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What's wrong lately with all these survey companies?


fryeguy211

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For the past week or so I find myself getting disqualified at the very last question on a bunch of different surveys. Today for instance I took a 15 minute survey with Opinion Outpost only to get DQ'd on the last question which should have been the very first question asked on the survey. They got all their answers but now don't have to compensate me, how nice.

I'm really getting tired is and them collecting my answers for free. I don't mind giving a few minutes of my time, but 15 minutes or more I would at least expect something.

Anyone else getting annoyed as well?

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I can certainly sympathize. This happened to me so many times with Global Opinion Panel that I finally told them to remove me (I haven't gotten to that point with any other survey companies). Like you said, the "demographic" type questions that should have been asked at the beginning were asked at the end, and then I'd get disqualified after spending 20 minutes on the darn thing. I sent them some semi-angry emails which they never really addressed other than "sorry you were disqualified". Bah on them.

With SurveySpot, twice in the last week, the survey has stopped suddenly and I get a message that says "We had trouble recording your participation in this survey" and bam, I'm done. I figure if THEY have trouble recording my answers, I'm not sure I should be penalized. I sent an email to them about 4-5 days ago but never heard back and don't expect to (yes, I'm jaded, LOL). OTOH, I took a $20 survey from them recently so I hate to bail out.

But yeah...it's a PITA all right!!

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I don't know what you guys are talking about. I never get disqualified at the end of the survey, only after a few minutes in or right at the beginning. I just wonder if it isn't a new and disturbing trend happening. I have seen no sign of this happening but I am in UK, maybe its a USA thing? I don't really know. Usually from the subject matter you can tell if you are going to be chucked out.

I do feel sorry if this has happened to you but really it shouldn't if the company is reputable and good. Is it happening with only one company's surveys or many?

LizzieAnn

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First of all, sorry for the double post....not sure how that happened :)

I'm in the US, and yes, it's happened fairly often. Test Spin has done this to me as well as Survey Spot, as I mentioned before. Global Opinion Panel was by far the worst. Those are the only ones I can think of offhand. If and when it happens again with another company, I'll post here.

On a slightly different tangent, I occasionally get invitations from survey companies that disqualify me as soon as I click on the link. No demographic questions or anything, just *bing* "We're sorry, you do not qualify for this survey". OK, and you sent me the invitation why?......

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Folks,

I thought I'd look to see how much survey companies charge when they do a survey for a company. At some companies, they charge around $2000/survey. Other companies charge upwards of $200,000/year for the newer "closed focus groups" or "closed online communities" where you would be a part of a group of around 300-2000 consumers who rate a companies product.

I like doing surveys and yet, there are times when I do feel that I'm giving out my opinion that helps another company make money without being properly compensated. I do view this as a numbers game. I'm on mysurvey and I take the little instant polls. I saw that over 32,000 people had taken a poll the other day. I guess that's why if I do a survey for them, I make so little.

In fact, there are many, many, many companies that are not listed here that perform consumer research that do pay more. We are working with companies that really have huge data bases. I think if you make an effort to send a business letter out to some of the smaller companies, telling of your objective experience providing input to companies, you just might find more paying gigs.

Who knows?

Try using these key words to find other companies:

consumer research

consumer product testing

consumer survey marketing

marketing focus groups

online marketing

I've been googling up a storm and have found many other places. I haven't signed up for these places yet since I'm in graduate school. But don't give up, this marketplace wants input! We've just got to be smart about who we give the input to and at what price!

Ever learning,

teachell

8)

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interesting points, ratsing and teachell. Yes, I have been kicked out right at the beginning of the survey but you usually get a message along the lines of quota full. That is simply numbers up!

Teachell, I entirely agree with you. The more I find out the more I want to dig deeper, and your opinion is definitely at a premium. I agree you can get paid much more than we are here on sp just for your opinion and focus groups are ace, although I have yet to qualify for one!

On another note, I have just been paid £50 for a 2 hour survey I did so I ain't complaining!!

LizzieAnn

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Lizzie Ann

Who was the £50 survey with? I could do with that after being made redundant. I could do with more sites as I am having trouble finding another job. The job I lost was a part time jobe at weekends but luckely I still have a part time job which is Mon, Tues, Wed but a part time wage only goes so far. It just that you never see jobs that are for a Thurs and Fri.

:D

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Hi, Kell. Sorry to hear of your troubles. The credit crunch is getting us all down, I have to say, and the extra money is coming in really handy. My cheque arrived yesterday so I am singing today!

Try Mindmover. I don't know if you can join up through a link when you go to the site, but if not I will see if I can help. I think they are UK only though, not too sure, but I am finding out, awaiting a reply from them. They are fairly new and cashout is for 2000 points or £20 and I have already got to 600 points with just 3 surveys, so quite a decent amount. I think they pay by BACS or cheque so you may have to give them your bank details, if you are okay with this. They seem to have quite regular invitations and are very trustworthy.

I do hope this helps. PM me and I will see if I can help you with some of the better sites which pay a bit more in UK. Us Brits must stick together (or we might be outnumbered on surveypolice, LOL)

LizzieAnn

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  • 3 weeks later...

:D Hi Folks!

I am in the UK and I agree that we need to be able to easily establish the reputable survey sites available to us. I have been doing surveys for a while but just 'saving up' so I have not really cashed in my incentives yet. I am really pleased to have found this site cos it does mean that we are not wasting our time on scam companies or legit ones who seem to think they can change the goalposts - like dropping the incentives for 'sweepstakes'...Hmn...

It would help if the rating guide specified whether the survey sites are UK friendly, etc.

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Hi Gwyn, I agree that it is not too easy to see if a company is UK or USA at first glance. A visit to the site usually puts that right, but be careful about being paid in dollars. I have been unable to cash a $2 cheque cos it costs £5 to cash!!!

Good luck with saving your incentives, but don't leave it too late to cash in because it can take a long time for your cheque or other incentive to arrive, and Christmas is nearly upon us!!

LizzieAnn :D

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I think a site like SurveyPolice offers the only realistic chance of stopping the dirty tactics of the disreputable sites; because cheap shots like disqualifying the participant at a late point is so easy, there'll always be someone ready to stoop to throwing them. Another cheap shot tactic I've experienced is the 'eject the participant prior to completion' trick; that one's a doozy because the excuse, 'technical failure', is ever-reliable and unbeatable.

If we watch one anothers' backs via this site, the crooks will either have to clean up their act or keep re-starting business.

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I occasionally get invitations from survey companies that disqualify me as soon as I click on the link. No demographic questions or anything, just *bing* "We're sorry, you do not qualify for this survey". OK, and you sent me the invitation why?......
Yep, I've had this happen to me at least twice. It makes me very paranoid, like 'they've' instantly recognised me via hi-tech spyware or such like as being of no use to them. Bah!
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For the past week or so I find myself getting disqualified at the very last question on a bunch of different surveys. Today for instance I took a 15 minute survey with opinion outpost only to get DQ'd on the last question which should have been the very first question asked on the survey. They got all their answers but now don't have to compensate me, how nice.
Yep, me too; it's happended several times (at Lightspeed) recently.

I've not been at this long but I've already reached the point at which I can spot the 'Answer this one 'correctly' and you'll qualify' question; the thing is, I'm honest and know that being dishonest in order to get incentive payment will, in the long run, only devalue the surveys and ultimately cause companies to lose faith in running them at all. So, I dutifully answer honestly e.g. "No I'm not planning on buying a car in the next 12 months" and get disqualified.

I wrote to 'Lauren' telling her that when anyone does this they should get at least some reward (not more entries into a lottery or such like) because to not reward honesty is a disincentive to be honest!

She e-mailed me the stock message - "We will pass on your comments". Watch this space... :roll:

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