Companies have been carrying out surveys for years so they can analyze and compare the products they sell with the product sold by their rivals. They want to know whether people consider them a provider of top quality products and what brand new products or advancements in existing product they really want.
These companies have been using door-to-door surveys, at random halting individuals in shopping centers and malls, telephone surveys, direct mail surveys, and now online surveys. The companies realize that they will need to offer consumers some forms of incentive so that they will take the time to take part in the survey as well as to give their honest opinions. This is actually the origin of the paid surveys era.
In 2005, there were over 212,000 people employed full time in the market research industry according to the Department of Labor statistics and also the number is steadily raising. That quantity doesn't contain people who make money taking online surveys. Many industries utilize surveys the market for a prospective new product.
Legitimate Survey Sites If there is little or zero interest in the product, they will save a great deal by finding that out just before they spend 1000's on the preliminary research and development.
Since the rivalry for the consumer's hard earned dollar is intense, all businesses wants access to reliable consumer data which is essential to their bottom line. Because of this, businesses are prepared to pay a reasonable sum of money for individuals that fit particular target groups that can provide relevant as well as reliable data.
This particular trend has provided a great opportunity for people who like to earn extra money for taking paid surveys. It is actually an ideal job for housewives, retired folks and anybody that has a small free time and loves to share their views.
5 Methods of Paid surveys
Let us do some paid surveys evaluation. There are actually basically five ways to get paid for taking surveys: focus groups, telephone interviews, mailed paper surveys, in-person interviews and internet based surveys. We will look at each of them individually.
1. Focus Groups - Many companies make use of focus groups to determine how an audience responds to an advertising campaign before it's launched. The material is presented to the group and therefore the group discusses the response to the campaign. Organizations often times have trained personnel watching the reactions of the group and also the company frequently video tapes the session afterwards study as well. Discussion group engagement can pay approximately $75 per hour.
2. Telephone Interviews - Companies use these when they need to get more detailed individual answers than are often available with other methods. These interviews are usually relatively short and just cover one topic. As an example, a particular cell phone application would be the topic of an interview, certainly not the carrier or even the phone in general.
3. Mailed Paper Surveys - In this case the company mails an in depth paper survey to the potential consumer and requests them to fill it out and send it back in a pre-addresses as well as pre-paid envelope. In case it is a very long survey, they'll offer an incentive to complete and return the survey. Unfortunately, these surveys currently have a very low response rate.
4. In-person Interviews - These are generally conducted in stores, shopping centers and malls. For instance, almost anybody has had a free test of some kind food provided to you in a supermarket and then the worker then asks your opinion about the food.
5. Paid Online Surveys - These are online surveys which can be conducted using survey software that is installed on web sites. Like all of the some, companies pay for the online survey being conducted. They are willing to pay the potential consumer because the response rate is really high and the real cost of the online survey is relatively low, it's a bargain for the organization which produces accurate information