Just some thoughts because at the moment I have resolved all my outstanding payment issues.

There is little point to being selective about the jobs you take if you don't receive payment as agreed within a reasonable period of time. For an MSP to not pay you a bridge toll or bonus they agreed to is not only annoying, but you will find that with some MSPs and schedulers it appears to be almost routine. Now I recognize that we are all human and mistakes happen. When it was a mistake and you point it out, generally it will be handled quickly and graciously.

I would suspect that most of the MSPs out there work in no more professional an office than where you are working right now. Many are very small, perhaps one person, operations that will have, from time to time, cash flow problems. There is no specific regulation of this industry, so any discrepancies in your pay are for you to work out.

A few suggestions:

First, make sure you keep good records of both what you contracted for and what and when you received it. A shop sheet is good for this, but since many of these arrangements are done by phone or email, I usually ask the phone scheduler to confirm the details to me by email as "I'm not at my computer and I don't want to forget the job". Save the confirming email at least until you have been paid, but realize that not all schedulers will or can send the confirming email with pay details.

Second, make sure you see the bonus added to your job before you perform it. There are some MSPs where it will not show up on your job and for these, as you come across them, it is more important to keep a record of who you spoke to and when and what was agreed.

Third, when the check comes in short, contact your scheduler or the MSP immediately. Be as detailed as possible. "I was promised X and only got Y" is not enough detail. "When I spoke with Suzy on November 6th about job# 12345, she indicated the pay was A and offered a bonus of B. She also indicated I would be reimbursed C for the bridge toll and D for the required purchase. This totals to X and I was only sent Y, which I received today on check #1234."

Fourth, when an MSP indicates a payment period of "30 days", begin contacting them after 45 days. When they indicate the 15th of the month following the month in which the job was completed, you should start contacting them no sooner than about the 25th of the month.

Fifth, keep your eyes on the forums for "issues" with MSPs with whom you are registered. One problem within 6 months is no big deal because we are all human and accidents happen (and shoppers can not follow instructions). Several unresolved problems should cause concern. I feel very lucky that I had only one small job unpaid when CheckMark had their problems, I had none outstanding when Mystery Diner went out of business, and there is a company I am not comfortable shopping for at the moment because they have lengthened their pay cycle and reduced their fees (both of which together make me concerned that they will stay solvent long enough to pay me).

Record keeping is your best defense to being paid and being paid in a timely fashion.

Your advice is good when it is applied to an honorable company but there are some real shysters out there who have nothing but distain for the shoppers and will quit communicating rather than pay up. Pacific Research Group is one of them and it seems like they are getting worse every month. I wouldn't be surprised to see them go belly up sometime soon.

I understand. I have never been tempted to work for PRG because the only shop they offer anywhere close is still way too far for the money. If you are not comfortable that they will pay, then don't work for them. We have little way, up front, to know how solvent an MSP is or whether they are honorable or not. Shoppers often "love" an MSP because of their relationship with a particular scheduler, but that is only part of the story.

When an MSP has a problem I certainly wouldn't guarantee that shoppers would work with them to get it sorted out, but stonewalling shoppers is not a smart choice. I don't know if you were around during CheckMark's problems a year or so ago. Although eventually I think all shopper fees and reimbursements (except bank fees for bad checks) were paid, many of us are not anxious to work with them because they responded so unhelpfully.

My problem is that I did work for them for two months and have about $170 due to me. and have never received a penny. They come up with every excuse in the book like The Postage Meter Ran Out Of Postage, The Bookkeeper Is At A Conference, The Owner Is Out Of Town, We Went With A New Bank And Are Waiting On Checks. Either they are broke or they have a total distain for shoppers. Either way, AVOID

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2008 04:08PM by Gloria.

I don't know where you are, but in my area it is the State Attorney's Office that deals with fraudulent business activity. It might be worth your $170 to make a few phone calls and find out who handles that stuff in your state (they will have at least an office in the county seat). A pleasant but firm letter--return receipt requested--demanding payment for your work completed and mentioning an appropriate time frame (whatever time is required by your official--10 days, 30 days etc.) before the matter is turned over to your [name of your local law enforcement such as in my case my State Attorney] may get them moving on getting your payment out. Certainly plan on doing no more work for them in any event.

Count me in as another one who will never do a seconds worth of work for Pacific Research Group again. The scheduler for PRG called me in a panic to get a shop done that another shopper had flaked out on. She offered a big bonus and I got an email confirming the shop and the bonus. I have yet to be paid and the shop was over three months ago. Out of the 20 or so companies that I have shopped for, PRG is the first one to duck out on payment. Like others have said, once the shop is reported the scheduler ceases communication and there is never anyone answering at their office.

WOW I'm going to go cancel them right now!