What false information did I post? Yes, you are part of a click on here.

So far no one has answered my question. Why do MSC ask for your income level? (If not to set what shops they offer you)

Sometimes questions are asked simply because it was built in to the software by a programmer who had no idea what information was needed so he based the questions on job applications he had seen. Many companies ask a lot of questions that are more or less irrelevant, like income and educational achievement. None of the answers, with the exception of the social security numbers, are ever verified. Many companies also ask for a writing sample. Few companies bother to look at the writing sample. It's simply a requirement built in to the software. Some companies, like Customer Impact, do assign an income requirement to some of their higher level restaurant shops. Most companies, like ACL, make no attempt to match income level with higher level shops.

I wish MSCs did verify more information given them and actually vetted their shoppers. If they spent a little more time at the beginning, they would probably have fewer poor shoppers, less disconnect between clients and shoppers, and a higher overall success ratio. It might lower their turnover and given them a higher quality of work from more competent shoppers. But that's not what they are looking for. I think most MSCs are interested in getting as many shoppers in and shopping as quickly as they can and as cheaply as they can.

John! You posted incorrect information about ACL.

The word is "clique" not click. I am going to "click" my mouse right now and submit this post, but I am not part of any sort of "clique" and that, again, is false information.

@johnb974 wrote:

What false information did I post? Yes, you are part of a click on here.

So are we still talking about their low ball fees here? I recently started shopping for them again (after a 6 year hiatus after I had shopped for them for several years) after seeing them mentioned in a FB group I took a burger/chicken place near me that I used to do for someone else but they stopped doing them. The fee was low but I like their chicken sandwiches and fries and it was near my house. I also took a retail shop with a cafe reimbursement and a purchase requirement for the actual store but no reimbursement for that (need to return it). That one was paying $9 and near the other shop so I figured what the heck. When doing them I remembered why I had stopped shopping for them (the low payment) but then when I entered the shops and realized there was no narrative I realized it wasn't all that bad (the previous company required multiple narratives for the burger shop).

I noticed that the retail shop is posted for August (different location) with NO payment and just the $5 cafe reimbursement. Who in their right mind would do that shop given that it requires either an additional out of pocket purchase or a 2nd trip to return the product? And they still have the supermarket shops near me with no pay and $10.50 reimbursement. When looking at my shop history I remembered that I had once gotten $19 to do one of those when they were desperate. I noticed they have a "make an offer" feature on the website now I offered $20 for a gas station rebrand shop that was at $11 and they accepted it. Then I offered $30 for one of the cell phone audit shops and they accepted that too (but I dropped the shop once I realized what was involved, they should tell you before you accept it).

Oh, and it appears that the burger shop I did is also normally reimbursement only (I found some other locations posted for August). And I went a dollar out of pocket since the reimbursement did not cover the chicken sandwich. I won't do it for no pay.

BTW getting to my question, does anyone here do that retail shop for just the cafe purchase and no payment?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 01:52AM by MisterBill.

Never without a fee. I've seen them go in my area before I see the fee go up. I'll bombard the call center and their schedulers with calls to get the fee up. I would do it for $20 total if I am in the area for another shop.

Yes I looked for one that I'll be close to next week and didn't see it listed, so I guess some sucker took it for the drink.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 02:34AM by MisterBill.

I am new to ACL and I have only done two shops. Both of them I struggled with. One I did not take a picture of the entire food table and the other shop I did not know if I could ask the server's name. I was offered top tier shops without ever having done a single shop. None of them were pizza shops. I found the scheduler to be the nicest person ever. I can only say good things. If a shopper can't remember all the details it is hard when a shop has a lot of narrative or requirements.

@4muppets wrote:

I am new to ACL and I have only done two shops. Both of them I struggled with. One I did not take a picture of the entire food table and the other shop I did not know if I could ask the server's name. I was offered top tier shops without ever having done a single shop. None of them were pizza shops. I found the scheduler to be the nicest person ever. I can only say good things. If a shopper can't remember all the details it is hard when a shop has a lot of narrative or requirements.

It depends on the scheduler. I've had shops where the scheduler offered to fill in any missing times. When I look at the job board for ACL I only see pizza shops. Those are the only shops offer in my area. I always ask for peoples names, just to say "Thank you (their name).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 03:28AM by johnb974.

I've seen that bookstore/ café shop for $5. If they offer $20 I might take it. If you're talking about the cell phone audit shops, those are very easy to do and to file. I always do those.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 03:31AM by johnb974.

I did that bookstore shop but it had a shop fee and a reimbursement. For some reason some had reimbursements and some did not. Maybe they tried to put ones up with no shop fee to see if people noticed. I did and I cancelled the one with no reimbursement.

@4muppets wrote:

I am new to ACL and I have only done two shops. Both of them I struggled with. One I did not take a picture of the entire food table and the other shop I did not know if I could ask the server's name. I was offered top tier shops without ever having done a single shop. None of them were pizza shops. I found the scheduler to be the nicest person ever. I can only say good things. If a shopper can't remember all the details it is hard when a shop has a lot of narrative or requirements.

I'm fairly sure I know which shop you're talking about that required the full table photo, and the guidelines clearly said that it was required. I did not like that requirement (or having to take photos of the table before you left and of the entire dining room) and decided not to do the shop (and there is one 2 miles from my house that they had trouble filling). TBH we also didn't need to eat more unhealthy food. I think those shops are gone since i have not seen them for a couple of months now.

As for the server name, you can ask for their name. Just say "in case we need something, what's your name". Also, it's usually on the receipt. Worst case you can usually just give a good description if you felt that it would have compromised your anonymity unless the shop specifically said that you must have the name. I had a shop for another company where I did not get the server's name, but that was because they switched servers on me halfway thru the meal and the original server's name was not on the receipt (original server was a female, thename on receipt was male) and I did not get a chance to ask her since she stopped coming over.

ACL schedulers do not edit shops, so I don't think that they would have been able to help you with details.

Maybe you should do more shops with other companies if you feel like the ACL shops are too detailed for you. Then after you get more experience maybe you can try another one.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 03:44AM by MisterBill.

@4muppets wrote:

I did that bookstore shop but it had a shop fee and a reimbursement. For some reason some had reimbursements and some did not. Maybe they tried to put ones up with no shop fee to see if people noticed. I did and I cancelled the one with no reimbursement.

I'm guessing that the ones with no reimbursement did not have a cafe?

John, I think it's your location. It's not like ACL is blackballing you or anything, they just may not have high paying shops near you. I've only done 4 ACL shops and they were daycare and a jewelry shop. And the jewelry shop was high end. The shop fees were all over $60 and the shops were simple. I am also in the low income range.

No, I am ok with the details in shop narratives I was making a general statement about the details. I did not like the food I thought it was so salty I could not eat it. There was a reason why I never ate there in the first place and I won't be returning.

Yes, it actually did have a cafe. I do not know why some shops were reimbursement only and others not. It's a big mystery.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 03:38AM by 4muppets.

@a171989 wrote:

John, I think it's your location. It's not like ACL is blackballing you or anything, they just may not have high paying shops near you. I've only done 4 ACL shops and they were daycare and a jewelry shop. And the jewelry shop was high end. The shop fees were all over $60 and the shops were simple. I am also in the low income range.

I agree. That's what I've been telling some people on here, but they go out of their way to say it's my fault. LOL My area, it's pizzas only.

@4muppets wrote:

Yes, it actually did have a cafe. I do not know why some shops were reimbursement only and others not. It's a big mystery.

Wow, that is odd. How much did the no cafe shop pay?

They all had cafes.

@4muppets wrote:

No, I am ok with the details in shop narratives I was making a general statement about the details. I did not like the food I thought it was so salty I could not eat it. There was a reason why I never ate there in the first place and I won't be returning.

Did they agree to pay you without the photo?

John posted on the forum that he lives in or near Riverside, CA. I changed the search from my area to his on ACL's site and they have frozen yogurt shops, smoothie shops, storage unit shops, grocery store shops, several of the pizza shops he hates, 6 or 7 other various types of restaurants (some with high reimbursements), flooring shops, wholesale club shops, a comedy club shop, and movie theater shops. And they haven't even released all of August's shops yet.

@a171989 wrote:

John, I think it's your location. It's not like ACL is blackballing you or anything, they just may not have high paying shops near you. I've only done 4 ACL shops and they were daycare and a jewelry shop. And the jewelry shop was high end. The shop fees were all over $60 and the shops were simple. I am also in the low income range.

I'm also seeing a lot of shops for August and that was just within 15 miles of John's location. There's about 20 of them already. John, do another search using zip code 92506. Not trying to be creepy for anything but If that is where you live then there are shops for August.

John deactivated himself after his shop rejection in March. He said all he could see was pizza shops for the last 3 years.

Oh, and a hot dog shop.

JAS, that's a good idea you had. This thread made me wonder where on the ACL scale I fell because I've haven't done a lot, but I did do a nice restaurant once with a high reimbursement and an eyeglasses place. So I changed my area to Riverside, CA and I saw the grocery store, pizza shops, frozen yogurt (missed the one in my area), smoothie shop and movie theater. I did not see any other restaurants, flooring shop, wholesale club or flooring shop so I must be in the middle....lol

Hey, but I have been with ACL since 2004 or so and have done many, many shops for them. Keep on plugging along and they have some pretty nice shops that will open up to you eventually. I have done some really fabulous dining shops and concerts for ACL in the past. This one particular private club restaurant in my area was really fun to do. The comedy club shop in his area made me envious, same with some of the dining venues I just saw out near Riverside.

@kimmiemae wrote:

JAS, that's a good idea you had. This thread made me wonder where on the ACL scale I fell because I've haven't done a lot, but I did do a nice restaurant once with a high reimbursement and an eyeglasses place. So I changed my area to Riverside, CA and I saw the grocery store, pizza shops, frozen yogurt (missed the one in my area), smoothie shop and movie theater. I did not see any other restaurants, flooring shop, wholesale club or flooring shop so I must be in the middle....lol

Where in Riverside did you see these other shops for ACL? I have never seen any other shops except for a few Hot Dog shops in my area.

Yep

Like I and several others have posted already in this thread, that's because you have to earn status with ACL by completing a few shops to their standards. I can't give you specific client names, but all of the shops were within 25 miles of Riverside: Eastvale, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Corona, Claremont, Riverside, San Bernandino, Moreno Valley, Redlands, and a few others.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Like I and several others have posted already in this thread, that's because you have to earn status with ACL by completing a few shops to their standards. I can't give you specific client names, but all of the shops were within 25 miles of Riverside: Eastvale, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Corona, Claremont, Riverside, San Bernandino, Moreno Valley, Redlands, and a few others.

All I've seen in the years I've done shop for them were pizza shops. It had nothing to do with earned status. Their job board only showed pizza shops. Where do you see in their guidelines they will offer you other shops later, for any earned status? That would be a selling point, you would think any MSC would mention.