Actually, it's a matter of trust. They trust that you will complete an assignment in a professional manner, within the guidelines stated and on the date specified for a agreed fee and reimbursement, if applicable. You trust that you will be paid according to their guidelines posted on their website, (15th - 20th). Recently, they have begun to pay past their own established guideline. Does that mean that we as shoppers can now set our own due date on assignments, I think not. Just like we as shoppers should expect payment for our services within the guidelines they established not us. (Note: those payment guidelines are still posted and haven't been taken down or changed). Experienced shoppers have seen this type of action before and have taken the necessary action to prevent from getting severely burned with for non-payment in hopes that they will get their act together. It's interesting with the latest posting that payments won't go to the bank until the 22nd with payment on the 25th, but their comment indicates that they may change that time frame as well. So to me, they've broken the trust I had with them, not me. Like other experienced shoppers, I have taken the necessary action to prevent from getting burned with no payment which I expect maybe coming sooner than later. There actions seem to be following other MSC that have gone under. Now for a positive note: Happy Shopping!

The sky is not falling.

We have seen this coming for a while now. Shoppers complaining, month after month, for not being paid early have driven the adjustment.

I do agree that this last minute change to paying even later in the month was a surprise. I am sure that somewhere in their agreement this is covered. It makes sense from a business standpoint. About two extra weeks of keeping the money invested is a great benefit for them. Sucks for us though. They still will be paying quicker than a majority of the others.

They are having problems. I would not put a lot of work out for this MSC right now but since I was deactivated I guess it is no longer my problem.

They have failed to meet their own guidelines and you blame shoppers for it. Really?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2019 01:09AM by MrsChaney.

Who blamed any shoppers?

Are you discussing just the MF the mystery shopping side
or
is the theater side also having payment problems?

isaiah58 did.

Where?

Here.

@isaiah58 wrote:

The sky is not falling.

We have seen this coming for a while now. Shoppers complaining, month after month, for not being paid early have driven the adjustment.
/quote]

Oh, OK. I don't do a lot of work for MF but never noticed a problem with payment. I checked in to see if there was still a problem and must have skimmed over that part. Hopefully the situation will get resolved soon.

Nope. They're in North GA where it rarely snows.

@deedee73 wrote:

Nope. They're in North GA where it rarely snows.

??? It would help if you would quote what post you are replying to. What has weather have to do with this thread?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2019 09:11PM by kenasch.

Disappointing since in January they posted this statement - " the truth is that the payments will go out no later than the 15th-20th of each month. That is the date range you can count on and should budget for."

They are allowed to modify their pay schedule as long as they let the shoppers know. It's up to us whether that fits their own needs.

@7star wrote:

They are allowed to modify their pay schedule as long as they let the shoppers know. It's up to us whether that fits their own needs.

Indeed, and their clients are also allowed to ditch 'em and they're allowed to file Chapter 7, too...

... I never got any notice about payment schedule changes, did you? And if there is a change, it's not on the website, so who's in violation of their agreement, anyway?

Aspexi et ecce feci. Non est quod me facere mercedem.

Yes, that is Latin, however, due to limitations in online translators, what it appears I say is not what I said. That being said, I do what I say, unlike some. MF would do well to keep their word, too, perhaps?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2019 05:21PM by ap7isback.

Well said! It's interesting that they have not changed the pay date range on their website. It's also interesting that the 25th is not a firm date. I suspect that they will miss that date as well. It appears that it is coming to ahead and the future of MF will be know very soon.

Well said! It's interesting that they have not changed the pay date range on their website. It's also interesting that the 25th is not a firm date. I suspect that they will miss that date as well. It appears that it is coming to ahead and the future of MF will be known very soon.

To be fair to MFI they said in Feb that we would not get paid til the 22nd and i got paid on the 18th which is within their stated policy.

Do any of you see MF going out of business anytime soon?

I’ve never gotten close to that much. What kind of shops do you do for them?

That was February, this is March.

We hope that they don't, but they are certainly showing the classic signs of other MSC's that have foiled.

Just saying they have not actually been late yet. They said they were going to be in Feb but weren't and we don't know for sure about March yet

True, but all indications are that they will not pay between 15th - 20th. I suspect they will miss the dates posted based on the added statement. I truly hope they meet the deadline and would be even happier if they paid by the 20th, but not planning on it. Those who get checks will not likely see their payment until around April 1st.

@MrsChaney wrote:

They have failed to meet their own guidelines and you blame shoppers for it. Really?

I blame shoppers for complaining about not being paid early. MF was happy paying us about a week early. Then it became an expectation to be paid by the 10th, based on their generous habit of paying early.

People would start calling and emailing MF if the payment was not posted by the 10th. Many discussions started here on the 10th of any month when payments had not posted yet. Half the responses encouraged calling or emailing MF even though the payments were not late.

So yes I blame shoppers for MF adjusting things to where they are today.

Shame on us shoppers for expecting a company to say what it means and mean what it says. Shame on us!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2019 12:27PM by Sobrokeigot2dothis.

I guess I should accept fewer shops and wait and see. If they are about to fold it will be such a shame. This is such an easy, convient way for me to make extra money for school. I guess Ill pay school off with my income tax refund and treat MF jobs as spending money.

Market Force did in fact state on their website 3/14 that DD payments should be made on/or about 3/25 and 3/26 in the US and CA, respectively and that checks will be made out on 3/26.

@ap7isback wrote:

@7star wrote:

They are allowed to modify their pay schedule as long as they let the shoppers know. It's up to us whether that fits their own needs.

Indeed, and their clients are also allowed to ditch 'em and they're allowed to file Chapter 7, too...

... I never got any notice about payment schedule changes, did you? And if there is a change, it's not on the website, so who's in violation of their agreement, anyway?

Aspexi et ecce feci. Non est quod me facere mercedem.

Yes, that is Latin, however, due to limitations in online translators, what it appears I say is not what I said. That being said, I do what I say, unlike some. MF would do well to keep their word, too, perhaps?

@gocrazy4801 wrote:

Do any of you see MF going out of business anytime soon?

I don't see that happening.

I do see that some of their Clients has changed to a point where the Clients problem aren't as forth coming as once was.

One Client had shops/store on every other street corner known to man. Then, those Client employees were ripping on the client. MSing those stores had not shown what was really happening. MS shows a Client if their business plan is working. And it tends not to work when your employees are pilfering your products/merchandise. (i e, a certain cell phone debacle).

Marketing Research firms (MF) tend to not want to be involve in companies like that mentioned above so they changed or drop the Client. This would only changed their (MF) business plan or financial account. But I am sure MF have not put their business in one company/Client, so neither should We as ICs. Besides if MF/ any MSing firm, does not get paid, We do not get paid.

OTOH, if MF did go out of business, what would be the chance that SENTRY with Dave, would buy them out and be the new owner.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2019 04:12PM by sojo917.

This is my bread-and-butter company, so I am VERY nervous. I have talked with schedulers, and they assure me nothing is wrong -- but I absolutely know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the last people to know are hourly employees.

Meanwhile, I've got job applications going out, just in case.