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Your most reliable MSCs ?

December 20, 2022 03:50AM
I've done my first shop this week. Hoping to do more. I guess what I'm asking: Are there MSC companies that you do not have problems getting paid by? I don;'t know if my thinking is wrong - but I'd love to find 2-3 MSCs that I know payment won't be a problem - and then pretty much just focus on their shops, maybe have the schedulers know I'm dependable, submit good reports, etc. I eee this, at least for now - as lunch money for me so in the end I want to do a good job - but don't want to worry about payment. Any opinions? Thanks
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December 20, 2022 01:55PM
I think the list will be too long. You should ask for those that have payment problems.

Bestmark is one that has been discussed here at some length. And I think Ipsos was late about a month ago, but they notified shoppers and they are paying twice a week now for the holidays. I don't know how that went since I haven't shopped for them in a while.
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December 20, 2022 03:48PM
The answer to your query is dependent upon how you define problem. Ipsos, as an example, is a well established international corp; the chances of them going "belly up" is very remote. The reasons I decided to end the relationship were a work:pay ratio that was completely unacceptable and a lack of communication on their end. Therefore, I had problems, but perhaps their low pay and silence would not be a hindrance for you.

I have been contracted with the following MSCs for many years and have never experienced the slightest problem with being paid.

1-Intelli-shop
2-Service Sleuth
3-Mintel
4-Informa
5-Pinnacle
6-Quest 4 Best

The above are companies that immediately come to mind, but none will pay you this week or next. If quick payment is a hot button for you, then be prepared to be paid a much lower fee for your work. In addition, even with the above six, I carefully weigh the work:pay ratio. The old adage that all that glitters not being gold applies to shopping.
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December 20, 2022 04:05PM
Mintel used to be on my list. Not anymore.

Servimer is reliable and has great communication. They only pay once a month, though. They also raised shopper fees by $1/shop.
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December 20, 2022 05:57PM
Another reason to love Servimer. If you elect Paypal payments,the entire month's shops and reimbursements are distributed on the 20th of the following month. I was just reminded of this because my November payment popped into Paypal this morning!

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.
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December 20, 2022 07:39PM
I would keep an eye on the forums here. There seem to be some indicators or red flags when a company is having some financial issues - payments are late, shoppers will email and don't get responses, etc.
There have also been several mergers and acquisitions of MSC's over the years, so most of the larger corps are pretty stable and solid. Most of the companies listed here or with MSPA are good.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2022 07:39PM by joanna81.
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December 22, 2022 05:12AM
I have only had pay issues when a company went out of business. But then I do not live on the edge financially so if a company is a day or two late in payment it does not bother me. Many have complained about late pay at ipsos but if I look at my chronological spreadsheet of jobs I have done I see every shop for ipsos paid and the jobs for other msc I do not fill in the paid column.for weeks later. So they may be a day or so.late but they are still way faster than most other msc
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December 22, 2022 06:02AM
@sandyf Well, I personally don't care if Ipsos is a day or two late because I don't work enough for them to care. I do care very much when an MSC owes me several hundred dollars or more and is late even when the payment is only a day late. I care even more when I see other red flags.

I am fortunate in that I do not live on the edge now but I had certainly lived paycheck to paycheck before. Even though I will survive if any MSC I currently shop for goes out of business and does not pay what it owes me, I do like getting paid for my work and on time. If I am relying on a payment to avoid bank fees or to fund other shops, it annoys me to have to move funds from my other bank accounts just because an MSC is late.

Unlike you, I have had issues with MSCs that did not go out of business as well as those that failed. By staying alert, I was able to collect almost all they owed me.
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December 23, 2022 01:10PM
Market Force. Yeah, right.... wonder if they went out of business...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2022 01:14PM by Maryanne J.
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December 23, 2022 06:34PM
-Primo Solutions pays weekly via PayPal as shops are edited and published to the client.

-Primo Solutions specializes in senior living shops, but also has new home and apartment shops that pay well.
Some are onsite, some are phone, and some are a combination of phone/onsite. Some are written and some are video. (I schedule video shops - tracyforprimo@gmail.com for info)

Primo is also transitioning from Prophet to the Shopmetrics platform.
Prophet: [shopper.primosolutionsllc.com]
Shopmetrics: [primo.shopmetrics.com]

Tracy Williams

Scheduler
Melinda Brody and Company

office: 888-507-9937 x3

email: tracy.williams@melindabrody.com

web: [www.melindabrody.com]

shoppers: [melindabrody.shopmetrics.com]


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2022 06:35PM by tracyforprimo.
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