With 380,000 ICs, it’s obvious that we aren’t a high priority. That’s the takeaway I get from that number. They can churn and burn at will, pay late, and there are dozens more in our vicinity who can perform the work.

Prediction: There will never be an “agent liaison team” or anything approximating decent treatment from Market Force. With 380,000 ICs in their database, there’s simply no need.

Well, my payments from MF are now up to date. I rec'd a call from their "overseas" office asking for support of a hamburger shop near the shore. I asked for, and received, the same $55 fee on top of reimbursement. I'll split that with my wife for lunch. We'll relax under an umbrella on the beach all afternoon. Then complete a dinner shop at Texas Roadhouse on the way home. It will be fruit and salads for the next couple of days!

Bear in mind that About Face had this same problem not too long ago and it was quite a few months before it finally got resolved. They always paid but I had to chase payments for a while.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

With 380,000 ICs, it’s obvious that we aren’t a high priority. That’s the takeaway I get from that number. They can churn and burn at will, pay late, and there are dozens more in our vicinity who can perform the work.

Prediction: There will never be an “agent liaison team” or anything approximating decent treatment from Market Force. With 380,000 ICs in their database, there’s simply no need.

There may be some holes in your theory that there is an endless supply of people for them to churn and burn. I think the average person will have enough common sense to know to run after they have been jacked around on pay once or twice. Just like in the stock market there will always be a few that will put their hands over their eyes and ignore the signs and ride the sinking ship to the bottom, but most people sooner or later are going to cut their losses and run. They could run out of cheap labor in a matter of months if they are not careful.

@Sobrokeigot2dothis wrote:

There may be some holes in your theory that there is an endless supply of people for them to churn and burn. I think the average person will have enough common sense to know to run after they have been jacked around on pay once or twice. Just like in the stock market there will always be a few that will put their hands over their eyes and ignore the signs and ride the sinking ship to the bottom, but most people sooner or later are going to cut their losses and run. They could run out of cheap labor in a matter of months if they are not careful.

True.

I kinda had one of those impromtu eyebrow raising moments with the folks taking on bonuses shops with others cancelling. I mean...they haven’t been paid yet! Not sure why the gloating!

We had this same act with NSS. Out of the blue, the phones weren’t being answered at times during their 8-5/M-F business hours and many didn’t bat an eyelash for some reason. The pay days got pushed from the middle of the next month to the end and beyond. Folks kept taking shops as long as someone called on them. Folks got stiffed. The End.

(I would also consider MF pushing pay day back constantly until they can shake down a high interest loan from a sugar daddy a major pay issue.)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2019 02:40PM by AlfredB1979.

Some of you are really negative. Why does the glass have to be half empty? Why does this have to be a negative sign of a company going under? I think the loss of major contracts is more significant, The golden arches are now with bi. the blue phone company has moved, and not sure where the rent to own contract went but they disappeared. Well then again the blue phone company hasn't done any mystery shops in a while just audits, which I don't do because they are a headache and difficult to understand. At least the drive-in ff mystery shops are still thriving. I cut back on them for a while because I was doing more gas stations then when I went back and looked I couldn't find many of my old regular assignments.

I'm not gloating. I've voiced my concern. However, I had a long pre-planned route to do. I was able to pick up some bonused shops that fit right into my route. So if the worst happens, and I don't get paid - well, then the worst happens, and I don't get paid.

Well whatever the problem is or has been I hope it is or gets worked out with them. Too many signs to me indicate problems ahead, hopefully I'm wrong. Good luck to those that continue to shop with them hopefully you will not encounter any future payment problems. I'm taking a break till things tend to become more stable with them. Too many other companies that are hitting the mark when it comes to payments, less worries about getting paid.

@AlfredB1979 wrote:

@Sobrokeigot2dothis wrote:

I kinda had one of those impromtu eyebrow raising moments with the folks taking on bonuses shops with others cancelling. I mean...they haven’t been paid yet! Not sure why the gloating!

No cancellations within 30 miles of me. Just lots of new shops being released with dates from mid July to early August.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@AlfredB1979 wrote:

@Sobrokeigot2dothis wrote:

I kinda had one of those impromtu eyebrow raising moments with the folks taking on bonuses shops with others cancelling. I mean...they haven’t been paid yet! Not sure why the gloating!

No cancellations within 30 miles of me. Just lots of new shops being released with dates from mid July to early August.

Me, too. I got back from out of town and was looking forward to grabbing a lot of bonused shops that other shoppers had canceled ....... NO. Absolutely nothing. Sigh.

The official MF Payment policy is that they pay around the 15th and 20th. This month they were late by 8 days (for me... everyone's bank is a little different). They've been pushing up to and past the 20th of the month in 2019 after years of being consistent and reliable. May's payment seemed to have more problems than usual, and the company apparently realized that this was unacceptable because they made a weird early payment of June shops to some people.

On the one hand, MF has been making reliable on time payments for decades. The recent late payment seems unacceptable to them, and they've taken steps to try to resolve it as soon as possible, even paying other payments early while they tried to sort it out.

On the other hand, this is a worrying pattern. Payments have been slightly less reliable for the last couple of months and this month was a big let down for shoppers.

I think that both the people who are worried that MF is having trouble, and people who assume everything is going to work out both have a point. MF's track record is solid. They're a large company and there's no reason to think that this is anything more than a payment process snafu. At the same time, when a MS company goes under, this is often how it starts: payments that come later and later until they just stop coming all together.

I guess my point is that it's reasonable to take either approach. Everyone has a different tolerance for risk. There's risk in every MS assignment. But now Market Force jobs have a bit more risk than they used to. We should all look at our current situation and see how things have changed for us based on that risk.

I'm going to keep doing MF shops, but it's totally reasonable for someone else with different shop types in their area, and/or different needs to make a different decision.

Well said CaliGirl. This thread has so much speculation and so few facts. Late and messed up payments also cost an MSC a lot of internal grief and resources. Have there been MSCs that just ignored inquiries because they truly didn't have the cash on hand, and shoppers either got paid very late or were totally stiffed? Of course. Does it seem likely that MF had no cash for any shoppers 9 days ago and suddenly had enough cash to pay every last cent by the 29th, and that those nine days were worth all the calls and emails and cancelled shops they had to endure? That's for each shopper to decide on their own.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2019 10:31PM by NinS.

Has anyone else not received the May payment yet?
Edited to add: I normally receive direct deposit

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2019 08:17PM by jgoodwin.

I have not received my May payment either.
edited to add: I get Direct Deposit as well. The Help Desk is "investigating" why my payment(s) have not been made. (There are 2 DD listed on my payment info page, 1 for 1 June shop and 1 for my full May pay).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2019 04:49AM by Lady Marius.

I was paid for 3 shops from June peformed before June 5, in addition to my May shops via a separate deposit. I appreciate the early payment on a few June shops as a offer of reconciliation, it made things fully square for me.

If you are paid by check hopefully your Payment History is updated and the check is in route. If you have direct deposit, check your Payment History. Send them an email if anything is not as expected.

For anyone still awaiting your May payment, contact the MF Help Desk. I was told that my DD setup was changed back to check. I did not knowingly make the change and I have no idea who/what did. I'm curious if this same thing happened to other shoppers.

yes I have emailed twice and it has been 6 business days! are you Canadian by any chance? they seem to be having payment issues. I am stopping working with them for at least 3 months unless I see that they are no longer having payment issues.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 01:20AM by Mysteriousways.

@cklender wrote:

For anyone still awaiting your May payment, contact the MF Help Desk. I was told that my DD setup was changed back to check. I did not knowingly make the change and I have no idea who/what did. I'm curious if this same thing happened to other shoppers.

I received June and May payments separately, both DD.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 03:34AM by lgo1957.

Mysteriousways,

I think all three of us that are reporting none payment are Canadian. Correct me if I am wrong jgoodwin. I am in Toronto.

That is correct I got this email from them, big screw up. I am so mad. It is going to take a break definitely from them I was counting on that cash for other things. Thank god for gig work or else id be in a not so good shape


JUL 05, 2019 | 09:55AM EDT
(Employee name removed) replied:
Good morning,

We have been notified that our Accounting department is having technical issues uploading the Canadian direct deposit files. Our team is working hard to get this resolved and has reached out to the bank directly for assistance. We hope to have an update for you by early next week. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you for your patience.


ANY UPDATE NEXT WEEK? IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT PAYMENT.

Ugh how concerning!!!

Canadians be warned working for MF is now a challenge as a screw up this magnitude is UNACCEPTABLE and the fact they could not even admit it until confronted is very telling.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 05:09PM by Mysteriousways.

It's not just Canadians that should be warned, anyone working for MF should be warned.

I am also in Canada and still not paid. This is the second time this year that they have had problems paying Canadian shoppers.

the worst part, they could not even send a shoppers message about this incident!!! Instead they want to keep it in the dark and I literally harassed them 3 times with email before I got this response...

I'm not sure I even BELIEVE their excuse!

I'm sad to let MF go but last few months been a headache, whatever it is...working for them right now is counter productive lesson learned you will not get paid ON time (judging by the last 3 months). They were okay before wonder WTH happened.

Anyways Canadians definitely don't bother (FOR NOW) and skip this one no matter the bonus because they are CURRENTLY unreliable for payment. 1 time is a mistake, 2 times is concerning, 3 TIMES is a PATTERN...sadly I'm seeing a pattern

I like their clients but good luck getting paid ON TIME these days!

@Mysteriousways wrote:

the worst part, they could not even send a shoppers message about this incident!!! Instead they want to keep it in the dark and I literally harassed them 3 times with email before I got this response...

I'm not sure I even BELIEVE their excuse!

I'm sad to let MF go but last few months been a headache, whatever it is...working for them right now is counter productive lesson learned you will not get paid ON time (judging by the last 3 months). They were okay before wonder WTH happened.

Anyways Canadians definitely don't bother (FOR NOW) and skip this one no matter the bonus because they are CURRENTLY unreliable for payment. 1 time is a mistake, 2 times is concerning, 3 TIMES is a PATTERN...sadly I'm seeing a pattern

I like their clients but good luck getting paid ON TIME these days!

They have only been late twice in March (which they told us before) and June.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 06:33PM by shoppingfool.

shoppingfool,

Canadian shoppers did not receive their December 2018 payments until February 2019. (Some BS about new banking regulations in Canada). My May payment for my April shops was late (Yes they told us about that) and now my June payment for May shops is late. This is 3 late payments in 6 months. (Some BS about not being able to upload the file to the bank). Shoppers were not informed about either of the two issues with Canadian Shopper payments. I only found out by harrassing the Help Desk. Took me 2 emails just to get a response that they are "investigating" the problem and nothing since.

Mysteriousways I too am very angry with MarketForce at the moment.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 07:20PM by Lady Marius.

Thank you, I had the same issue in Feb. I am not sure what type of investment shoppingfool has in MF but shoppers who finance these shops out of pocket cannot take risks like this period. I cancelled all my shops for this month and GOOD LUCK to those playing MF payment Russian roulette this month. COUNT me out, I will be following this thread hoping I am wrong cause I really like MF. However If one of my jobs proves 3 time in 6 months to be unreliable payment wise . I will be passing until proven otherwise.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2019 08:40PM by Mysteriousways.

I have never seen Canadians so angry before - well, not outside of a “South Park” episode.

Nope, not Canadian. Hope you get your payments soon!

Got my payment for May shops on June 28th. Expect similar problems with getting payment for June shops. Not shopping with MF till payment issues stablize.

@Lady Marius wrote:

shoppingfool,

Canadian shoppers did not receive their December 2018 payments until February 2019. (Some BS about new banking regulations in Canada). My May payment for my April shops was late (Yes they told us about that) and now my June payment for May shops is late. This is 3 late payments in 6 months. (Some BS about not being able to upload the file to the bank). Shoppers were not informed about either of the two issues with Canadian Shopper payments. I only found out by harrassing the Help Desk. Took me 2 emails just to get a response that they are "investigating" the problem and nothing since.

Mysteriousways I too am very angry with MarketForce at the moment.

I am a US shopper so i did not know about Canadian shoppers receiving late payments for Dec. In US it has only been 2 late payments.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2019 03:09PM by shoppingfool.