these shops. It changed to the company and I have been doing some shops for them. Are you saying they are moving again to another MSC?

Today's MSC has always held the contract, they just used to subcontract it out.

@GJT wrote:

Per their website under Mystery Shoppers Agreement;

3. Payment. will pay you for each assignment within 45 days after you fulfill it; except that may withhold payment if you have broken any of the above promises or if or ' client otherwise determines that you did not properly fulfill your assignment. will not pay or reimburse your travel expenses or any other costs you may incur.

So if you completed the work on 10/30, then you probably shouldn't be looking for your pay until around the 15th of Dec.

Stop creating ICA violations and breaking the forum rules[I/]

GJT, the payment cycle for the USPS shops is different than their normal 45 day cycle. They pay on the 15th of the following month...or at least they are supposed to, and many posters on here were paid around the 17th-18th of November for October shops. This has been stated in their e-mails since the project began and repeated often. So actually that poster's shops should have been included in the payment for October shops received around 11/15 if they submitted the reports for the 10/30 shops on time. One of the MSC's payment department employees informed me that there was some kind of editing delay at the end of October, but I don't believe shoppers should have to suffer for that.

Personally the part I find the most upsetting is that I did a lot of work for them in November, which means my payment for that month will be sizable, and I do not like the idea of having to chase October's smaller but still not tiny payment as well as November's larger payment when that time comes and passes later this month. The delay with October has really inconvenienced me, and I find it ridiculous that the MSC can't rectify payment issues that were not as a result of any error on the shopper's part within over two weeks' time. But as far as future outlook, if they pay me on time or very close to it for November shops and catch up on the October payment by then too (and continue to pay on time in the coming months), I will probably dismiss this as a one-time, beginning-of-large-project thing, even if it is annoying and unprofessional, and will probably continue to work with them. So we'll see. JMO


Edited because I keep forgetting it's December now, so November is no longer "this month"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2015 06:06AM by RedRose22.

So are they now going to another MSC? If so I must have missed that topic.

When I first started doing post office shops they were with XYZ, but then they glided over to company 123 and now they are with Are They Cuckoo. Whether this was the Cuckoo's client all along and subcontracted out or just plain moved, I have not had reason to trust the Cuckoos at all so far.

Cettie, you make me laugh. Thanks for the jollies.

No, I'm patiently waiting it out. I hope my post didn't give you the impression that something was wrong.... I saw others posting along the topic and chimed in with my current experience.


Edited to add: Thanks, RedRose22. I responded before I read your post and you said exactly what I was thinking but too lazy to write out. As an update, a pay statement was produced today, but no PayPal deposits.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2015 01:04AM by mccluskeyna1.

Works great especially for holiday shipping. Remember to read their individual instructions as the scenario can change from food to a personal item.

@Piled Hip Deep wrote:

@sandyf wrote:

I would assume the shops will not roll out in the Christmas rush. The post office has enough on their hands without Mystery shoppers. Any negatives and there will be many, are forgivable if you have the holiday spirit but I, for one, would not want to deliberately go to a post office. I would sooner give it to my post person.


The scheduler for Y (and W as I guess it is the new company and the very old company)who contacted me said they will be allowing people to send their own things to their own places...no more requirement like for the current C shops that they must be mailed to a specific place. Beyond that she was not sure what other differences there will be.
For those who recently signed up I have not seen any jobs on their website and I checked about 10 popular states a few days ago. I sent an email to the scheduling company that was mentioned by someone in the other thread and heard back with the above information. They have not had a whole lot of clients for Y but as soon as they start this shop up they will be having many shops. Next month sometime....

Disclaimer
In way of clarification the top paragraph in this quote was written by Piled Hip Deep I gather in response to what I wrote in paragraph 2. Paragraph 2 was written way back in October sometime and was not in reference to Christmas shops. I had to look thru the entire thread to find the quote in paragraph 1 that looks like it came from me. The wording did not sound like my words so the I assume paragraph must be from Piled Hip Deep and the quotes are misplaced..
Sandyf

I did a shop today, and have others scheduled for this week. For the Dim Wt shops, I can indeed send the package anywhere in Zone 5 (for full reimbursement) or to a higher Zone (partial reimbursement).

BTW, I was paid via PayPal on November 18th for all shops which I did in October. It worked flawlessly.

@myst4au wrote:

I did a shop today, and have others scheduled for this week. For the Dim Wt shops, I can indeed send the package anywhere in Zone 5 (for full reimbursement) or to a higher Zone (partial reimbursement).

BTW, I was paid via PayPal on November 18th for all shops which I did in October. It worked flawlessly.

totally but the few detractors will continue the unfounded, unwarranted bashing & will keep spreading misinformation.

Mod note: This post has been removed for ICA violation

The 12 hazmat shops I've signed up for over the past two weeks have been left in limbo. Is this going on with anyone else? All other USPS shops are being scheduled or occasionally removed because someone else was offered them, however, the hazmats are all still applications. The submit by date for the shops initially was 12/9, but today changed to 12/14. I get the feeling I'm being left on the hook as a backup, but the other USPS shops I've seen had the option to sign up as a backup person?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2015 01:11AM by wwin.

@wwin wrote:

The 12 hazmat shops I've signed up for over the past two weeks have been left in limbo. Is this going on with anyone else? All other USPS shops are being scheduled or occasionally removed because someone else was offered them, however, the hazmats are all still applications. The submit by date for the shops initially was 12/9, but today changed to 12/14. I get the feeling I'm being left on the hook as a backup, but the other USPS shops I've seen had the option to sign up as a backup person?

contact the owner/general mgr of the scheduling company as has been suggested in the past and you will get a rapid response (allow for the weekend, tho?)

Where can I find that information?

contact the owner/general mgr of the scheduling company as has been suggested in the past and you will get a rapid response (allow for the weekend, tho?)[/quote]

@wwin wrote:

Where can I find that information?

contact the owner/general mgr of the scheduling company as has been suggested in the past and you will get a rapid response (allow for the weekend, tho?)

[/quote]

the owner of the scheduling company has listed the contact information on several postings on this and other mystery shopping sites (of which there are several).

@parkcitybrian wrote:

the owner of the scheduling company has listed the contact information on several postings on this and other mystery shopping sites (of which there are several).

Thanks, I was afraid you were going to say that. I have read all 15 pages of this thread but sadly didn't keep notes on it. I'll go back and try to find it.

@wwin wrote:

@parkcitybrian wrote:

the owner of the scheduling company has listed the contact information on several postings on this and other mystery shopping sites (of which there are several).

Thanks, I was afraid you were going to say that. I have read all 15 pages of this thread but sadly didn't keep notes on it. I'll go back and try to find it.

try the "mystery shopping company discussion" category

Okay. I'm still on my 1st cup. Now the brain has many more twists and curves than it did before I started reading this post.
A Merry Christmas to all! Happy Holidays to the rest.