A Closer Look

January 11, 2026 05:28AM

I would love to hear anyone's opinion on this MSC. I just signed up with them and have done a couple of shops. I feel like the amount of time required is NOT worth the amount they pay. Opinions?

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January 11, 2026 05:43AM

I completed a single shop for ACL approx. 15 yrs. ago. I state single, as, to me, the benefit was woefully lower than the required time and effort.

January 11, 2026 05:58AM

EVERYONE has different reasons for shopping. If making actual cash is your goal this isn't the company to do it with. If supplementing your lifestyle is your goal, then definitely stick with them.

They have never not payed me, I've never had to chase my payment. The communication is professional.

January 11, 2026 07:29AM

I deactivated my account a couple of years ago. It was way too much work for the amount of pay. As a route shopper, I could not meet their 12-hour deadline at some shops.

January 11, 2026 08:54AM

Love em. No problem with them at all. As a route shopper though, it's a PITA.

January 11, 2026 11:25AM

I am personally a fan. I have found the schedulers and editors to be extremely responsive and professional. As Viv stated, there shops are more for lifestyle than actual profit. I am able to pick up a several hotel shops a year and plan other shops around them. I do not find their reports to be hard at all. They do ask for quite a few pictures, but the narratives are very reasonable with lots of yes/no questions.

January 11, 2026 11:36AM

Does anyone know if they outsource their editing to Eastern Euope? I sometimes get e-mails from the editors with strange names in the middle of the night asking questions I have clearly answereed.

January 11, 2026 02:11PM

I haven't been asked a follow up question yet so I have no idea but I think outsourcing editing is commonplace in the industry so I wouldn't be surprised.

January 11, 2026 02:31PM

i have wondered as well, but its the same editor every time. I have been responding with, "as stated in my report as well as documented in the attached photos....."

@ShopperGirly wrote:

Does anyone know if they outsource their editing to Eastern Euope? I sometimes get e-mails from the editors with strange names in the middle of the night asking questions I have clearly answereed.

January 11, 2026 04:25PM

I'm a strong believer that I should get paid for my work. They offer many jobs that pay absolutely nothing. They want us to work for free. Therefore, I do not work for them.

January 11, 2026 05:35PM

They have a gourmet pizza place in my area that has a high reimbursement with no fee and it's takeout. The pizza is amazing but I would never buy it on my own dime. It's a super easy shop. I will do that one in a heartbeat. They also have a sub sandwich shop that only has a $15 reimbursement with no fee, but I will do that when they bonus it to $10 (and only if I have something else to do nearby).

January 11, 2026 06:29PM

Before my comment, I agree with VIV; ACL's shops are NOT for folks seeking money.

I am in the middle category, where, if what I receive is consummate with the work, I will complete the shop for a zero fee. My problem with my only job for ACL was what I considered a $12 pizza with a $40 reimbursement that needed to cover the pie, tip, tax and drinks. with the pizza being overcharged. In addition, I was required to deal with not one but two editor inquires, neither of which were necessary.

In closing, I am reminded of that old adage, "Whatever floats one's boat."

January 11, 2026 08:29PM

I love it when there are such negative reviews for a company that I love. That means more full stay hotel and running shoes shops for me!

I will add "steer clear of the hotel shops---please.---not at all worth your time......" Who wants to work for zero pay and $400+ reimbursement for hotel, dinner, valet and breakfast? Terrible idea.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/2026 08:38PM by gigishopper.

January 11, 2026 09:09PM

Gigi posts--I will add "steer clear of the hotel shops---please.---not at all worth your time......" Who wants to work for zero pay and $400+ reimbursement for hotel, dinner, valet and breakfast? Terrible idea.

Bob comments--My guess is that Gigi's post is an example of one being facetious. I am being literal when I state, though, that it "hit the mark" for me. Unless I were traveling, a hotel would be meaningless to me. I am able to carry my own bag and locating an eatery for dinner and breakfast is far cheaper than a hotel. I do understand, though, that some shoppers wish to be taken away by Calgon.

A final comment--Let's not forget, however remote, the possibility the shop will be rejected and one has shot several hundred bucks. It could be a problem as simple as forgetting one area of the report or a demanding editor. Of course, even if that occurs, one has the memory of Calgon.

January 12, 2026 12:39AM

They are my favorite company to shop for. I don’t care about pay. I am happy to get reimbursed for some great meals and hotel shops.

January 12, 2026 02:03AM

I went back through my old e-mails and looked at the names. They appear to be mostly Indian. The one that really got me was when they questioned why the photo from the sub shop was taken an hour after the purchase. umm, it took me that long to get home and it was a take-out order.

January 12, 2026 03:35AM

We’ve all had good & bad experiences with companies on our shopper journey. I personally like ACL. I like the shorter pocket shops, the fun restaurants and most of all the senior tour $hops when they’re available.

January 12, 2026 05:29AM

I despise those emails. They wanted me to do something that was not in the guidelines for an Intouch shop. I called them out on it. The scheduler has yet to respond.

@ShopperGirly wrote:

Does anyone know if they outsource their editing to Eastern Euope? I sometimes get e-mails from the editors with strange names in the middle of the night asking questions I have clearly answereed.

January 12, 2026 05:33AM

As a route shopper, the zero-pay option for a hotel room is appealing. Until I remember I have a dang report on that hotel stay when all I want to do is sleep. Then there is the final comment - you nailed it brother.

@shopperbob wrote:

Gigi posts--I will add "steer clear of the hotel shops---please.---not at all worth your time......" Who wants to work for zero pay and $400+ reimbursement for hotel, dinner, valet and breakfast? Terrible idea.

Bob comments--My guess is that Gigi's post is an example of one being facetious. I am being literal when I state, though, that it "hit the mark" for me. Unless I were traveling, a hotel would be meaningless to me. I am able to carry my own bag and locating an eatery for dinner and breakfast is far cheaper than a hotel. I do understand, though, that some shoppers wish to be taken away by Calgon.

A final comment--Let's not forget, however remote, the possibility the shop will be rejected and one has shot several hundred bucks. It could be a problem as simple as forgetting one area of the report or a demanding editor. Of course, even if that occurs, one has the memory of Calgon.

January 12, 2026 11:33AM

I do shops for them that supplement my lifestyle. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I ate out on my own dime (to be fair, I don't eat out often, and, as a teacher, I also have a fine collection of gift cards), and the restaurant shops I've done for them easily cover enough food for at least two meals, and usually three, with leftovers (I'm single and usually do the shops single). Similarly, I have pets, so, I do a pet shop one for them for things I would already have wanted to buy anyway. I also recently did a senior living one, which I'd never done before, but I am facing that situation with my mother in real life now, so, it was - for me - decent-paying and informative. As I've grown more comfortable with the company (knowing what they expect, having the chance to correct any oversights on the report, and never having had payment withheld), I've done some of the more "expensive" ones, both in terms of meals and hotels. If I screw up, it will probably be on me, not because (as I've heard about other companies) they're actively looking for a reason to deny payment. I especially enjoy getting to pretend I'm "posh" and dressing up in my Calvin Klein for some of them. LOL (yes, I fall somewhere between "hobbyist" and "part-time job" status).

January 12, 2026 02:31PM

@GC Shopper wrote:

They are my favorite company to shop for. I don’t care about pay. I am happy to get reimbursed for some great meals and hotel shops.

I'm kind of in this camp, but I'm selective about which shops I do for them. To that point, and back to the OP's comment, ACL is one of those companies that makes you prove yourself, e.g. you're not going to even see the higher end restaurant, hotel, etc. shops until you've performed a few (several?) shops with a good 'grade.'

January 14, 2026 12:48AM

I've found that ACL is much easier to deal with post-Covid. I remember back when each region had an individual scheduler who would withhold "good" assignments unless you took a less desirable one and editors who would ask 20 follow-up questions, even going so far as to call AND text AND email right out of the gate. Now it is basically first-come first-serve self-assign, date change requests are usually not a hassle, and the editor's questions are far and in-between. There is the occasional vague guideline and they definitely check times on photos (I do one location where they insist on the front of the building photo being taken post-visit even though there's no way an employee could see you taking the photo from across the street) but for me they still have a number of shops that are either worthwhile on their own or a nice and easy way to get a free meal when I have to kill time during a parking shop.

January 14, 2026 03:01AM

I like working for them, but I'm selective about the shops I pick because, as so many stated, they don't always pay but instead only offer reimbursement.

January 14, 2026 05:57AM

I won’t work for free.

@acmooretx wrote:

I would love to hear anyone's opinion on this MSC. I just signed up with them and have done a couple of shops. I feel like the amount of time required is NOT worth the amount they pay. Opinions?

January 14, 2026 05:57AM

.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2026 05:59AM by SBP.

January 14, 2026 05:58AM

I won’t pay to work or work for free.

@acmooretx wrote:

I would love to hear anyone's opinion on this MSC. I just signed up with them and have done a couple of shops. I feel like the amount of time required is NOT worth the amount they pay. Opinions?

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