Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are surveys?
A: Surveys are simply lists of questions designed to give customer information to companies about their products and services. They can be done online, by mail, or over the phone, though this site specializes in online surveys. The answers from all the surveys are then analyzed and compiled by the market research company, and the results presented to the client.
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Q: Do companies really pay people to take surveys?
A: Absolutely! Online market research is a hot new way for companies to gauge the impact of their products or services, and they're constantly looking for more people to help them by providing more information. Many people do these services as part-time work, and some even do it for a living, full-time. The only restriction is that you must be at least eighteen years of age.
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Q: Can I do this anywhere? I do not live in the US.
A: It depends on the market research being performed. However, the vast majority of surveys are fairly non-specific, so just about anyone, anywhere can participate.
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Q: Are there any special computer, hardware or software requirements?
A: If you're reading this page, chances are that you already meet any technical requirements. All you need is a web browser and Internet access.
Q: Do I get paid per survey? How much?
A: Each survey varies in compensation, depending on both length and company. In general, you can look to earn between $10 and $50 per survey. Payment is usually made in cash, but companies may occasionally offer merchandise, redeemable cash, or entries into large cash prize sweepstakes.
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Q: How will I be paid and how often?
A: It depends on the companies you register with. Most companies are willing to pay via PayPal, eGold, or checks by postal mail. Usually, your payments will be sent twice monthly, though some will only send one per month.
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Q: What about income taxes?
A: You remain responsible for tax management. Taxes aren't deducted from the survey paycheck - so the pay amount, per survey, is the final amount paid to you. You don't need to fill out a w-9 or any other forms.
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Q: How long are the surveys? How long are focus groups? How much time will it take me?
A: Surveys typically take ten to fifteen minutes apiece, though it depends on your speed. Focus groups, on the other hand, can go anywhere from half an hour long to five times that. Generally, though, the pay increases depending on how long the company needs you.
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Q: How soon after I sign-up can I get started and make some money?
A: It depends on how many companies you register with. You can immediately begin registering with companies the moment you sign up, of course, but most companies only send one or two surveys a month. So, if you sign up with ten programs, and they only send one survey a month, it's going to take a while before you can see some money.
Even so, it's important to register with lots of companies. If you're lucky, your profile will match with what many companies need, and you'll receive lots of surveys very quickly. If, however, this is not the case, it becomes even more important to register with as many as possible, in order to find the few companies that are looking for you.
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Q: I've heard you shouldn't have to pay to get paid. Can you explain?
A: It's true that you should never pay a company for the privilege of doing work in the hopes of getting paid. What this site does is simply charge a finder's fee to provide a list of companies that you would be able to contact.
In other words, we are not the company that is performing surveys, and we are not the ones who will pay you later on.
What we are doing for you is simply providing you with a database of survey opportunities, our experience and our tips. The one-time fee is required because we spend an enormous amount of time finding, researching, and otherwise verifying the companies on our list, developing the members' section, and then making it available to you at a low cost.
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Q: Does the membership recur? Is that a monthly fee? Are there any other fees?
A: We only charge a one-time fee of $39.95.
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Q: Why is there a fee?
A: Basically, the fee is required because we have spent an enormous amount of time finding, researching, and evaluating all the companies we have in our database, developing the members' section, and making it available. Our service is presented as a convenience, in order to save you hours or even days of work.
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Q: How many surveys can a Member participate in daily?
A: That depends on how many companies you've registered with. As long as you're still receiving surveys, you can keep doing surveys. In other words, it's completely up to you.
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Q: How much money can I make?
A: Most people who devote a fair amount of time to this work can easily earn a few hundred dollars every month. Again, it depends on how actively you participate - you get what you put into this. The opportunities exist, and all you have to do is take them.
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Q: What does qualify mean?
A: Each survey is targeted to a different profile. For example, market research companies doing a survey on the spending habits of women would likely not solicit the opinion of men. Some surveys, of course, are very general, but others can be quite specific, and it depends on the needs of each company.
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Q: Is it safe to use my credit card online?
A: Every order is processed by our secure servers. All submitted data is encrypted using SSL, so your information is kept safe and secure.
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Q: How safe is my personal information?
A: The personal information you provided us with is kept safe in our secure databases. We have no control over the security of the market research companies you'll register with, and we can only suggest that you carefully check each company's privacy policy before committing. It's worth bearing in mind, though, that they rely on you as extremely valuable resources, and thus would likely wish to protect your privacy as a matter of course.
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Q: How many pay in cash vs. free products, points, or sweepstakes?
A: Right now, a bit more than a quarter of the companies in our database pay exclusively in cash. Others pay in gift certificates to Amazon or other retailers, which is almost as good as cash anyhow, especially since many of them give you the option to redeem your points for the retailer of your choice.
Another large percentage of the remainder compensate survey takers by "Cash & Prizes", which mean that their compensation varies depending on the research they are performing, and for whom. Some companies cannot afford to lay out the initial expense of paying out solid cash for hundreds of surveys, in addition to whatever premium the market research company charges, and therefore simply offer a variety of products that they can acquire at cost.
In order to maximize your personal profits in whatever domain you choose, whether it be cash or merchandise, it is highly recommended that you apply for as many companies as possible, for the sole reason that you just can't know what companies will offer. If you only register with cash-only companies, you run the risk of missing out on some great products, in addition to the possibility of them offering cash prizes.
In a small number of cases, the companies will only pay in redeemable points, which are then exchanged for products, vouchers, or cash. In these cases, it's essentially the same work, except that the payoff is put off a little longer.
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Q: Can I participate in the same surveys as others? Can two people take the same survey?
A: Yes, of course. Most surveys are only useful with statistically significant amounts of data - which means that you'll likely be sharing the same survey with hundreds of people. If, however, you're asking whether or not you can take the survey with a friend, it's possible, but not very likely. If your friend has the exact same profile as you do, the likelihood increases, but it's still entirely up to the company. It's also in their interests to select people at random. So... keep your hopes up!
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Q: "I've no credit card!"
A: For your convenience, we typically prefer to work with credit cards, as it reduces turn-around rates and clearing times. However, if you live in the US or in Canada, you can also pay by online check. If you can't pay by credit card or online check, you should contact us with a full description of your difficulty.
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