People are getting burned left and right on surveys

[gebower]

it has got to the greed of society, get what I can and screw the rest. But, a lot of us are honest hardworking people that have worked all our lives, and just want a little extra income for our TIME. That time is very important, some people don't think so. We should be compensated in some way, especially cash. Time is money. I find it totally amazing how MUCH info they want from us which can go beyond an hour, for NOTHING. In other words, our time means nothing to them, get what you can, for FREE. I'm sorry, but that burns my butt, I do like doing surveys and I KNOW that the surveys help and I know I am only ONE person, in millions. But, really, shouldn't you get at least a couple of dollars for spending one HOUR answering questions?????????????? Is that too much to ask? You tell me.

Sincerely,

Gino

[Whatatay]

I agree with what you are saying but you are your worst enemy. Why are you doing surveys for nothing, especially hour long ones?

Why should the survey companies pay people when they have people like you who will spend an hour doing surveys for nothing? You find it totally amazing how much they want from you for nothing but you go right ahead and give it to them. You say our time means nothing to them yet you go ahead and prove it by giving them your time for nothing.

People who do surveys for free ruin the paying opportunities. If the kid down the street wants to come and cut your grass for free every week, why would you pay him?

I am confused as to why you are complaining when you are the one who decides to give your time for free.

[gebower]

That's the very point, I DON'T want to do surveys for FREE. I was promised a reward of some kind and never got it. The scam. That's what I'm talking about. If you think i like doing surveys for free you got me dead wrong. I hate doing surveys for FREE. I just got to be more careful, very carefull from here on out. I know EVERYONE who has ANY experience on surveys have ended up doing surveys for FREE. It happens.

[susiejean]

it has got to the greed of society, get what I can and screw the rest. But, a lot of us are honest hardworking people that have worked all our lives, and just want a little extra income for our TIME. That time is very important, some people don't think so. We should be compensated in some way, especially cash. Time is money. I find it totally amazing how MUCH info they want from us which can go beyond an hour, for NOTHING. In other words, our time means nothing to them, get what you can, for FREE. I'm sorry, but that burns my butt, I do like doing surveys and I KNOW that the surveys help and I know I am only ONE person, in millions. But, really, shouldn't you get at least a couple of dollars for spending one HOUR answering questions?????????????? Is that too much to ask? You tell me.

Sincerely,

Gino

Most of us here stopped doing "Freebie's" a long time ago. Whatatay said it right. Why pay when you can get it for free? If we just stopped and didn't do free surveys anymore, we could make a little money. Do you think that the survey companies are doing it for free? Nope, they just don't want to share the purse.

There are a lot of new people doing surveys and think that they're doing the right thing when they do free surveys, but all that they are doing is hurting all of us and themselves in the future.

JUST SAY NO TO FREE SURVEYS! If you don't know if they are paying, like SurveySpot, just don't do them. Don't do surveys unless they have a dollar or point amount in their emails to you.

Susie

[alaskababygirl]

I don't do free surveys. Never have never will. I have done screener's for high paying surveys. Which I have no problem with because then if I don't quafly for it then I don't gotta waste my time with it.

[gebower]

Totally agree with Susie Jean. And for the record I am not "new" to surveys. Three years ago when I got into them I realized they'll scam you if they can. You wouldn't believe how many emails I delete every day, why? NO money that's why, just those "promises". I can't spend promises. It's absolutely true that we struggle to make any money because of so many people willing to do surveys for nothing. I guess the answer is to MAKE them honest by reporting them to the BBB, if they have made promises of benefits, (money). To me, its mainly money to my PayPal or a Visa Card will work too. The sweepstakes? Yeah right, rots of rot on that one. It's the only way. The answer? Delete empty promises left and right and if you got a promise and no delivery? BBB. Totally agree.

Gene.

[Not-a-Sucker]

Agree, agree, agree. When I first started doing surveys a little over a year ago, I only had Pine Cone. They don't pay much, but they also don't mess with you. I thought everyone would be like that. So when I ramped it up at the beginning of this year, I would do a few "sweeps" surveys. No more. When I see, "We value your opinion, please do our survey for 30 minutes for wonderful sweepstakes entries (ha-ha!)", I just dump it. I absolutely refuse to do a survey and waste my time for nothing. I don't mind screeners too much, because they are short and are disclosed as screeners. The few times I have done a Survey Spot freebie, at the end when they ask was it interesting, etc. in the comment box I always put, "Pay us."

Oh, and, isn't it amazing how you always qualify for the sweeps only surveys, and hardly ever for the paid ones?

So, to repeat, DO NOT TAKE SWEEPS ONLY surveys. Maybe if everyone stopped, they would have to pay.

[bried29]

hi, i agree with the above comments. not only do i not do free surveys, but i wont do surveys if i have to spend too much time for too little payout. i have a list of surveys im registered with and i refer to it frequently for point vs dollar value. hey, im not spending 20 minutes on a survey for $1. obviously, i skip a lot of surveys.

[Whatatay]

I agree with bride29. My absolute limit is 15 minutes for a dollar and that is only if it is interesting. If it starts out with pages and pages of 500 little bubbles I have to click, especially asking the same questions with only slightly different variations, I dump it.

[insomniac]

Unfortunately, people are getting burned by some companies but it's a catch 22 is it not? Both sides are responsible for what's happening to the other and caught in the middle are the honest people who are sincere about what they do. I've been a long time survey taker and I've watched the ebb and flow of many of these companies over the years and this is the worst I've ever seen it. I can understand why companies are "cleaning house" to clear out the bad apples but I have a hard time believing that every single person that they have booted were dishonest survey takers ( although I am sure many of them are indeed deceitful). And it's ridiculous watching some of these companies who are constantly cheating people out of their money just to save their own butts. Sometimes I feel like I am in a game of cat and mouse waiting for the best one to win and it's getting tiresome! Sorry to rant but I just had to say that!

[everbloomin1]

I absolutely, totally agree with everything said above. I'm tired of getting the surveys that promise a couple bucks for completing the survey - so I get clear to the end of the survey after spending maybe 20-30 minutes on it, then they tell me I don't qualify and boot me out. Helloo....??? I've wasted 30 minutes and wasted all that time and gave honest, thoughtful answers, and you say I don't qualify? You already have all my answers, you have the information you need, but you get out of paying me because you say I don't qualify????

This happened to me last Saturday morning on a very long survey regarding cosmetics. I even took the time to check my personal products for all the correct brand names and sizes, etc. I spent over 60 minutes giving very thoughtful answers, and I was booted out at the end.

Chaps my hide!

Don't take the 'sweeps' surveys -- do we really know there ARE sweeps?

[LuvaSurvey_Nurse]

I have been doing surveys for over five years and seems like the surveys are getting longer and the payout smaller.

Also i noticed the email might say the survey is for 20 minutes but the survey actually takes 35 minutes.I refuse to do a a survey

for sweeps!

[QWERTY]

After living in the survey world for 5 years I've come to the realization that getting "ripped off" now and then is a fact of life and there's damn little you can do about it. Accept it and move on. The percentage of times that happens is nil compared to the total. Getting wrapped around the axle over it is only going to shave time off your life. As for the payment vs sweeps debate, I agree with most. When I first started I followed the advice of "experts" and completed every survey thrown at me. They said something like "if a survey company sees you're a loyal customer they will send higher paying surveys". Well it took me nearly a year but I slowly saw that was bunk. Since then I've stopped doing most sweeps surveys. If a company is sending paid surveys on a regular basis, I'll complete a sweeps survey from them maybe once a month, just as a CYA move incase the sweep is legit. I have won two sweeps so I know some are. I always delete surveys offering less than a dollar. When a dollar survey shows up I'll complete it last, if at all. The amount of effort I put into a survey depends in large part on how much of a reward they are offering. It's my time and I'm going to get paid for it, even though it's a pittance at best. If I'm in the wrong mood or just get bored with a survey I'll dump it and move on especially if they are offering less than $5. Sometimes I'll send the company a nasty gram about the survey. In spite of all that, I've never been banned by a survey company and I get invited to focus groups fairly often. Rip off? You bet it happens. That said, it's inevitable. Shake your head, pound your fist, but then move on and do the surveys YOU want to do. Don't feel you have to "please the boss" to make money on surveys.

[gthuffines]

I absolutely refuse to do a survey and waste my time for nothing. I don't mind screeners too much, because they are short and are disclosed as screeners. The few times I have done a Survey Spot freebie, at the end when they ask was it interesting, etc. in the comment box I always put, "Pay us."

Oh, and, isn't it amazing how you always qualify for the sweeps only surveys, and hardly ever for the paid ones?

So, to repeat, DO NOT TAKE SWEEPS ONLY surveys. Maybe if everyone stopped, they would have to pay.

I just signed up for SURVEYSPOT about 2 weeks ago, my email if FULL of their spam. you get like 5 or 6 a day from them MAYBE 1 of those has a point value to it, the rest are Sweepstake The one that have point values you NEVER QUALIFY. I spend 15 minutes on 1 before the dis-qualified me. That REALLY REALLY makes me mad. OUR TIME IS WORTH SOME REAL COMPENSATION!!!

SAY NO TO SWEEPS!!!!