No Fee Shops - ACL - A Closer Look

They are offering shops now that are very lengthy in time and I need to drive to closest one over an hour. The others seems likely audits. I am not doing any audits for any company. I did shops for them in the past when any shops fell to the my route. But not now.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

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@JimmyP wrote:

Unrelated but for some reason now I can not find the button to like posts anymore. Am I missing something?

Totally correct. And the problem with no fee is very often the requirements do not even cover the cost of the reimbursement. Now the cost of the product has gone up here almost 20% but not the reimbursement. Not to mention the endless texts asking me to do shops that cost $15 in travel.

Totally correct. And the problem with shops now are that in the end your time ends up at $2 an hour if you are lucky.cover travel travel. With gas prices or urban mass transit too many are leaving you in the hole. For quite a lot of high level information for the client I might add.

I am logged in but still don't see it.

Screenshot:

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@JimmyP wrote:

I am logged in but still don't see it.

Screenshot:

[i.postimg.cc]

Try a different browser.

I checked my log for the past 10 years; the only shops I accepted for a zero fee were for Texas Roadhouses. That being I so enjoy their food. For all others, at least $5 is required for me to complete the work. I was always able to order and stay at or under the Roadhouse reimbursement without sacrificing the pleasure of dining.

I used to do tons of ACL shops pre-covid. They've lost my favorite local client, so now I pick and choose. The joy of reimbursement only is that I don't have to pay taxes on it. Would I like a fee? Of course, but is the $300 reimbursement dinner worth it? YES. To each his own.

There were a couple of ACL shops I did pre-Covid that I don't see anymore. Actually I don't see any shops on the job board for ACL. I sent the scheduler an e-mail asking about the shops I've done in the past and they said none of them were being shopped again.

Or I've read here that some shops are only visible if you have a high enough rating from previous shops. Could my rating have gotten lost when they switched websites?

The only thing they keep sending me is an energy audit of my home. The company website says I'm out of the area the nearest branch serves. I called and the sales person seemed interested in coming out since it was just out of their coverage area.

ACL said if my zip isn't on their list, I can't do the shop.

The bottom line is that there are enough shops available from other companies that I do not have to work for the paltry wages that ACL offers.

RE why people do small fee no reiumbersement shops-- You need to upfront cash to do reimbursement shops... not everyone has cash to front. That's my guess.

I do reimbursement only shops, and even though I could still eat if the shops didn't get paid, I do bite my nails after so many weeks and no reiumbursement. I currently have over 500 dollars that I'm waiting to get paid back. Thankfully, I'm a person of faith.

Having said all that, ACL is the worst. The reiumbersement is low, the requirements are high, and you have to wait for a check to be mailed. It's just hassles all around. And given they are the only company that has rejected a report, I would never trust them to pay me back for a high reimbursement shop.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2021 10:47PM by rothers27.

I wonder why they send that shop email to people outside of the target zip code.

@wrosie wrote:

There were a couple of ACL shops I did pre-Covid that I don't see anymore. Actually I don't see any shops on the job board for ACL. I sent the scheduler an e-mail asking about the shops I've done in the past and they said none of them were being shopped again.

Or I've read here that some shops are only visible if you have a high enough rating from previous shops. Could my rating have gotten lost when they switched websites?

The only thing they keep sending me is an energy audit of my home. The company website says I'm out of the area the nearest branch serves. I called and the sales person seemed interested in coming out since it was just out of their coverage area.

ACL said if my zip isn't on their list, I can't do the shop.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas

quote=HonnyBrown]
I wonder why they send that shop email to people outside of the target zip code.

@wrosie wrote:

There were a couple of ACL shops I did pre-Covid that I don't see anymore. Actually I don't see any shops on the job board for ACL. I sent the scheduler an e-mail asking about the shops I've done in the past and they said none of them were being shopped again.

Or I've read here that some shops are only visible if you have a high enough rating from previous shops. Could my rating have gotten lost when they switched websites?

The only thing they keep sending me is an energy audit of my home. The company website says I'm out of the area the nearest branch serves. I called and the sales person seemed interested in coming out since it was just out of their coverage area.

ACL said if my zip isn't on their list, I can't do the shop.

[/quote]

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

CANDY that is why you use a program to do that

@Candy Kane wrote:

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

I love ACL. They are one of my favorite MSCs. It seems to vary what they have in different areas. They have both for fee and reimbursements shops in my area. I've done both. They have some fairly interesting (as in worth my while to pick them up) restaurant options in my area, and I will pick up one of them every now and then. I've also funded a good number of week-end get-aways by picking up their hotel shops. That said, for the most part, I shop ACL for the perks, not the pay, and I like some of both in my mystery shopping life.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

What you reported is not the norm. Perhaps you were writing a promo for ACL?

Nope, not a promo. I've shopped off and on for years, sometimes for the perks and to get out of the house, more recently for the pay. Pre-covid, I'd mostly watch ACL for hotel shops to help fund little weekend get-aways. These days, most of what I do is either online or on the phone. They have some, but not a whole lot of that. They also tend to have a fair number of no purchase on-site visits for a decent fee in my area, north Alabama. My area has grown a lot in the last couple years, and I can really see the difference in the number of shopping opportunities, with ACL and other as well.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

In my area, ACL is always No Fee, and the reimbursements are tight, with the required purchases. And they are very specific on what needs to be purchased, down to the kind of cocktail, no inexpensive draft stuff. You are expected to pay out of pocket when you go over, and you will. As far as hotel, it is only one night. Who wants to do one night and just spend the time doing just inspections and reports? There is no time to enjoy the hotel or the area.

@ShopperFun99 wrote:

In my area, ACL is always No Fee, and the reimbursements are tight, with the required purchases. And they are very specific on what needs to be purchased, down to the kind of cocktail, no inexpensive draft stuff. You are expected to pay out of pocket when you go over, and you will. As far as hotel, it is only one night. Who wants to do one night and just spend the time doing just inspections and reports? There is no time to enjoy the hotel or the area.

I don't mind the hotels if I can get the credit toward rewards stays and points for staying. It's a free night and a sty toward elite stays and points that can be used for a future stay.

I am signed up for about 25 companies and every one of them sends shops to me that are nowhere near where I live. Many are hundreds of miles away. I am surprised that for some people ACL is the only company that does that. To make matters worse post covid I get 5 -10 emails for the same shop with a different list of cities on each. They used to know how to combine locations and send one email out per shop.

@Candy Kane wrote:

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

JUST 25.. ??? You need to be signed up with EVERY active company.
Far more than 25.
Just because they have no area shops today they might.

quote=sandyf]
I am signed up for about 25 companies and every one of them sends shops to me that are nowhere near where I live. Many are hundreds of miles away. I am surprised that for some people ACL is the only company that does that. To make matters worse post covid I get 5 -10 emails for the same shop with a different list of cities on each. They used to know how to combine locations and send one email out per shop.

@Candy Kane wrote:

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

[/quote]

Got an email encouragement to take a shop today by $1000 lottery pot. What an insult.
"Complete one Grocery Visit at Chef'Store in XXXX and get a chance to win $1000!"

No, I do not want a chance to win a lottery. Just a FEE

Once, not only did I have to pay out of pocket $26 (because of all the required order items: Specialty Cocktail at bar, $12-14, no cheap draft beer or wine allowed, appetizer, 2 entrees, dessert, and 2 beverages at table), they would not even pay for the $7 parking. They deducted $2, reimbursed only $5, because I went over the 2 hour limit. Well....they required 20 minutes at the bar before or after dinner, bathroom visit, etc. The restaurant was very busy, server was slow, so we went over the 2-hr $5 parking. ACL is so tight it is not beneficial to work for them anymore.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2021 09:34PM by ShopperFun99.

It depends on which shops you select from them. Dining/bar shops are risky regardless of the MSC so it seems best to ALWAYS regard them as partially subsidized meals, not full payment experiences. Many of their other types of shops are good, or even very good, MS deals for the shopper. So-called "lifestyle" shops are seldom that and should not be compared with shopping for pay.

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.

You are certainly correct that things might change in the future but my comment was to address the issue about sending multiple texts and emails that are "somewhere near" the zip codes we live in. My comment had absolutely nothing to do with how many companies I am signed up for. I am signed up for 25 or more companies including ACL which this thread is about and they mostly all send me jobs via 5 or 10 emails for each job that are 500-1000 miles away.

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

JUST 25.. ??? You need to be signed up with EVERY active company.
Far more than 25.
Just because they have no area shops today they might.

quote=sandyf]
I am signed up for about 25 companies and every one of them sends shops to me that are nowhere near where I live. Many are hundreds of miles away. I am surprised that for some people ACL is the only company that does that. To make matters worse post covid I get 5 -10 emails for the same shop with a different list of cities on each. They used to know how to combine locations and send one email out per shop.

@Candy Kane wrote:

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

[/quote]

25 is a drop I the bucket.
Not worth your while…
Not by any worth….

quote=sandyf]
You are certainly correct that things might change in the future but my comment was to address the issue about sending multiple texts and emails that are "somewhere near" the zip codes we live in. My comment had absolutely nothing to do with how many companies I am signed up for. I am signed up for 25 or more companies including ACL which this thread is about and they mostly all send me jobs via 5 or 10 emails for each job that are 500-1000 miles away.

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

JUST 25.. ??? You need to be signed up with EVERY active company.
Far more than 25.
Just because they have no area shops today they might.

quote=sandyf]
I am signed up for about 25 companies and every one of them sends shops to me that are nowhere near where I live. Many are hundreds of miles away. I am surprised that for some people ACL is the only company that does that. To make matters worse post covid I get 5 -10 emails for the same shop with a different list of cities on each. They used to know how to combine locations and send one email out per shop.

@Candy Kane wrote:

"Because they are CHEAP and do not use a zip specific app to,pick the areas" Nope, it's because whoever sent the email did not specify exact zip codes. There are many reasons to send to zips that are not in the correct areas, including second homes, possibility of referrals, place of work instead of home visit, etc.

[/quote][/quote]

ACL still has several shops available in my region that are not going to get done. I don't know how they get any of their shops done in November and December when all of the other company start adding huge bonuses to get stuff done by the end of the year. I'm getting emails with a $5 bonus and a few exclamation points and it makes me chuckle. I grossed over $2,000 in the last 3 days and made some more today on my way down to see family for christmas. How in the world would a $5 bonus get anyone to even lift their finger at this point.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2021 09:51PM by thunderdeacon.

On come on I see a THREE dollar bonus!
Hop right on it

quote=thunderdeacon]
ACL still has several shops available in my region that are not going to get done. I don't know how they get any of their shops done in November and December when all of the other company start adding huge bonuses to get stuff done by the end of the year. I'm getting emails with a $5 bonus and a few exclamation points and it makes me chuckle. I grossed over $2,000 in the last 3 days and made some more today on my way down to see family for christmas. How in the world would a $5 bonus get anyone to even lift their finger at this point.[/quote]

$5 bonus? That's more than the $3 bonus they touted for a grocery shop here that no one is taking.....It keeps showing up but no one is taking it, deadline after deadline, are they giving it to their favorite shoppers with high bonus but to us, only offering a paltry $3 or $5?

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