I've been looking at their shops and I haven't seen anything available that actually had a fee associated with it. I had to go to a major city up north to actually find one. Is this their standard? I don't really work for did but I did take one upcoming shop from them just to see what their reports were like.

Many of their shops are reimbursed only. But, bear in mind that after you do a certain amount of shops, and do them on time and correctly, they have an internal grading status that will allow you to see better paying shops, some of which might still be reimbursement only. However, there are some shops with a fee that pay well but you won't be able to see them as a new shopper. For example, in my area they have some senior living facility shops that pay a $75 shopper fee. And they have high-end restaurant and concert shops in a larger nearby city that I can see. They offer some decent hotel shops that are pretty easy from what I understand, though I don't do them because I prefer to do a little extra work and earn a fee (ACL's hotels are reimbursement only). Route shoppers often use them as a stopping point, which I am sure is awesome since they don't have to pay out of pocket for a hotel on a long route. I am doing a high-end cosmetics shop for them next week that reimburses $15 and pays $20. I will probably spend both the reimbursement amount and my fee, maybe more, because I like their cosmetics and would buy them on my own dime anyway.

Like JAS, I get invitations for shops with fees such as senior living, storage facilites, etc.

I do their no fee hotel shops. I rack up so many hoel points becasue I have the reweds credit cards for 3 chains. I use those rewards to really "splurge" for hotels for my vacations. In Seattle, for instance, I will have a room overlooking Puget sound and next door to Pike Place Market. Do not scoff at waiting for reimbursement (instead of having the cc charges reversed). Paying the credit card, if it is the rewards card, is worth rewards $$$$. And, the value of free nights bought with that non-taxable .

Hey thanks for the reply! That's good to know. I might have to weigh the benefits since I don't live in a particularly big city but I'll give them a go for a little bit

The senior living ones that involve a phone call are absolutely NOT worth it. It's an extensive call with follow-up. And that particular scheduler is not the nicest person they employ.

Actually, the scheduler who does all of my 3 state area is exceptionally nice and efficient and helpful. I just did an onsite senior living community, with a recorded pre-visit call. Reasonable fee for effort, IMHO.

There are different schedulers for different regions.

@iShop123 wrote:

The senior living ones that involve a phone call are absolutely NOT worth it. It's an extensive call with follow-up. And that particular scheduler is not the nicest person they employ.

I didn't think the senior living shop was difficult at all. About the same amount of effort as a targeted apartment shop (less work, really) and nearly twice the pay.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

There are different schedulers for different regions.

Wish I had yours, then, JAS. Glad it was worth it for you. For me, the initial phone call was lengthy and then there were several follow-ups -- one months later "just checking to see if circumstances had changed." After my last EPMS disaster, I don't do targeted any more at any price :-). $/hr have not been worth it for me for apartments at all.

Yeah, I haven't done an Ellis shop in several years. And the follow up for the SL place was late and brief. But, if you don't like your scheduler, DO hold your breath, because they tend to change like the seasons.

It really depends on your region too. In my area, there are grocery stores, mattress stores, and even some lower-end restaurants that pay a fee.

They have all kinds of shops that pay, often plus reimbursement. Off the top of my head, I've done grocery stores, gas station and convenience stores, make up stores, jewelry stores and furniture stores that paid a fee.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2019 07:41PM by Sandy Shopper.

I just did a pet food store that paid a flat fee. It was an amazingly easy shop to do too although I doubt I can go back soon unless I know the salesperson I spoke with is on a day off. And how would I know that?

Yes; however, I've been stacking AMEX offers as tax-free savings that is basically income, so I take that into considering when pickup up their shops. Plus, many of their fine-dining shops are simple enough, on top of allowing me to easily churn any new credit cards that returns me ~18-22% return in tax-free income equivalents.

For example, many of their large restaurants offer $10 off $50 or $15 off $50, etc. via AMEX Offers on top of additional percentages back.

Either that, or I'm building up to a ~$500-600 reward for $3,000 spent (plus ~$60 in cash back), which is a ~18-22% return (or can be seen as 18-22% cash back)

Also, another relevant example is for an upcoming shop I have for them... I really, really like how they are OK with the use of gift cards with the majority of their shops. I get ~$200 of free gift cards a year from 2 of my no fee credit cards. I used $80 of that to obtain $100 worth of gift cards for the upcoming dinner shop I have, which also has a $100 reimbursement limit. So not only it's a way to convert $80 in gift cards to a cash reimbursement, I also pocket $20 out of that wedge.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2019 03:15PM by Tarantado.

The ACL shops I've done are reimbursement only. It's been awhile, but I remember the shops not being too difficult and the reimbursement modest.

I see shops that offer fee plus any relevant reimbursement. Sometimes, there are bonuses. I cannot get to those assignments for awhile, but it's good to know that they exist and I might have enough time in a few months.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2019 12:32PM by Shop-et-al.

I cringe when I see their Promo shops in my area, because I definitely don't want them snapping up some of my other companies' clients. I live in an expensive city, and so their reimbursements for restaurants seem really stingy to me. For example, there's a burger joint in a touristy area with a bar requirement, two drinks, an app, and two entrees with only a $50 reimbursement. To have a meal that I would enjoy, I'd go way over the $50, and I'd be hard pressed to keep any meal at $50. The bar alone would take at least $10.

And I do take other companies' dining assignments that are reimbursement only, because those are actually like coupons. They don't have extensive requirements like ACL. I stay in their database, but I haven't shopped with them for awhile.

@Tarantado wrote:

or example, many of their large restaurants offer $10 off $50 or $15 off $50, etc. via AMEX Offers on top of additional percentages back.

I keep looking at those great offers from AMEX but so far none of the ones they offer me are shopped by any of the companies I shop for including A-C-L. There are several lucrative offers from AmEx for hotels for those of you who are hotel shoppers. ($50 back if you spend $300 etc)

ACL shops in general are reimbursement only, and they also require a 20% tip. In the shop they will say: $50/20% tip

This means that they will reimburse you TOTAL 50, including tip. So the total food you can order is around 40.

It isn't the greatest, BUT the reports are very easy.

ACL is run like a Kindergarten. IMO. Shoppers are assumed to be lying, dumb, and needing discipline. Punishment is common.

They will have many errors and discrepancies between the what the shop form says, and what the description posted says. No one will be able to answer these questions when you ask.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2019 10:34PM by rothers27.

@sandyf wrote:

I keep looking at those great offers from AMEX but so far none of the ones they offer me are shopped by any of the companies I shop for including A-C-L. There are several lucrative offers from AmEx for hotels for those of you who are hotel shoppers. ($50 back if you spend $300 etc)

I’d definitely keep an eye out for more AMEX offers. Many that are popping up on my 5 AMEX’s are fitting some of ACL’s shops. This past weekend, I redeemed a $60 off of $300 AMEX offer like you described for one of my ACL shops, which is an awesome “bonus” considering how simple their shops are. Plus also pocketing in CC points and rewards, as well!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2019 11:23PM by Tarantado.

So now there is a new restaurant listed in my area. It has no fee and is in a fancy hotel on the water. The reimbursement limit is $80 and they will reimburse the 20% required tip if there is enough $$. I just looked at the menu. Are they crazy? You are out of pocket a minimum of $11 or more if they do not allow bread and butter to be the appetizer and you are having a really bare dinner of the two cheapest entrees with no choice whatsoever, bread and one soft drink. What if they are out of the one veggie $24 entree. Suddenly your dinner is $100. Valet parking of $15 seems to be reimbursed but not the tip to the valet which is required another $3. That can only be reimbursed if there is dinner money left over. And someone took it already for November. Great coupon if you did not need to do a report

Most of their shops have no fees if there is a reimbursement included. They used to pay $10.00 dollars but its rare and usually if they need a certain age demographic for an integrity shop. Then you will see a small fee. If you shop a store, or location where you can't make a purchase, then there is a fee. Hope that helps.

For $11.99, I can get five different Burner numbers for one month each. Very helpful for senior living and memory care video shops... they call relentlessly for up to three years afterward!

I’ve also found a source online (in India) to get 20
Gmail accounts for $25. Totally worth it.

@ColoKate63 wrote:

For $11.99, I can get five different Burner numbers for one month each. Very helpful for senior living and memory care video shops... they call relentlessly for up to three years afterward!

I’ve also found a source online (in India) to get 20
Gmail accounts for $25. Totally worth it.

Why are you paying to Gmail accounts you can open for free?

I think it depends on location. Near where I live they have decent pay for shops such as self storage, fitness clubs, home stores. But some of the other companies shoppers on this forum often talk about have nothing at all near me. I started signing up for additional companies on Jobslinger, and after adding 2 and seeing after the fact that they didn’t even have one job in my state, I decided I’d better research them first before wasting my time signing up with them.

I've completed 3 for them, 1 paid 0, reimbursed 20. 1 paid 0 and reimbursed 50. 1 paid 10 and reimbursed 10. I don't see them often paying either, just a reimbursement.

Erco, it's never a waste of time to sign up with companies, even if they don't have shops in your area at the moment. I have been shopping for almost 20 years. I signed up with over 100 companies in this time. Initially, many of them had nothing in my area. But over the years some of these companies suddenly did!

MSCs lose clients and sometimes those clients go to other MSCs. If you aren't signed up with that other MSC, you will never know where the client went.

I shop ACL quite often. Mostly reimbursement-only restaurant shops, but a few others that pay a good fee (doing one next week that pays $65+ for about two hours work.
However, I think you have to realize that most restaurant shops (not fast-food) are really like coupons. Don't do them expecting to make money. You generally won't, with any MSC. I only do them at restaurants that I like to or want to eat at. And I eat what I and my guest want. What this means is that I can afford to eat at restaurants when the meal cost is $100 plus tip, because with an $80 reimbursement, I'm only spending $40 for what would cost me $120 normally. Or whatever.
I have done shops for them involving drink service at dinner at one restaurant chain, where the report took about fifteen minutes and the reimbursement was up to $100. We both ate steaks and appetizers and a drink and still didn't quite spend the $100.
I have also, conversely, done a shop (twice) because it's at a high-end restaurant where we love to eat. It reimburses $100 but I spend about $225 for dinner. Certainly I lose money on it, but, for spending an hour and a half on a report, I save $100 on a place I really like to eat at (and would probably not go if I had to pay the whole $225).
I do other MSC's shops to make money. So, it all depends on what you are looking for.

@Tarantado wrote:

@ColoKate63 wrote:

For $11.99, I can get five different Burner numbers for one month each. Very helpful for senior living and memory care video shops... they call relentlessly for up to three years afterward!

I’ve also found a source online (in India) to get 20
Gmail accounts for $25. Totally worth it.

Why are you paying to Gmail accounts you can open for free?

1. Google limits free accounts by checking ISPs. I go through 20+ emails monthly in video work. I routinely get cut off after 4-5 free accounts now. No time to fuss with that.
2. Time is money. $25 is literally 10 minutes of my time on a video shop. Not efficient to spend a couple hours setting all that up.

I like ACL. I live in a pretty rural area; however, the amount of reimbursement given for resturaunt shops is sometimes more substantial than small fast food shops with a less than $5 fee from other companies. I like the hotel shops especially the ones that include dinner and breakfast. I probably routinely shop with them more than any other MSC.