My 2 cents, FWIW:
I've been a shopper for many years now.
I was sad when CORI became Steri and then I was sad when Steri sold the business to Maritz.
But then Maritz increased the reimbursement amounts significantly and the shopping became less haphazard - to the point where I invested myself significantly into the entire scenario.
When IPSOS took over the Maritz accounts, the first year was pretty good, then steadily declined. The pandemic didn't help either. So that's the history of income for me doing that.
I'm not a shill for IPSOS, nor am I an habitual complainer.
The positive thing I see about the back and forth and hence the entire topic is that I believe IPSOS has taken notice.
If my memory is correct, I believe IPSOS has only been late on payments once before (if I am wrong about, I apologize for being in error). I remember the last time payments were late. The same complaints (mine included) were aired while there were clever comments and opinions made by others.
IPSOS sent out an E-mail advising their contractors of the payment problem (as they did this time). What is significant is that this time, a subsequent E-mail was sent as soon as it was resolved. To me that is progress and perhaps noteworthy that the time was taken to send out the second message. Maybe they were listening.

So, I say keep them (IPSOS) on their collective toes, hold their feet to the fire and any other metaphor that is relatable to this topic.
None of us should just roll over and let them rub our bellies.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2022 08:41PM by French Farmer.

@French Farmer wrote:

So, I say keep them (IPSOS) on their collective toes, hold their feet to the fire and any other metaphor that is relatable to this topic.
None of us should just roll over and let them rub our bellies.

I appreciate your comments, and am curious around this part of your post.

How would you suggest we keep them on their toes and hold their feet to the fire?

My thoughts?

When we submit a late payment to a lender (mortgage, rent, credit card etc) we are assessed a penalty fee and possible interest rate increases. There should be something set where the MSC must pay a “late payment” fee to shoppers if they miss pay day by a few days (grace period). That would incentivize them to pay timely. This may backfire though, as they would just extend the pay schedule so that they could meet it easily.

Anyone else have thoughts?

@Capurato

I think you make valid point about late payment, but remember if they have to pay more for being late, then they will just reduce reimbursement/shop fees even more. It's not going to come out of their pocket. They pass the cost on to us.

Just like when tariffs are passed by governments, the consumer always pays the increased cost.

The best part is, in a FREE market economy, we are free to choose to do business with them or not. If people are truly incensed by having to wait, then STOP shopping for them. If you feel they are untrustworthy or not worth dealing with, you can stop shopping for them and place your efforts elsewhere. If enough people were upset and "walked away", then most MSC would have to make changes or lose clients to their competitors. I think most people know IPSOS is reliable and have shops that people feel are reasonable enough to keep doing. I'm not saying they should take advantage of us, but each of us control our own situation. If you don't like their policies or payments, then work for any other MSC you think is worthy of your time. I'm sure plenty of people have stopped wasting their time with Bestmark after all their drama.

We do have the ability to choose NOT to work for IPSOS, but they are pretty big, and they set the rules, and they simply don't care sometimes about 'fair'. They dominate the market....So, NOT working for IPSOS is just not an option for those, in some areas, who want to be a MS. That's the way the cookie crumbles, in this world.

As a self-employed contractor and a fervent advocate of the free market concept of business, if one is of the opinion Ipsos is unacceptable, merely pass on the work. I am guessing I have completed a dozen shops for them since 2011. The reason is simply that the jobs for which I did not apply, had a work:pay ratio that was not to my liking.

I think the reason that Ipsos has so much ill will towards them is due to the fact that they have taken over so many projects from other companies, mainly MaritzCX. They are much less responsive than MaritzCX was, and they have steadily attempted to try to lower pay rates on all of the projects they acquired. They abandoned MaritzCX's wonderful app and platform and placed many of their projects on a much less user friendly platform. They seem to want to replace actual pay with things like cartoon raccoons, an emasculated beta-male dressed like Sherlock Holmes, safety vests with their name plastered on the back of them, swag, postcards in the mail, a video telling shoppers how thankful they are for the work shoppers do on a particular project that they were aggressively attempting to cut the pay on, etc. They have regularly shown that they believe the professionalism and average intelligence of the typical shopper is somewhere between a tomato and a sea urchin. All of that pent-up frustration and angst comes out when something like pay arriving a day late occurs.

I don't know if I said it on this thread or not, knowing me I probably did. That the 1st sign of a company being in over their head, is cutting expenses, and making late payments to their vendors. This is twice that this has happened in as many months. When the pay didn't show up on the day that it was supposed to, I rescheduled all of my shops with Ipsos. I just moved them out a few days, Because I believed that we would get paid sooner rather than later. But if the money hadn't showed up when it did I would have canceled all of my shops until I got paid.

I did agree to do 2 shops in a remote location that I had already had scheduled. But they were well bonused, and I wasnt willing to make a separate trip. As it turns out, we got paid before I left for the remote location, so it wasn't all bad.

Some are under the impression shoppers will be paid the week following completion of a shop. IPSOS does issue payments to shoppers on a weekly basis . . . but . . . although they "market" themselves as "paying weekly" (and in practice do) it is not a guarantee shops are paid in 1 week.

Per the IPSOS Agreement "the fee shall be payable within 3 weeks within you reporting the data ... "

So all the shops you have cited were paid within the terms of the Agreement. The varying dates are likely due to how many shops (by all shoppers) are completed within a given time, where the priority lies for the editors, and more than we will ever know.

quote="F and L TeleComm"]
Point taken. But what about shops that somehow get "stuck" in the system and don't get edited for a period of time? We've had two shops that I distinctly remember having to send an email because they were in "limbo-land". it was promptly fixed and paid but still, it happens. There are editing delays sometimes. Again, "in a perfect world"... I know for a fact, based upon my shop log that shops are sometimes paid on the following week and sometimes not. In some of the shops I get paid within a week, some just over a week, and some have taken longer. I am too busy to sit and analyze it every single week. A few weeks ago I did an overnight route to Augusta (Wednesday evening through Friday) I was paid for some the next week and some 2 weeks later. (On the same route). I'm looking at my shop log right now "shop submitted 6-03 paid 6-7 (4 days turn around) Shop submitted 6- 2, Paid 6-14 (12-day turn around), shop submitted 6-6 paid 6-14 (8 days turn around), Shop submitted 6-13 paid 6-22 (9 days turn around) I have unpaid shops on my board right now that say 6-15 and they are not paid. Granted that normally shops done the same day were normally paid together. However, I have also noticed that the blue gas station that requires every single pump to be photographed is normally paid quicker than the blue and red Indian sign station. Upon reviewing my payment history in PayPal I've shown a payment on a Thursday this year and a payment on a Monday this year. (with an incomplete search) Thus my conclusion is that the system is not 100%.[/quote]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2022 09:52AM by Zek.

As I stated, I have received emails that they pay on Tuesday for all shops *approved* by the preceding Friday. It has nothing to do with when a shop is *completed,* except they guarantee a shop will be edited in time to receive the pay within 3 weeks. Therefore, by Friday night we know how much to expect. I don’t think anyone is under the impression you stated, because those of us who depend on the weekly transfer pay attention to the dates, and the person you quoted continues to talk about shop completion dates and not approval date.
Furthermore, their pay day is Tuesday, hence their apologies for not paying on Tuesday.
Yikes. Even Ipsos took more responsibility themselves than some shoppers want to assign them.

@Zek wrote:

Some are under the impression shoppers will be paid the week following completion of a shop. IPSOS does issue payments to shoppers on a weekly basis . . . but . . . although they "market" themselves as "paying weekly" (and in practice do) it is not a guarantee shops are paid in 1 week.

Per the IPSOS Agreement "the fee shall be payable within 3 weeks within you reporting the data ... "

So all the shops you have cited were paid within the terms of the Agreement. The varying dates are likely due to how many shops (by all shoppers) are completed within a given time, where the priority lies for the editors, and more than we will ever know.

quote="F and L TeleComm"]
Point taken. But what about shops that somehow get "stuck" in the system and don't get edited for a period of time? We've had two shops that I distinctly remember having to send an email because they were in "limbo-land". it was promptly fixed and paid but still, it happens. There are editing delays sometimes. Again, "in a perfect world"... I know for a fact, based upon my shop log that shops are sometimes paid on the following week and sometimes not. In some of the shops I get paid within a week, some just over a week, and some have taken longer. I am too busy to sit and analyze it every single week. A few weeks ago I did an overnight route to Augusta (Wednesday evening through Friday) I was paid for some the next week and some 2 weeks later. (On the same route). I'm looking at my shop log right now "shop submitted 6-03 paid 6-7 (4 days turn around) Shop submitted 6- 2, Paid 6-14 (12-day turn around), shop submitted 6-6 paid 6-14 (8 days turn around), Shop submitted 6-13 paid 6-22 (9 days turn around) I have unpaid shops on my board right now that say 6-15 and they are not paid. Granted that normally shops done the same day were normally paid together. However, I have also noticed that the blue gas station that requires every single pump to be photographed is normally paid quicker than the blue and red Indian sign station. Upon reviewing my payment history in PayPal I've shown a payment on a Thursday this year and a payment on a Monday this year. (with an incomplete search) Thus my conclusion is that the system is not 100%.

[/quote]

This situation boils down to a shopper's preference. Either earn less money for more work and be paid next week or a larger fee for a simpler job, but with the cash arriving in 30 to 60 days. As to me, it is, hands down, the latter.

"Per the IPSOS Agreement "the fee shall be payable within 3 weeks within you reporting the data ... "

So here I am with shops performed 5 weeks ago. I've not been paid. Were they edited and approved? Yes! With top scores too!
This has happened before and, after much exasperation and, my personal "Final Pay Date", I end up having to shoot off an Email asking, "what's the problem here?"
I get the reply of "So very sorry. Your payment should be in the next pay period" Usually, after that, I am paid.
This has been a particular problem for this particular shop that IPSOS controls and offers to us, the "Independent Contractors" who follow their guidelines of conduct and requirement for carrying out the shop. The shops have a due date to be performed, the scenario that must be adhered, narrative is required, etc. It takes some work for the report. I follow their rules, yet, often, they seem to be unable to on their part. The editing on these shops has a history of being slow as molasses and the payment even slower (as mentioned).
As I stated, I am aware of all of this. Since these shops are a purchase and return shop, I am only out that small purchase amount for the length of time it takes for the return to process and return to my card.
So, with all that in mind, I have my own set of guidelines: I do them only when they are available when I might be passing by the business while on a route or other mission. This ensures I am not out travel expenses. I agree to perform the shop under my "conditions" I know the consequences and grudgingly accept them.
So, no need to offer advice about "Free Market Economy" and I understand the advantages as well as the many disadvantages it can create by its use of excessive power.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2022 03:29PM by French Farmer.

We agree in that it does boil down to shopper preference. For me the fee is not the only thing that factors into my decision making.

In the past 6 years I have maybe had to use my own $ to purchase gas 1 or 2 x a year. Granted it is getting more challenging w/ the current gas prices, but tax free reimbursements contribute very nicely to my bottom line.

@shopperbob wrote:

This situation boils down to a shopper's preference. Either earn less money for more work and be paid next week or a larger fee for a simpler job, but with the cash arriving in 30 to 60 days. As to me, it is, hands down, the latter.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2022 08:45PM by Zek.

@thunderdeacon wrote:

I think the reason that Ipsos has so much ill will towards them is due to the fact that they have taken over so many projects from other companies, mainly MaritzCX.

I, for one, have no great love-loss for Maritz. I found having to communicate with them by phone infuriating and grotesquely infefficient. I found their editors inventive of the guidelines far more than IPSOS'. I found their web interface absolutely awful. I found their starting fees even more than a joke than IPSOS, but I did appreciate that they were sometimes more forthcoming with higher fees than IPSOS. Sometimes.

@Rousseau, I can agree with you on the phone communication. That was a real nuisance. You had to remember the correct "team option" to select and hope the line wasn't busy. They didn't trust their employees with email. But at least you could get answers at times. With Ipsos, you can email and hear crickets. Both ways are less than desirable. I do prefer the IPSOS platforms with sassie and shopmetrics. Very few companies that have designed their own websites have done a good job.

I remember the days with Maritz that you had to "invoice" your work. If you forgot to invoice your work, they were happy to NOT pay you and keep the $ for themselves. What a disaster that they knew you had done the work, submitted the report, submitted the receipt, but now you also had to ASK them to be paid. That was lunacy. Their "printing" ppwk for a special code was an added nuisance as well. I would just print to PDF (and not save) and get the code and be done. All just added hoops.

I think the more I really think about it, i prefer Ipsos, but there are still improvements needed by them.

I am a fervent advocate of adages. When comparing Maritz to Ipsos, the words "one person's meet, is another's poison" applies. The willingness of Maritz to pay when needed AND the ability to phone with a problem far out weigh printing a code and/or an invoice.

@Notme2021

Nothing was implied that what you previously stated and now again was incorrect in terms of (1) IPSOS paying on Tuesday and (2) how shoppers can go on the portal as early as Friday evening to see what will be paid the upcoming Tuesday.

F and L Telecom highlighted how some shops were paid fast, some slower, and some conducted on the same date were paid on different dates. The point I was trying to make is that there will be varying timelines for editing, approval and payment. And, to not exhaust a ton of energy figuring out the mystery because (1) we have no control over when a shop finds it way into or out of editing-approval, and (2) IPSOS is contractually obligated to make payments within 3 weeks of the "completion" date of a shop. If shoppers are getting paid within 3 weeks or less, then life is good.

The bottom line is it morphed into a bit of an apples and orange discussion. Both completion and approval dates matter, but for different reasons. Approval date will get you paid whereas completion date starts the clock ticking. While there is a myriad of inconsistencies, I'd be willing to bet IPSOS keeps their eyeballs on shop completion dates. Especially when they market themselves as the fastest payer in the industry. Which in reality is the most frequent payer in the industry.

Lastly, two shoppers posted in the forum today about being paid in a week from IPSOS. So yes the perception does absolutely exist albeit not for all.

Yikes this string is like an octopus --- it has grown so many appendages.

@Notme2021 wrote:

As I stated, I have received emails that they pay on Tuesday for all shops *approved* by the preceding Friday. It has nothing to do with when a shop is *completed,* except they guarantee a shop will be edited in time to receive the pay within 3 weeks. Therefore, by Friday night we know how much to expect. I don’t think anyone is under the impression you stated, because those of us who depend on the weekly transfer pay attention to the dates, and the person you quoted continues to talk about shop completion dates and not approval date. Furthermore, their pay day is Tuesday, hence their apologies for not paying on Tuesday. Yikes. Even Ipsos took more responsibility themselves than some shoppers want to assign them.

@Zek wrote:

Some are under the impression shoppers will be paid the week following completion of a shop. IPSOS does issue payments to shoppers on a weekly basis . . . but . . . although they "market" themselves as "paying weekly" (and in practice do) it is not a guarantee shops are paid in 1 week.

Per the IPSOS Agreement "the fee shall be payable within 3 weeks within you reporting the data ... "

So all the shops you have cited were paid within the terms of the Agreement. The varying dates are likely due to how many shops (by all shoppers) are completed within a given time, where the priority lies for the editors, and more than we will ever know.

quote="F and L TeleComm"]
Point taken. But what about shops that somehow get "stuck" in the system and don't get edited for a period of time? We've had two shops that I distinctly remember having to send an email because they were in "limbo-land". it was promptly fixed and paid but still, it happens. There are editing delays sometimes. Again, "in a perfect world"... I know for a fact, based upon my shop log that shops are sometimes paid on the following week and sometimes not. In some of the shops I get paid within a week, some just over a week, and some have taken longer. I am too busy to sit and analyze it every single week. A few weeks ago I did an overnight route to Augusta (Wednesday evening through Friday) I was paid for some the next week and some 2 weeks later. (On the same route). I'm looking at my shop log right now "shop submitted 6-03 paid 6-7 (4 days turn around) Shop submitted 6- 2, Paid 6-14 (12-day turn around), shop submitted 6-6 paid 6-14 (8 days turn around), Shop submitted 6-13 paid 6-22 (9 days turn around) I have unpaid shops on my board right now that say 6-15 and they are not paid. Granted that normally shops done the same day were normally paid together. However, I have also noticed that the blue gas station that requires every single pump to be photographed is normally paid quicker than the blue and red Indian sign station. Upon reviewing my payment history in PayPal I've shown a payment on a Thursday this year and a payment on a Monday this year. (with an incomplete search) Thus my conclusion is that the system is not 100%.

[/quote]

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2022 08:06PM by Zek.

I’m still waiting on a shop pay from May 29th the report has been scored and it’s said payment pending for weeks and literally nothing ... RIDICULOUS!!!

I am holding off on doing any more of their shops until I get paid. I am going on 4 weeks now. They have been very reliable in the past so I will wait a little longer but what is going on? This company does not pay a lot but at least they were fast.

Wow, and the shop was approved?
Have you tried the main email? Another cost-cutting measure I’ve seen anecdotally is cutting of coverage of that email account. Previously I’d receive a reply after 3 days maybe 75% of time. Now it’s less than half, and the “solution” is incorrect: they don’t pass it along to the correct knowledgeable person: some intern answers it off a script or something. And if I say their answer doesn’t help for X reason they reply repeating from the first email. Pretty much like driving for Uber and needing help or making a complaint to Amazon.

@teriraia wrote:

I am holding off on doing any more of their shops until I get paid. I am going on 4 weeks now. They have been very reliable in the past so I will wait a little longer but what is going on? This company does not pay a lot but at least they were fast.

Yes the shop was approved. I kinda do not know what you are talking about with the intern stuff.
I just want to get paid LOL

@Notme2021 wrote:

Wow, and the shop was approved?
Have you tried the main email? Another cost-cutting measure I’ve seen anecdotally is cutting of coverage of that email account. Previously I’d receive a reply after 3 days maybe 75% of time. Now it’s less than half, and the “solution” is incorrect: they don’t pass it along to the correct knowledgeable person: some intern answers it off a script or something. And if I say their answer doesn’t help for X reason they reply repeating from the first email. Pretty much like driving for Uber and needing help or making a complaint to Amazon.

@teriraia wrote:

I am holding off on doing any more of their shops until I get paid. I am going on 4 weeks now. They have been very reliable in the past so I will wait a little longer but what is going on? This company does not pay a lot but at least they were fast.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2022 06:04AM by teriraia.

I'm sure with the holiday yesterday, pay could be delayed this week. However my issue is (and I wanna see if this is normal )... On the shop metrics app, it'll show the list of all shops done and have a green dot or grey dot. Green date it's been approved and waiting payment. And the grey dot still waiting for review.

Anyways, all of the approved shops have been taken off that list. It's just showing me my shops that still need reviewed. However, all these shops approved have not been put into a pay sheet that's at the bottom of this page. Is that normal?

Their payday has never been affected by holidays before, let’s please not defend them before they’ve even had a problem.
I’m not very familiar with shopmetrics but I do know that sometimes on Sassie weird things happen right before pay is issued. So I’d wait for today’s pay and then check again.

@wilson5k1992 wrote:

I'm sure with the holiday yesterday, pay could be delayed this week. However my issue is (and I wanna see if this is normal )... On the shop metrics app, it'll show the list of all shops done and have a green dot or grey dot. Green date it's been approved and waiting payment. And the grey dot still waiting for review.

Anyways, all of the approved shops have been taken off that list. It's just showing me my shops that still need reviewed. However, all these shops approved have not been put into a pay sheet that's at the bottom of this page. Is that normal?

Kay thanks... It's been showing weird since yesterday. When does pay usually suppose to go out today? Is it for shop metrics and sassie today? I'm waiting about about 1300 today between both platforms.

The time used to be approximately the same most weeks, but it’s pretty unpredictable these days. Usually by around 1 pm Eastern but can be later.
Oh shoot, I just checked my completed shops in Sassie and they’re not showing Payment Pending. I usually check on Monday.
I really hope they’re not late yet again for the third time this year so far. Occasionally the pending doesn’t show up until later, and there’s been no email from them, so I’ll remain hopeful for now. I really need today’s pay to fund other shops (along with paying for food, etc)

@wilson5k1992 wrote:

Kay thanks... It's been showing weird since yesterday. When does pay usually suppose to go out today? Is it for shop metrics and sassie today? I'm waiting about about 1300 today between both platforms.

Yes, that's normal. You have 'caught' them, in process, so to speak. And, FWIW, it seems like the delays in processing are usually by client; I had the blue hardware store shops (only) delayed a couple weeks - this happened a month ago, and some gas stations get edited and approved within hours, while other gas stations take 4-6 days (my experience).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2022 03:14PM by salisburync.

Yeah I just checked and none of mine says payment pending and I’m owed at least $500. That may not be much to some, but I made sure I completed all my shops by Wednesday, so that they would be edited by Friday, so I would get paid today. I know it’s only noon, but I’m starting to worry a little bit!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2022 04:14PM by mizzessummer.

ETA: Uh oh last time the email didn’t come until 6 pm. Fingers crossed it’s needless worry!
I often need the money more on my slower weeks because it’s to fund a busier week, or I had two slow weeks in a row, etc.
I’m getting worried too. Almost 1 pm. I’ll have to go back to my first post to see what time we got the email last time, which was only two weeks ago. That week messed up my route and this will too if it doesn’t come soon.

@mizzessummer wrote:

Yeah I just checked and none of mine says payment pending and I’m owed at least $500. That may not be much to some, but I made sure I completed all my shops by Wednesday, so that they would be edited by Friday, so I would get paid today. I know it’s only noon, but I’m starting to worry a little bit!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2022 05:00PM by Notme2021.

****Disclaimer**** Not defending IPSOS!
I can say as a business owner that if you have an issue with PayPal you are in literal HELL. It rarely happens but they are not easy to deal with and if you can’t come up with some idea of what the issue might be you will get switched from representative to representative and no one ever offer to easily put you to a supervisor. You also are dealing wi the someone who’s native language might not be English which makes it even more frustrating. Honestly if I never have to deal with PayPal again my life would be just fine. I am hoping with the new changes at PayPal that MSPs will decide to do direct deposit and forgo PayPal. For me and my business, I only offer direct deposit or Zelle. Both are easily done with minimal costs. Now with PayPal’s increase in fees it will be come cost prohibitive I think for most businesses to pay that way. I just don’t see IPSOS saying it’s a PayPal
Issue when they could have easily said “we messed up and didn’t calculate the holiday right. We are sorry.”

Wait, are you saying there’s another email today saying pay is late and it’s a PayPal issue? Or are you referring to last time?

@mmsackett wrote:

****Disclaimer**** Not defending IPSOS!
I can say as a business owner that if you have an issue with PayPal you are in literal HELL. It rarely happens but they are not easy to deal with and if you can’t come up with some idea of what the issue might be you will get switched from representative to representative and no one ever offer to easily put you to a supervisor. You also are dealing wi the someone who’s native language might not be English which makes it even more frustrating. Honestly if I never have to deal with PayPal again my life would be just fine. I am hoping with the new changes at PayPal that MSPs will decide to do direct deposit and forgo PayPal. For me and my business, I only offer direct deposit or Zelle. Both are easily done with minimal costs. Now with PayPal’s increase in fees it will be come cost prohibitive I think for most businesses to pay that way. I just don’t see IPSOS saying it’s a PayPal
Issue when they could have easily said “we messed up and didn’t calculate the holiday right. We are sorry.”

With yesterday being a holiday, would they still pay today? I'm not looking for money, but didn't they have a 1 day delay with Juneteenth holiday?

I did 2 fast casual Chinese food shops on Sunday 6/26. They just got edited this morning. So that's slightly more than 1 week. I am guessing with their clients and report loads....They are not editing these in a 2 day turnaround time frame.