opinionoutpost

[1957horses]

I started doing surveys at least 10 years ago as a hobby, now its for fun money. I own 4 companies outright and am part owner in another concern. I use my experience as a panel member with some of the Survey Companies as a guide as to what to do and what not to do with our Customers. Employees and Suppliers.

I'm in the process of bringing a line of Products to market, We have not begun production but are actively looking at markets, I can tell you that we will not be using SSI or any of its affiliates for our research since I'm NOT confident of their quality. If you cut corners, quality suffers and by treating their survey panels badly their data will be compromised as it makes many panelists hostile to the product or service being researched.

The Biggest thing to remember is that When you are on a survey panel is that you are NOT a customer or employee of that company, you are a product of it. Think of a Panel as a FARM on that farm you have the Farmer (Panel Owner) you have Farm Hands (Employees) and Live Stock (the Panel). You see we're sheep to them instead of feed we're paid money for our opinions instead of Fleece.

OK I see your point! I am glad you will NO ASSOISIATION with SSI. But you must consider that I may be customer of your company (I guess depending on what service or commodity you offer). But I get it, your talking about at the moment of taking a survey I am an impartial sheep giving my assessment of this or that . Am I right in the direction in what you are trying to say here?? I don't want to sound unintelligent, just trying to get an understanding.

[theskyhunter]

It is indeed a sad day when Opinion Outpost whom was one of the best survey sites out there has become one of the WORST, it's a repeat of Survey Spot a couple of years ago and as we all know They're also part of SSI. Its TRULY sad when Toluna is better than OO and now they are. Survey companies are like Banks the small ones are usually the better ones, while the Big ones will rip you off every chance that they get. OO when they were a Midsized company Rocked now that they're part of a Big one they Suck!! I'll stick with some of the smaller companies since they care about their users. I'll be leaving OO sometime in the near future once I can get enough to cash out for a final time.

i couldnt agree with you more my friend.

[drbphoto]

1957horses, No I don't work for ANY market research firm, I'm a sheep to them just like any panel member is. I'm a VERY Busy man, and I value the time of my Employees, Suppliers AND Customers, this is why these market research companies annoy me so badly, they pay pennies then have the gall to ask for careful answers.

I own 3 Service related firms located in SoCal mostly dealing with the Motion Picture industry. The Line of Products that my other Business is in process of bringing to market is a specialized Automotive line of products, I'm currently also looking at buying a Local mail order distribution center and warehouse.

I'm actually talking to my State representative about the unregulated nature of the market research industry here in California ( they self regulate through their industry group CASRO)and that they pay in some cases as low as .40 for an hours work, I think that they should be held to a states minimum wage, $8.00hr in California. SSI has an Office in Los Angeles so a state law would apply to them in California.

[1957horses]

1957horses, No I don't work for ANY market research firm, I'm a sheep to them just like any panel member is. I'm a VERY Busy man, and I value the time of my Employees, Suppliers AND Customers, this is why these market research companies annoy me so badly, they pay pennies then have the gall to ask for careful answers.

I own 3 Service related firms located in So Cal mostly dealing with the Motion Picture industry. The Line of Products that my other Business is in process of bringing to market is a specialized Automotive line of products, I'm currently also looking at buying a Local mail order distribution center and warehouse.

I'm actually talking to my State representative about the unregulated nature of the market research industry here in California ( they self regulate through their industry group CASRO)and that they pay in some cases as low as .40 for an hours work, I think that they should be held to a states minimum wage, $8.00hr in California. SSI has an Office in Los Angeles so a state law would apply to them in California.

I don't think you work for ANY research firm, I understood that you had not begun production but are actively looking at markets and that that you will not be using SSI or any of its affiliates for your research since you NOT confident of their quality. I just said I was glad you WERE looking for a research industry that held to a states minimum wage. That Is wonderful that you care enough and understand what survey do being a fellow survey taker yourself. And I wish you all the luck in the world when you get your new business off and running. I wish other business would look into what market research business has come to. With low $$. Especially when we know how much they used to give as an incentive. Like I said before, I see the same survey for a company in one site paying x amount of $$ and another site completely not associated with the other but for the same company paying xxx amount of $$ for the same feed back.

[drbphoto]

I believe in a fair wage, I actually pay some of my employees more than myself considering the work that they do, but then I EXPECT them to perform 100% of the time. Garbage In Garbage out, you get what you pay for, ya know what I mean.. If a Panel pays Garbage then they usually get garbage. The Amount of money that a Company pays fro market research is SUBSTANTIAL.

One thing to remember about market research companies, the Online survey Panels that we are all familiar with are only one piece of their pie, most of the large companies have 2 or more panels, Western Wats/Opinionology/Opinion Outpost before the SSI takeover at one time had something like 56,000 active members on the panel I have NO ideal how many SSI has across all of theirs. They also usually have offices whether full time or pop up shops at the local mall to gather real time data, telephone panels ( I feel for the people Who have to work the Phones in the Boiler rooms call centers these companies run), online and offline focus groups ect. IMHO the best paying of the lot is the Offline focus groups, I did one a few months ago for a restaurant that paid $200 for an hours "work" and a free meal to boot.

[tilly62]

One more survey company to delete from my list!! Can't believe what crap they put out now. Used to be one of my favorites and looked forward to...now I just hit delete...embarassed to say I'm a (was) panelist of their site!!!

[MunnyHunny]

Wow, thanks for the info. Things are much clearer now. I was feeling sorry for OO going bankrupt and having to sell out to SSI, but child labor? They should know better.

[1957horses]

OK Is there ONE just ONE person whose account was froze able to say "HEY OO/SSI gave me my account back, OO/SSI UNFROZE MY ACCOUNT" !!

I am only asking this because day by day on this survey police site I see more and more people saying "MY ACCOUNT WAS FROZE" daily!! OO/SSI said "that there was separate team who will take care of these concerns and the investigation with each single account is ongoing". Well, so PLEASE if you have gotten back your account LET US KNOW!!

[rosiesmom]

I cashed out a month or so ago, and by golly, I haven't been able to qualify for a survey since. That is just ridiculous. Before I could get three a week or so. I think I might have to say goodbye to these people.

[footfree]

1957horses, No I don't work for ANY market research firm, I'm a sheep to them just like any panel member is. I'm a VERY Busy man, and I value the time of my Employees, Suppliers AND Customers, this is why these market research companies annoy me so badly, they pay pennies then have the gall to ask for careful answers.

I own 3 Service related firms located in SoCal mostly dealing with the Motion Picture industry. The Line of Products that my other Business is in process of bringing to market is a specialized Automotive line of products, I'm currently also looking at buying a Local mail order distribution center and warehouse.

I'm actually talking to my State representative about the unregulated nature of the market research industry here in California ( they self regulate through their industry group CASRO)and that they pay in some cases as low as .40 for an hours work, I think that they should be held to a states minimum wage, $8.00hr in California. SSI has an Office in Los Angeles so a state law would apply to them in California.

I've been telling people for I don't know how long that they should be working for at least minimum wage but they don't agree.How foolish are these people, we do not live in a third world country and should be paid what any other person in America is paid.These are multi- million dollar companies making money off the backs of honest hard working people(well most of us anyways). In Texas minimum wage is $7.25 a hour and I believe that is the standard pay set by the government for all states.California usually sets precedents for most new laws that are enacted.If we can get this out there and known to all then this could help people get paid what they are deserved.Thanks for doing something most of us only want to complain no one wants to do the real leg work.I'm included in this myself -if I knew a way to help more I would.Maybe all of us should send a letter to our local State representative.We should make a standard letter to copy and mail to them,doing nothing at all is getting us know where fast!

[1957horses]

1957horses, No I don't work for ANY market research firm, I'm a sheep to them just like any panel member is. I'm a VERY Busy man, and I value the time of my Employees, Suppliers AND Customers, this is why these market research companies annoy me so badly, they pay pennies then have the gall to ask for careful answers.

I own 3 Service related firms located in SoCal mostly dealing with the Motion Picture industry. The Line of Products that my other Business is in process of bringing to market is a specialized Automotive line of products, I'm currently also looking at buying a Local mail order distribution center and warehouse.

I'm actually talking to my State representative about the unregulated nature of the market research industry here in California ( they self regulate through their industry group CASRO)and that they pay in some cases as low as .40 for an hours work, I think that they should be held to a states minimum wage, $8.00hr in California. SSI has an Office in Los Angeles so a state law would apply to them in California.

I've been telling people for I don't know how long that they should be working for at least minimum wage but they don't agree.How foolish are these people, we do not live in a third world country and should be paid what any other person in America is paid.These are multi- million dollar companies making money off the backs of honest hard working people(well most of us anyways). In Texas minimum wage is $7.25 a hour and I believe that is the standard pay set by the government for all states.California usually sets precedents for most new laws that are enacted.If we can get this out there and known to all then this could help people get paid what they are deserved.Thanks for doing something most of us only want to complain no one wants to do the real leg work.I'm included in this myself -if I knew a way to help more I would.Maybe all of us should send a letter to our local State representative.We should make a standard letter to copy and mail to them,doing nothing at all is getting us know where fast!

OK I'm in, so what next?? I am not good with words, so if you could draw up a letter we (I) could all copy and then send it to our (my) own local State representative. If survey police should not allow a letter drawn up, for us (me) maybe you could put key words here that we (I) could use in order to write one with.