Frequently Asked Questions About Survey Sites and Paid for Mail

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Questions About Survey Sites

Questions About Referral Programs

Questions About Paid for Email

Frequently Asked Questions About Survey Sites

  1. What is a Survey Site or Market Research Firm?

    A market research firm, sometimes called a paid for surveys site, is an online entity that conducts market research. These firms are hired by many companies to find out what consumers think about new or existing products. The firms then recruit panelists who are consumers such as yourself. They may ask panelists to complete a short survey, participate in interactive discussions or test products in their homes. The information that you provide is given to the client in order to help them make business decisions. [FAQ] [HOME]

  2. How Much Will I Earn?

    The amount of money that you can earn from online surveys or consumer panels will vary. It depends on your demographic information and the amount of time that you are willing to commit to participating; however, most people can earn up to a few hundred dollars per year if they join as many survey programs as possible. More memberships means more surveys means more rewards. It is important to remember that the rewards for some surveys will be gift certificates and not cash. Think of online survey opportunities as a way to earn a few treats for yourself rather than as a second income. Don't plan on quitting your day job:) [FAQ] [HOME]

  3. Should I Ever Pay to Join a Survey Site?

    NO. You should never pay to join an online research firm or consumer panel. Remember, your membership is more valuable to them than it is to you. Market research firms would be unable to conduct surveys without panelists. Avoid websites that offer the opportunity to make large amounts of money in a short period of time. In reality, these are not research firms, but unscrupulous web hawkers selling lists of legitimiate survey firms. The claims are often unsubstantiated, and you can locate many of these sites for free through sites such as this one. [FAQ] [HOME]

  4. Are There Ways to Increase the Number of Survey Offers that I Get?

    YES. Every market research firm operates differently; however, there are several ways that may legitimately increase the number of offers that you receive:

    • Spam Filters: SPAM filters are filters on your email program that help to eliminate unwanted email. Unfortunately, many programs erroneously identify survey invitations and related emails as SPAM. There are two things you can do to prevent opportunities from slipping by. Firstly, periodically check your SPAM or BULK folder to check for survey opportunities. Secondly, visit the HELP section for your email program. There are ways to adjust SPAM filters so that survey invitations are delivered directly to your INBOX. Don't miss out!

    • Be Patient: It will take time for your profile to be added to the firm's database, so be patient. You will receive survey opportunities in due time. Some research firms give priority to members with seniority and opportunities may increase over time.

    • Respond to Survey Requests: Some market research firms prioritize their members by sending out the best surveys with the best rewards to their active members. If you receive a survey request that offers a small reward then you should still respond. This will tell the company that you're interested in helping them, and they may reward you with more survey opportunities of greater value in the future. I've noticed this happens at many market research firms.

    • Answer Screeners and Profilers: Survey firms will often send you links to short questionaires that gather additional profile information. This will help to select participants for upcoming surveys. You won't get chosen if you don't answer these brief questionaires.

    • Hidden Rewards: Sometimes firms will send out unadvertised rewards at the end of a study. This can be a nice surprise, but you should not expect this to happen frequently.

    • Answer Honestly: It is important to always provide honest answers to every question, including demographic information. This will corrupt survey data and may be damaging to the survey firm or the company purchasing the research. Some survey sites also evaluate survey data for consistency or unusual patterns that may permanently disqualify you from the program.

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  5. How Do I Avoid Survey Scams?

    Here are five ways to avoid paid for surveys scams or paid for mail scams:

    • Do Your Homework: The internet is a powerful tool to researching the company that you wish to deal with. Start by finding the company's file at the Better Business Bureau. The file typically contains a history of compaints, as well as important contact information for the company. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

    • File Complaints When Appropriate: Both the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission offer the ability to file complaints online. Be sure to keep your complaints accurate but brief. Generally, companies will attempt to resolve the issue rather than face disciplinary action. Remember, mediation is better than litigation!

    • Never Pay to Join: There are websites that charge a membership fee to join their Paid for Surveys program. Advertisements for these programs typically make outrageous claims that you can make a ridiculous amount of money per hour. In reality, they sell you a list of legitimate market research companies and exaggerate the earning potential. Remember, NO legitimate research company would charge you to join their panel!

    • Avoid Credit Card Offers: Many Paid to Surf companies offer several dollars or hundreds of points to sign up for a credit card account. Before proceeding with any such offer, including credit cards that accrue points, you should carefully consider whether or not the card will meet your needs. Factors should include your credit rating and the interest rate (APR) offered. Remember, all credit card information goes on your file at the credit reporting agencies!

    • Use Common Sense: If something seems suspicious and you don't have enough information about the company, stay away. It's best to avoid pyramid schemes, chain letters, or any claim that seems outrageous. Remember, if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Referral Programs

  1. What Is a Referral Program?

    When you refer a new member to a market research or paid for mail firm, this is called a referral. Some firms will offer you cash or other rewards for recruiting new members to their programs. These incentives form the basis for a referral program, which is a way of encouraging word-of-mouth advertising among members. [FAQ] [HOME]

  2. How Does it Work?

    Most firms will provide you with an email template or a specialized link to send to your friends or to place on your website. If a new panelist clicks this link and joins the program then you will be credited according the firms Terms of Service (TOS). Eligibility requirements and reward payments vary widely between firms. [FAQ] [HOME]

  3. How Do I Get Referrals?

    The easiest way to get referrals is to send an email request to people that you think would be interesting in joining the program. Never Spam! Do not send email to people that you do not know, and do not post your links to online forums unless you are permitted to do so. [FAQ] [HOME]

  4. Are Referral Programs Worth It?

    The income generated from referrals is very little, and it is not possible for most people to earn significant income without a lot of hard work. It is a good way for individuals to learn more about marketing, but it is not an easy source of cash. [FAQ] [HOME]

  5. Does This Site Use Referrals

    A few of the links on this site include a referral code; however, this does not influence the rating or the prominence of any program listed. The purpose of this site is to inform consumers and not to generate referrals. [FAQ] [HOME]

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Frequently Asked Questions About Paid for Email Programs

  1. What Is a 'Paid for Email' or 'Paid to Click' Program?

    A Paid for Email or Paid to Click program is a website that will pay you to read emails and click links. You will be awarded a small amount of cash or points for each link that you click. Similar companies will pay you to display an advertisment banner on your computer or to click links on their site. [FAQ] [HOME]

  2. How Much Do Paid for Email Programs Earn?

    Paid for Email programs do not earn as much money as they did in the past. Presently, most programs pay less than $0.01 for every email that you read. It's easy, but you could probably find more money hidden in your couch. One way to generate cash from these programs is through building referrals. [FAQ] [HOME]

  3. What is a Paid to Shop Program?

    A few Paid for Email companies offer you a specified number of points for every dollar that you spend at a selected merchant. You must start by clicking a link on the programs site, but you will then shop as you would normally. The value of these programs is not great, but you can earn points for buying things that you would buy anyway. Many programs allow you to download software that reminds you to log-in prior to shopping at selected merchants. This will ensure that you get points for your purchases. [FAQ] [HOME]

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