Informa Research Services slow payment

For the past two months, I've completed well over 100 shops for this company. I've done what was asked of me in a timely fashion. Now I've found myself chasing after money that I am owed. I've contacted several people concerning this issue. All I want to know is if they've sent out my back pay and their response has been to repeat their pay policies which is "It takes 30 days for shops to process", which I've found to be vague. Now they are repeating "It takes 30 to 45 days for shops to process".

I am extremely distressed by this. I have since moved on to shop for another MSC, but I'm very much dependent on that money.

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I have never had that problem with them. However, I do know that different clients of theirs have vastly different time frames for processing reports. But, one way to spread your risk is to spread your work across many MSCs. How many are you signed up with now?

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

For now, 2. I'm considering a 3rd MSC as well.

Honestly, I have found you can not be dependent on the pay from MSC. Everyone company I'm working for seems to pay 30 days out. There are a few here and there that pay with in days or a week but most state 30 days.

I work several MSC companies to spread the money and the shops out.

I have turned this into a part time job.

I am currently averaging 5 to 8 jobs a week making $20 to $50 weekly with out going out of my way. I only take jobs that are in the area I will be on set days.

@Indastruktable wrote:

For the past two months, I've completed well over 100 shops for this company. I've done what was asked of me in a timely fashion. Now I've found myself chasing after money that I am owed. I've contacted several people concerning this issue. All I want to know is if they've sent out my back pay and their response has been to repeat their pay policies which is "It takes 30 days for shops to process", which I've found to be vague. Now they are repeating "It takes 30 to 45 days for shops to process".

I am extremely distressed by this. I have since moved on to shop for another MSC, but I'm very much dependent on that money.

Have you been paid any money at all by Informa? I've done shops for two of their clients and was paid with two separate checks. I would need to look at my computer to see how long it took. It seems like it was quick.

My last check was for $335 on August 1. I was paid for shops between June 26th and July 12th. Obviously, July 12th and August 1st is less than 30 days in between, so they have been known to waive their 30 day rule.

Informa seems to make up their pay policies as they go along. I haven't tallied up how much I am owed yet, but I will keep you folks posted.

I don't mind the 30 days, 45 days or whatever the policy is. All I want clarity so I don't sit here wringing my hands. One of the MSCs I shop for made their pay policy real clear. I can count on them paying me on a particular date for shops that were completed between one date and the other. If the pay date falls on a Sunday or a holiday, I'll receive payment a day earlier.

I've been consistently shopping for a year and a half now and I've rarely had problems with a MSC paying in a timely fashion. Informa is one of the few companies I've shopped for that pay by paper check instead of direct deposit or PayPal. They do seem to mail checks out on Friday out of Tampa, FL. Since I live in New York, it generally takes about 5 days for the check to arrive. It has become a situation where I have to monitor both the postal service and Informa.

The Informa ICA that I agreed to states payment within 60 days.

Inda,
Time to re-read Informa's ICA. SOME of their shops are for projects where they specifically state that the pay will be within 30 days of shop acceptance, but that is a special incentive to bring more shoppers into that project, not their ICA agreement time.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I have two e-mails from a representative of the company that tell me pay will be issued between 30-45 days. Before the representative told me that, I distinctly remember them telling me they will pay 30 days after the acceptance of the shop, so I'm sure they changed their policy.

Anyway, I've moved on from Informa and I informed them (no pun intended) that I wouldn't be accepting anymore assignments from them because of their lack of communication. I just want what I am owed.

Then you will be
missing simple shops with $200 bonuses!

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I'm having the same problem with receiving payment for a $200 shop performed in March. Admittedly there was delay that I created by not submitting a W-9 but even after that was resolved I have been waiting well over the 60 days. I was told today by the scheduler that payment was delayed for another 2 to 3 weeks because Accounting were implementing a new software system. If this is the case then maybe the company should send an email to all of us expecting payment so we know to be patient and not sit here assuming that we're not being paid.

A five month wait for payment is completely unacceptable.

To update my story, I got in contact with Dylan Lerner after having to get tough with the company (threatening legal action, reports to the BBB and MSPA). Mr. Lerner was professional and told me that I was owed $847.50 and that he would PayPal $307.50 of the remaining amount.

He was true to his word. However, I still haven't received the remaining $540. I sent an email to Mr. Lerner concerning this issue and I have yet to hear a response.

Maybe getting tough with the company can help you get the $200 you are owed.

Wow! I had an inkling that Informa was moving to offering Paypal, but it looks like it is happening sooner rather than later.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

It was just for that one occasion. Julius Wolf told me there are no plans for Informa to use PayPal in the foreseeable future.

I love Informa. I wish I could find 100 of their shops to do. I hope you get it cleared up.

Indastruktable, did you have any more success with getting the remaining money you are owed? I called & left a message for Julius Wolf saying that a BBB report was my next step and lo and behold I received a check for $50. But no $150 bonus. Either these guys are incompetent or they're running on fumes financially. I'm certainly running on fumes as far as my patience goes. I was just wondering if your situation got resolved.

I was paid in full last week for my last shop.... on time.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

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Informa Research Services slow payment

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