Zoom panel and ridiculous request

[footfree]

Are they freaking joking!!!!!!!!!!Listen what they are doing now.This study is to last 6 months and take 35 to 45 minutes per week with nothing but chances!

I hope no one joins there are community's that pay like gongo's and communispace.They pay anywhere between $10 to $25.00 a month please anyone reading this do not start doing this for free.If they want this much time and effort then they need to pay for it.They said there will be 625 people involved,well if this is the case then why don't they pay each individual a part of that 4000 dollars?HERE IS ANOTHER PRIME EXAMPLE OF BIG COMPANIES TAKING ADVANTAGE!!!!!!!!!

they emailed me asking if I want to join a online community.Don't panic it said in exchange for your time and ideas you will be entered into big cash prizes!If you complete the task you will be entered into a drawing with a 4,000 prize pot to be shared.This will only take you 35 to 45 minutes a week.How are we to know that they pass out the $4000 dollars.Not only that there are people out there who went to school to do this type of work for them.(sorry about caps)SO TO ME THEY ARE NOT ONLY SCREWING OVER THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR IDEAS THEY ARE TRYING TO get this info for a few dollars.I guess you couldn't tell but it pissed me off big time!It made me so mad that I'm not even sure I want to do any more surveys for them.

[thexeez1]

Zoom Panel and the Parent company MarketTools, Inc. are the worst survey and market research company I have ever encountered. Zoom Panel tries to hide their point system and its monetary value from its panelists. I consider myself a great researching but how difficult it was to find out about their points. Finally, I got my answer. Everyone needs to see this email from MarketTools:

"Dear John, Thank you for contacting ZoomPanel Support. Our incentive program is based on a points system. After you accumulate enough points, you can exchange them for prizes from our wide assortment of quality products. There is no Cash/Paypal/Check incentive right now. ZoomPoints do not have any monetary value. The closest you can compare is that you can get a $25 Virtual Gift card for 2500 ZoomPoints".

My Friends here at Survey Police. That means 2500 points = $25.00, OR that would mean 1000 points = $1.00, So 75 points = .08 cents.

.08 CENTS! LOWEST I HAVE EVER SEEN (b/most of their surveys are for 75 points or, again, .08 cents). And, NO Customer Service. Total Scam. Here I come BBB.

[thexeez1]

I posted a complaint about ZoomPanel in San Francisco today :

Consumer's Original Complaint :

Zoom Panel, owned/operated by MarketTools, hides their point system from the public and members. After no response from ZoomPanel I had to contact MarketTools and complain. No email back from MT but ZP finally contacts me. They do not answer my question about their point system until pressed with threats to notify the BBB. ZP said... "The closest you can compare is that you can get a $25 Virtual Gift card for 2500 ZoomPoints". Finally, I get an answer which means that normal surveys they offer (all for 75 Zoom points so far) are worth .08 cents. Lowest in the market research industry. But, they can do that to people. That's legal. But, advertising that people can make excellent prizes, gifts, and "points" without divulging what those points are worth in prize or gift card value is wrong. As well, as never responding to a panelists email until Zoom Panels parent company, Market Tools, inc. is threatened with the BBB of San Francisco. I quit their awful survey site today after researching the many complaints waged against them in other blog sites. MarketTools,inc, as well, apparently didn't find me important enough to email back. That includes their upper management.

Consumer's Desired Resolution:

I request that MarketTools, Inc. change their website to make it easily understandable their rewards system so consumers don't get hurt. Also, MarketTools needs to understand the importance of customer service and answering emails from its members.

[footfree]

Sounds like deceptive and unethical practices of sorts.That should be illegal,just as laws have passed with credits cards so should this.What I mean is that it should be spelled out so everyone fully understands what they are getting into.I believe we have the right to know how much we are expecting up front so we can make a informed judgement upon entering the survey!Freakin mumbo jumbo corporate language,I hate it.

[insomniac]

It IS pretty ridiculous that they would expect sweeps-only rewards for an online community, when there are companies that will pay you for your time. If someone is willing to do it for nothing- then let them do it! They'll have to learn the hard way that doing something for nothing is frustrating and not worth it (unless it's for a good cause, of course! ).

That being said, it's also a very simple thing to DELETE the email and move on. If you don't like their ethics, then quit the company and start an online petition to get changes made or bring more attention to what you feel is a just cause.

[footfree]

It IS pretty ridiculous that they would expect sweeps-only rewards for an online community, when there are companies that will pay you for your time. If someone is willing to do it for nothing- then let them do it! They'll have to learn the hard way that doing something for nothing is frustrating and not worth it (unless it's for a good cause, of course! ).

That being said, it's also a very simple thing to DELETE the email and move on. If you don't like their ethics, then quit the company and start an online petition to get changes made or bring more attention to what you feel is a just cause.

That' why I came here to speak about just cause.Unfortunately most people like to gripe and do nothing.It's very apparent by the lack of response.SO how does one go about setting up a petition?Who do we send it to,the company?I bet we cant set up one here,I don't think they would allow it.On that note wheres this new administrator? Do they know how we can go about setting up something like this?

[insomniac]

It IS pretty ridiculous that they would expect sweeps-only rewards for an online community, when there are companies that will pay you for your time. If someone is willing to do it for nothing- then let them do it! They'll have to learn the hard way that doing something for nothing is frustrating and not worth it (unless it's for a good cause, of course! ).

That being said, it's also a very simple thing to DELETE the email and move on. If you don't like their ethics, then quit the company and start an online petition to get changes made or bring more attention to what you feel is a just cause.

That' why I came here to speak about just cause.Unfortunately most people like to gripe and do nothing.It's very apparent by the lack of response.SO how does one go about setting up a petition?Who do we send it to,the company?I bet we cant set up one here,I don't think they would allow it.On that note wheres this new administrator? Do they know how we can go about setting up something like this?

Google "online petitions" and you will get a list of sites some of whom do it for free or offer free tools to get started. Outline the points you feel are pertinent, changes you want made, try to get as many signatures as you can (some require a certain minimum before you can submit a petition, I believe), and then pass it on to wherever you would do it - legislation, survey companies, State Attorney General, etc. You can get the word out by emailing people you know, bringing attention on other websites, etc.

[footfree]

Google "online petitions" and you will get a list of sites some of whom do it for free or offer free tools to get started. Outline the points you feel are pertinent, changes you want made, try to get as many signatures as you can (some require a certain minimum before you can submit a petition, I believe), and then pass it on to wherever you would do it - legislation, survey companies, State Attorney General, etc. You can get the word out by emailing people you know, bringing attention on other websites, etc.

Good info to know -however my problem is that the people I know don't do surveys,nor do they care enough .The only ones I know come here.I bet they wont let me publish a petition.I wonder if I could get kicked off of here if I did? I'm kinda illiterate when it comes to setting up web sites but if anyone knew how to do this where survey takers could go to settle grievances this would be great.

[rhonapap]

i've been a Zompanel surveys for at least 5 years and had no complaints at all till Sept 2011. In the past i was getting at least 2-4 surveys per day, and at lesast 2, if not more, credited 75 points each., In fact, i could make 1000 points a month.

The gifts were crappy but i was able to get stuff that other people needed for free.

BUT, this Sept 2011 I find the catalogue has reduced to 9 extremely useless items... they say there are gift card options but i can't find them anywhere on the site.

Some people have said that they got the Gift Card option but I have been trying for one month, with nothing seen.

I wrote to Zoompanel twice in two weeks and got no reply.

In the past, they were very, very prompt.

What happened?

[rosiesmom]

I gave this firm the boot a long time ago. I would get some invites for surveys, but during the survey all of a sudden I would get some type of error code and they could never help me. So I left, and I steer clear of them at every chance.

[ZoomPanel]

i've been a Zompanel surveys for at least 5 years and had no complaints at all till Sept 2011. In the past i was getting at least 2-4 surveys per day, and at lesast 2, if not more, credited 75 points each., In fact, i could make 1000 points a month.

The gifts were crappy but i was able to get stuff that other people needed for free.

BUT, this Sept 2011 I find the catalogue has reduced to 9 extremely useless items... they say there are gift card options but i can't find them anywhere on the site.

Some people have said that they got the Gift Card option but I have been trying for one month, with nothing seen.

I wrote to Zoompanel twice in two weeks and got no reply.

In the past, they were very, very prompt.

What happened?

Hi rhonapap -

Sorry we have not gotten back to you regarding your question on rewards. I found your case in our system and will respond via email to resolve your issue.

ZoomPanel Support