A Market For Research
The Online Survey Boom
Mention the phrase "Market Research" to anybody and they will probably conjure up images of annoying people with clipboards in grey, cheerless shopping centres, asking for "five minutes" of the unlucky punter's time.
Online Reseach
However in these frugal times, many websites offer the internet user the opportunity to gain shopping vouchers and a small cash reward in return for filling in small, compact surveys. These surveys do not task the brain, and can be completed by the surfer in their own time, be it over a lunch hour, at home, or in an internet cafe.
Simple Surveys
One such website is Onepoll.com. The user creates an account, and once he/she has logged on, is offered the dual option of either filling in surveys for a small amount of cash per survey, or "competition surveys" that on completion, will enter the participant in a prize draw, usually for a £25 voucher for shopping website Amazon.
The downside is that each survey is only worth either 5, 10, or 15p per survey, and it only pays out once the account holder has reached £40. There is no time limit on completing the surveys however, and the website usually offers the participant at least half a dozen surveys per day. Also Onepoll advertises other websites offering to win "Free grocery shopping for a year" from a well known supermarket and "win free fuel for a year" but these advertised websites require further participation and enrolling.
Lifestyle Questionnaires
GFK offers more questionnaires for consumers that are more time consuming and require deeper thought. These ask the consumer to list what they have purchased when shopping during the last month. This requires the participant to list a range of products they have bought ranging from electrical goods such as toasters or televisions, contact lenses, holiday bookings, and car parts, for example tyres.
The disadvantage of this website is that the surveys take longer to complete, are quite lengthy and stifling, and occasionally forces the user to reveal slightly personal details, such as the amount they spend on certain products. However the rewards on offer are appealing; it offers vouchers for UK based high street stores such as Debenham's, Argos and H Samuel.
This also requires copy and pasting of a code in order to access these vouchers. Qualifying panellists are entered into quarterly and monthly prize draws, though the likelihood of winning on a well subscribed website is low, although there is a helpful helpdesk for long term members and an FAQ list.
Pick and Choose
The great thing about survey websites is that there are so many of them that allows the user to choose one that is convenient for their needs. They range from questionnaires on lifestyle to consumerism, and as membership increases, the rewards and incentives will continue to grow. Plus there is no need to stand shivering in the local equivalent of the renowned Arndale shopping centre.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html This money-saving website reveals people's mixed experiences with online surveying.
Internet research
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