Major market research firms want to pay you for your contributions or they wouldn’t be in business. The misconception that they are a scam comes from bad sites and scammers posing as paid survey research companies to get information and money from unsuspecting people.
It is easy to avoid this. How?… With a simple investigation within the bio of the company.
Most investigative firms are accredited by companies such as TRUSTe, Survey Police, Better Business Bureau, and many other certifications. These trusted online sources provide peace of mind for people who may be afraid of divulging personal information.
One important key to keep in mind is that you will be asked to pay to join. All legitimate paid surveys on the internet don’t ask for a dime to join and sometimes even pay you $5 to $10 or even more to sign up. If they ask you for money, it is most likely a scam. I say most likely because there are some legitimate products out there that can help you take surveys faster, learn how to make money from home doing surveys, etc.
Businesses need you to provide your honest opinions. Your statistics are vital to influence the products of the future.
You may be asked to comment on an upcoming commercial or TV show. Your honest feedback will contribute to a national study to identify what works and what doesn’t so they can deliver a much better product before it hits the market.
You may be asked for your name and email and that’s it. Most companies have this as a requirement for people to start making money from them. Sometimes you may be asked for your phone number to download an application, address to receive trial products or software to download to your computer or mobile phone.
The good thing is that you pay out fairly quickly, usually within 24 hours of hitting a payout threshold. In rare cases you will have to wait a week or more.
Survey companies abound these days. Many have been around for quite some time. Already in the 1970s, as in the case of American Consumer Opinion. With the birth of the Internet in the 1990s, they have allowed marketing research firms to expand globally and develop from a telephone and mail outreach service. Now they send them directly to your email account or via text message on your phone. I constantly receive work on my email and phone every day.
What you want to do with online paid surveys is entirely up to you. If you like taking them for free like I do, then you probably sign up for as many legitimate programs as you can. From there, you can develop a work ethic that fits your time and schedule. You’ll soon be reaching exclusive surveys and panels from market research firms that have developed a long-term relationship with you and have gotten to know your profile.