HDE is a Mystery Shopping Company. I believe it stands for Hilli Dunlap Enterprises. Like most MSCs, this one has (at least one) scheduler that it employs to schedule shops, and that person is who the shopper is most consistently in contact with. I've completed and been paid for two shops for HDE, both low paying "feeling the waters" kind of shops to test them out. I completed the first shop and submitted the report, no issues.
I did a second shop, and submitted the report. The scheduler sent a quick, thanks for your report, great job and I asked about the payment policy since it had been about 75 days since the first shop, and I wasn't able to find the payment policy anywhere.
He responded quickly saying that the policy was that shoppers are paid after the full report with all shops is submitted to and accepted by the client, usually by about 6 weeks after the shop, but that it sometimes is faster. He promised to check on my payment (since it had been well beyond 6 weeks), and I received a Paypal credit that day or the next day for both shops.
I've done another one now, and have it marked for follow up after about 6 weeks. We'll see if they pay before I have to contact them....
Shopper in California's Bay Area