Why do I get paid for sharing my opinion and filling out surveys?
Companies spend billions of dollars each year trying to understand how consumers think, exactly what they want on the market, and what they are willing and not willing to buy. Obtaining this information allows companies to better draft the products and services that they will present to the market in order to maximize the success of their products and services, and thus maximize the companies' profits. Presenting a product or service to the market that consumers will ultimately reject and not support can represent a great financial loss to most companies. It is far wiser to try and obtain feedback from consumers in research, focus groups, and online surveys about what is right and wrong with current and certainly future products, prior to releasing them to the market or changing them in anyway. Because there is so much potential to gain huge profits or to lose a lot of money, companies are often willing to pay focus group and survey Evaluator/Participants well for their time in helping them to assess their particular products and services.

Why am I asked so many personal questions and is my personal information secure?
The personal information you provide to market research companies is used to determine your eligibility for particular research projects (see "What is a qualification or screener survey?" below) and to group the opinions and answers that you provide with other research evaluators. It is also used to pay you and to provide you with any applicable 1099's at the end of the year. Almost all, if not all the research companies on our list have a privacy policy not to sell or otherwise disclose personally identifiable information of any Research Evaluator/Participant to third parties. Marketing research studies collect data for research purposes only. The information you provide is used for research analysis and to analyze all answers in aggregate. Privacy policies are usually listed for each market research company.


What do I have to do as a Market Research Evaluator/Participant?
As a Market Research Evaluator/Participant you are simply responsible for participating in online consumer surveys or in person focus groups wherein you will be asked to provide your honest and detailed opinion on products, services, advertising, etc., often offered by major companies that you will in many cases recognize (although in some cases a focus group or online survey may be conducted concerning a product or service that has yet to be released to the market and with which you are not yet familiar).


Who can be a Research Evaluator/Participant?
Truly a wide variety of people throughout the US are Research Evaluator/Participants. Both men and women, younger and older are regularly needed. In some cases children are even needed for products that relate specifically to children (parents are obviously contacted). Employment seekers, career changers, stay-at-home moms and dads, entrepreneurs looking for an additional income stream, college students, and creative professionals (actors, musicians, etc.) make up the vast community of research Evaluator/Participants. Market research provides a good income opportunity, along with the flexibility and freedom to work whenever and how ever much a person chooses to work.


Am I required to have experience?
No. You are not required to have any specific experience to be a market research Evaluator/Participant. However, you must be able to clearly communicate and articulate your thoughts and feedback concerning a given product or service for focus groups. You must be able to fill out simple surveys online, and you absolutely must be able to follow directions closely.


What is a focus group?
A focus group is a selected set of people used to test and evaluate a product or concept. Focus groups are most commonly 6 to 12 people made up of a statistically proportionate representation of a consumer market, that a company is particularly targeting in order to sell its product or service. On average most focus groups last between 1-2 hours and are held in very comfortable facilities at a market research firm. Occasionally focus groups may actually also be held online.


What are online surveys?
Online surveys are simple questionnaire's of varying length (they can be filled out online from your computer in the comfort of your home if you choose - some are very short, some are longer) produced by marketing research companies to garner your opinion and feedback on a particular product or service currently offered, or soon to be offered by a company. After the surveys have been completed by all of the research Evaluator/Participants a detailed analysis of all of the answers is produced, and the information is summarized in a concise form and provided back to top companies, for use in their decision making efforts and marketing concerning that particular product or service.

How long does it take to complete a survey?
The length of time varies for each project, but most market research companies try to keep them as brief as possible, and as a result they are usually not very time consuming. A screener or qualification survey (please see "What is a qualification or screener survey below) is generally very short and can take as little as 5 minutes to complete. A typical survey usually takes between 5 and 15 minutes to complete, depending on your Internet connection speed and the complexity of the survey.

What is a qualification or screener survey?
When you are invited to participate in a research study, you will typically first complete a project qualification questionnaire - known as a 'screener' -- which helps determine whether or not you fit the exact requirements for that project. If you meet those requirements, you will be able to participate in the project. For example if a particular company was conducting research on a men's shaving cream product or a new lipstick being made available to women, it would be important to include Evaluator/Participants who were male or female, who regularly shave, and/or who have purchased lipstick in the last two months for example, as is applicable to each example mentioned above. A screener would ensure that you meet the particular requirements of the project study first, so that companies can be sure that they are receiving opinions and feedback from their particular product target audience.

What is a mock jury?
A mock jury is a group of people brought together to imitate a jury as a means for lawyers to present case evidence in a simulated setting before actually going to trial. Mock jury research allows lawyers to define areas of strength and weaknesses in their arguments and presentations prior to presenting to a real jury.

Am I paid in cash or prizes?
We have taken the time to do extremely long and extensive research to find the best research and survey companies available throughout the U.S. Though many companies in the U.S. do offer to reward Evaluator/Participants via prizes or contests alone, we have taken the time to research and search out the best companies in the U.S. that offer to pay research Evaluator/Participants in cash as well. As a result all of the companies on our list offer paid cash compensation for participation in focus groups (as is very customary in the industry). Additionally, though some of the companies on the list may offer prizes (including cash prizes) as a method of compensation for completion of online surveys, they all also offer cash compensation for the completion of many of the surveys that they offer each year. In addition to a cash compensation method, some companies also offer prizes and contests for Evaluator/Participants (but again every company on our list does pay cash for some of their online surveys). Also, please be aware that some of the companies on our list compensate in cash for every online survey. When signing in with a company who offers more than one option be sure to only accept participation in those of their offerings that are compensated in cash, if you prefer to only be compensated in cash.

How much will I be paid?
Payment for completing an online survey can range from $2-$60 per online survey. However, the average payment is about $2 -$10 or $5-$20 depending on the length of the survey. Considering that the average survey only takes 5-15 minutes to complete it is a very good use of your earning time. Completing several surveys per week or per month (from home) can provide a nice source of extra income. Additionally, compensation for focus groups typically ranges from $30-$300 per session, depending on length and topic, with an average of about $50-$100. Again, considering that the average focus group lasts about an hour to two, the average earning is about $25-$50 per hour of time.


How and when will I be paid?
As we have compiled an exhaustive list of companies that are currently seeking market research Evaluator/Participants it is likely that you will have opportunities to work with a number of different companies. Each company has their own individual pay schedule and general pay practices. However, in general you will usually be paid on the day of a focus group immediately after the session has ended. In the case of online surveys you are typically paid after the survey project has been completed and all of the Evaluator/Participant answers have been gathered (within a particular time frame). Some companies pay sooner and some pay later. Depending upon the company you may be paid via check, direct deposit or Paypal (see "What is Paypal payment below?"). Additionally, you will be paid as an independent contractor via the companies Accounts payable dept. and not as an employee. Typically, you will receive a 1099 at the end of the year.


What is Paypal Payment?
Paypal is one of the largest most reputable, and respected payment processing companies on the internet.
Paypal is owned by eBay. Paypal allows a company to send you cash via an e-mail message. You can then transfer the payment directly into your bank account. After receiving notification via e-mail that a company has sent you money, if you have any further questions on cashing it out, etc. please contact Paypal directly at www.paypal.com or at 1-402-935-2050 for specific instructions on cashing out received funds.

How Does The Money Back Guarantee Work?
Again, based upon the exhaustive list of hundreds of companies that we have compiled throughout the U.S. that are currently seeking and regularly use market research Evaluator/Participant's, we feel absolutely certain that you will have opportunities available to you. In fact we are so certain of that feeling, that we are willing to offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Nonetheless, in the very unlikely event that you are unable to receive any offers to complete surveys or focus groups by the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period, we will gladly refund your money. (You must attempt to sign in with at least some of the companies on our list - there is no mandate as to how many, and receive no offers in order to receive a refund.) Simply e-mail us at the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period or within 5 days of the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period (there is a 5 day grace period for requests) and request the refund. Requests for refunds however, will be subject to verification to help reduce attempts at abuse of this policy.

What is an affiliate program?
Some of the companies on our list (definitely not all) offer affiliate programs that allow survey or focus group Evaluators to refer additional Evaluator/Participants to them. When and if you do so they will often pay you an additional amount for the referral. However, this is not your primary source of compensation and is simply something extra.


Are market research Evaluator/Evaluator/Participant opportunities available in my area?
As we have compiled an exhaustive list of well over a hundred market research companies throughout the United States, it is quite likely that you will be able to find projects available in your area or a very close surrounding area.


Am I guaranteed Evaluator/Participant opportunities?
Again, based upon the exhaustive list of hundreds of companies that we have compiled throughout the U.S. that are currently seeking and regularly use Market Research Evaluator/Participants, we feel absolutely certain that you will have opportunities available to you. In fact we are so certain of that feeling, that we are willing to offer a 30 day money back guarantee. Nonetheless, in the very unlikely event that you are unable to receive any offers to complete surveys or focus groups by the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period, we will gladly refund your money. (You must attempt to sign in with at least some of the companies on our list - there is no mandate as to how many, and receive no offers in order to receive a refund.) Simply e-mail us at the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period or within 5 days of the conclusion of the 30 day guarantee period (there is a 5 day grace period for requests) and request the refund. Requests for refunds however, will be subject to verification to help reduce attempts at abuse of this policy.

How soon can I expect to begin?
We are aware of several people who received offers to complete projects within 2-5 days of signing up with companies. However, it is realistic to expect to receive assignments within 2-3 weeks of signing up with a number of the companies available to you on the list that we provide. Generally it only takes about 2-3 minutes to apply or sign up with a company. It is usually a very simple process.

Why am I paying the $19.95 fee?
Being a market research Evaluator/Participant in market research focus groups or online surveys is obviously a great opportunity, that many people would enjoy and do enjoy doing, as has been reported even on ABC News. The only problem for most people is figuring out where to go and who to contact to find these opportunities. It can be quite difficult to determine and or find companies that regularly utilize Evaluator/Participants for their market research, in order to have enough opportunity to ensure your success. Additionally, even if you tried you would likely find an abundance of companies who like to reward Evaluator/Participants only in contests and prizes as opposed to cash compensation. We have expended a tremendous amount of time, effort, and research doing the work for you, and sorting through hundreds of companies to compile one of the best and most comprehensive lists of those companies and their contact information for your on line use. There are no further fees, charges, or hidden costs of any kind.

I am in a different country outside of the U.S., can I become a market research Evaluator/Participant as well?
Yes. Some of the companies on our list are international research companies based in the U.S. that do offer online survey opportunities to people outside of the U.S. However, please be advised that focus group opportunities are only for U.S. citizens, and the volume of available online survey opportunities for foreign citizens is much more limited than that of U.S. citizens.


How flexible is scheduling?
One of the great things about being a market research Evaluator/Participant is that you have the option of participating in a project when it is convenient for you. However, once you have committed to completing an online survey or participating in a focus group it is critical that you keep the commitment.


Can I be certain that my payment information will be secure?
We utilize Pay Pal (owned by eBay) one of the safest and most respected payment processing companies on the internet. Please see their statement below concerning data security and encryption:

Data Security and Encryption
The security of your information, transactions, and money is the core of our business and our top priority at PayPal.

PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information in transit from your computer to ours using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available). Before you even register or log in to our site, our server checks that you're using an approved browser - one that uses SSL 3.0 or higher.

Once your information reaches us, it resides on a server that is heavily guarded both physically and electronically. Our servers sit behind an electronic firewall and are not directly connected to the Internet, so your private information is available only to authorized computers.

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