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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2016 02:24AM by jbiles.

Free? To me, free means you don't have to work, write a report, or pay for it and get reimbursed. Is this the pizza shop that requires photos of the front and back of the pizza and reimburses for one 11 inch pizza, one salad, and one drink?

Calling a reimbursement-only pizza mystery shop "Free Pizza" seems tremendously disrespectful to mystery shoppers to me. JMHO.

Does the free pizza come with a shopping fee? While I sometimes work for food (and have done so for ACL), pizza is not expensive enough to tempt me, and local pizza is IMHO better than what any of the national chains bake up,

@myst4au wrote:

Does the free pizza come with a shopping fee? While I sometimes work for food (and have done so for ACL), pizza is not expensive enough to tempt me, and local pizza is IMHO better than what any of the national chains bake up,

If its a certain chain restaurant..its not worth it as I can't even give the pizza away anymore because no one likes them.

OMG! This is my pet peeve.

I find it SO annoying when a scheduler sends out an e-mail saying "have dinner on us" or "FREE DINNER!" And here on our forum is a scheduler using that as her introduction!

When I accept a mystery shop with a dinner reimbursement, I am working and earning every penny of that reimbursement - nothing's free!

My new year resolution is to not take any more dining shops unless it comes with a fee.

closer look is one of the cheaper companies for sure don't think I have done a shop for them in at least a year.
I won't do a shop that is food only my time is worth more than the food and when I am just out I don't have to take notes on everything and I can enjoy myself.

ACL is an excellent company with which to cut your mystery shopping teeth. Once you realize that you are now better at this than their reimbursement-only will pay you, you stop working for them. I haven't done a single job for ACL in well over a year.
They're fine, they have their place, but you're not getting rich working for them.

Welcome to the forum jbiles! It always delights me that shoppers turn up their noses at reimbursement only shops because it leaves that much less competition for some very nice shops. ACL is definitely one of my favorite companies and I look forward to continuing into the new year with some nice opportunities.

ACL offers opportunities other than restaurants. Several of the reimbursement only restaurant opportunities are worth it. Of course, that is up to each individual to decide. Personally, I'd rather have a fully reimbursed lunch or dinner, sometimes for two people, than $8 for a cell phone shop that is just as taxing on our time and potentially more difficult to accomplish.

Welcome, Jackie.

Neither my time nor mileage is free. Free = I do not have to take pictures, upload them, spend my money or time. With no fee. Rarely, would I choose to go to ACL's restaurant accounts and spend my own dime. So, the reimbursement only is not worthwhile to me.

Thank you everyone for your comments...
I am a new scheduler learning the ropes.....
I am a highly experienced shopper.
Many of you have revealed many opinions which I will utilize for future posts!
Thank you for all of your help!
Happy Shopping!
Jackie Biles
Scheduler
A Closer Look

Welcome, Jackie!

(It amazes me how rude people can be when typing anonymously from their computers. Folks- if the reimbursed dining shops aren't for you, you don't have to belittle someone who does not set the fee schedule. Just don't take the shops. Next?)

If ACL offered a combination of some reimbursement, some fee shops, I think more people would be included to check out your job board.

I didn't see the original post but I think there are people on the attack. I get plenty of emails of shops that I don't care to do but I don't knock others for accepting them. I did a reimbursement but fee shop for a company. It was at a restaurant that I would not normally go to, so to me and my spouse, it was FREE, reimbursed, or however you see it. I used my credit card and when the reimbursement comes, I will pay that credit card.

It is all about your personal value system. IMO

ACL will always be one of my top 5 companies! Yes, a lot comes reimbursement only, but how often can I afford $$$ steakhouses and seafood shops on my own dime?! I'm sorry this was the reaction of so many on here. Of course a fee of any kind on top of the reimbursement would be most appreciated, but I wouldn't turn up my nose at your high end shops either.

People can take any shops they want, for me I look at the time it will take me for the shop total time including the report and what the value food+pay or whatever then decide what is worth my time. I have been doing lot fewer. Everyone has their amount that they will do a shop for, as many have said some companies are good to start with then move on to better paying ones. I will do a small fee oil change shop as I do need the oil change and the report is pretty simple, same goes for a 5 Guys for 6 bucks it is now worth my time but at 14-18 I will do 1-2 each weekend, i always wait for them to call me and they always seem to.

A 20.00 new car shop or 50-60 bucks for the same shop but different company I was paid 150.00 for a new car shop and it did not even have a test drive. I have done reveal dinner shops that just paid for food but had 3 pictures and 3 questions, I will do those all the time, same goes for a bar shop that reimburses enough for 2 drinks and appetizers along with 25-30 bucks for the report. That is what i feel my time and experience is worth. A 8 buck cell phone shop I don't even look at the email, unless it was a phone call and 4 questions it is not worth my time, other people can knock out reports in less than 1/2 the time I can. I know this because I used to do the airport circuits and others really like them for me doing 7 reports took more than 4 hours others can do it much quicker. That is why I don't do them anymore, but when they need someone with certain skills they are willing to pay me more $$ than others.

I a not knocking any company or person, I am sure if ACL could get more $$ from the places they represent they would, since they do seem to need people for last minute shops on a regular basis much like the 5 guys shops, but they don't seem able to offer much more $$ for people to do stuff at the last minute.

It looks like Jackie edited her post to remove the "offending" remarks, but what upsets me is just how rude some forum posters are. This was posted as an introduction. All of the 'real' offenders in my book could have responded differently. They could have said hello to Jackie and wished her luck. They could have said something like, "Since you're new, let me take a minute to tell you a few things that bother me about ACL or pizza shops," but instead, from what I see the vast majority (not all, but most) just started slinging hash. That's a bad thing about the culture. I think Jackie's reply was well written and polite in response.

Jackie, welcome. As you've read, a lot of folks have issues with ACL. Some don't, and some are in the middle. I've done several ACL shops and usually not until they are bonused because I need at a bare minimum to have my gas covered. Shoppers are working and have to meet the requirements. It's not just like it's going out for a meal and then getting paid for it, not if you don't follow all the rules or, in some cases, order exactly what is required. I think there should always be a fee of some kind. No fee excludes most shops for me. I have done a couple when they fit in with other plans, but that has been rare. I would love to see ACL re-evaluate their stance on shop fees. I really don't think they consider the shopper much from that point of view. As I said, though, I've done several shops and have been happy with the schedulers, the phone support, and the report process.

Good luck, Jackie!

Good luck Jackie. It's going to be a lot of hours with minimal pay. Hopefully, the trade-off of working from home is worth it.

I look forward to ACL's shop release dates with pleasure. I grab as many of their hotel shops as rotation rules permit and sign up as back-up shopper where Ican! All of those hotel rewards point add up to a huge(tax free) bonus each year.

I have not worked yet with A-Closer-Look but when my neighbor asked which mystery shopping company to pick/join, I said ACL (because I was not working with them)... He actually likes the shops, most involving breast bars...and not sure what else, I think other restaurants.

As for working for just food, I have and will do them "if" they fit in with my day.

The pizza shops: they (other MSC) begged me to take with bonuses. Now, I am spoiled. I won't take a pizza shop without a bonus (too much work with the phone call, photography, reporting and doing it for free is not in my vocabulary).

But very few of my sandwich shops want me to do the shop without a fee. Think of the "Q" sandwich shop-they did and I agreed to it. I believe they are out of business now.

I think working without a fee is a choice. I have done it (more rare) if I am out in the field all day. We don't get rich taking those but they are fillers between other shops.

@walesmaven wrote:

I look forward to ACL's shop release dates with pleasure. I grab as many of their hotel shops as rotation rules permit and sign up as back-up shopper where Ican! All of those hotel rewards point add up to a huge(tax free) bonus each year.

Um yeah. Who would not want to be the scheduler for those shops? Not hard to fill at all. It's like having the Regal Movie Theater account (another MSP). Try filling the pizza shops with no fee. I feel for those ladies.

Welcome Jackie! I love ACL as the schedulers are always professional and give excellent feedback. As for the pizza shops, the reimbursement is not quite enough to make me take one. I will take one if bonused. The report is quite time consuming as the shopper has to gather quite a bit of information (timing, multiple names AND two photos). Keep that in mind as you try to fill these.

@gigishopper wrote:

Welcome Jackie! I love ACL as the schedulers are always professional and give excellent feedback. As for the pizza shops, the reimbursement is not quite enough to make me take one. I will take one if bonused. The report is quite time consuming as the shopper has to gather quite a bit of information (timing, multiple names AND two photos). Keep that in mind as you try to fill these.

Absolutely, this. And, please, please, never call it "free pizza" ....... a shopper who takes one of these pizza shops works very hard to earn that pizza.

Yes I have learned the definition of free to many shoppers!!
When I shop I consider them free meals but many do not agree with my opinion!
So, my promise is never, never, ever, use FREE in a post again.
Sorry, if I offended anyone!
Happy Shopping!
Jackie

Good Luck, I'm sending you a private message.

No, it's not the chain your thinking of.

@jmitw wrote:

If its a certain chain restaurant..its not worth it as I can't even give the pizza away anymore because no one likes them.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

No, it's not the chain your thinking of.

@jmitw wrote:

If its a certain chain restaurant..its not worth it as I can't even give the pizza away anymore because no one likes them.

Waves hand in Jedi Mind Trick awesomeness
This is not the chain you're thinking of

I do some work for ACL. haven't done the Pizza shops... too far away (to far away being more than a couple of miles - especially with no fee attached), even with a little bonus. Wouldn't do them without a bonus even if was in the area. I have done some rare non-fee reimbursement shops only. Rare, rare rare - but the ones I have done are within walking distance of work and something I wouldn't ordinarily go to and spend my own money at - and the reports are easy and the reimbursement covered all the expenses.

Jackie - think of it this way - it's not free cause I would not have had to spend the time or gone to the place ordinarily thus I would not be out time and gas and wear and tear on the car. Instead I would have been doing something else (either enjoyable on my own time - or a shop with a fee and reimbursement). Once I commit to a shop - it is now costing me some time (how much am I worth a hour?) and gas and car expenses (how far away am I willing to go - and of course the drive there and back counts as time too). So let's say I accept a 18 dollar pizza reimbursement only shop and let's say its the closest one to me - at 17 miles one way - and in good traffic a half hour drive. All of a sudden I have immediate time spent of 1 hour, plus mileage and car wear and tear of 34 miles - that is if the traffic is good - and no stops and slow downs (rarely happens). Now I have to go in, do the shop, spend say another 40 or 50 minutes. Then when I finally get home - spend time writing a report. Not having done any of these so I don't know the complexity involved - let's say the report is 30 minutes (sign in, write report, upload photos, write everything in my spread sheet, etc...) - so conservatively I have now spent a minimum of 2 hours and 20 minutes - oh wait, let's count the time to review guidelines and print them out, plan what I am going to do, find the route to the shop, etc. add another 20 minutes- so conservatively I'm now at 2 hours and 40 minutes plus wear and tear on my vehicle and gas expenses and printing expenses. What did I get in return? A pizza meal of 18 dollars. If the 18 dollars wasn't enough to cover a pizza I wouldn't enjoy then I'm either out an enjoyable meal as well or I'm out any money above 18 dollars to get something I would like (most reimbursements aren't enough to get anything but the cheapest meal in the place - and even then - in some shops the reimbursements don't even cover that.) What did I make an hour? $6.45 worth of pizza (not even money - just pizza), minus money for gas, money for printing, and money for wear and tear on the car and minus the ability to just sit and enjoy a meal without remembering a bunch of timings, facts, names, etc... So doing the shop actually costs me money - cause I would have a meal at home that was much less expensive to make and may have been more enjoyable. Of course, it is true, I do get a deduction on taxes, so that is taken into consideration.....

That said, I do some ACL shops that are convenient to me and look adequate enough to cover what I need it to cover. There are a couple I particularly enjoy and watch for them and opportunities to do them alone.