What Is Your Ideal Survey Site Like?

[LapisLee]

I am preparing an article for another website that will eventually be posted here, so if anyone has any additional suggestions other than those mentioned below, please post them here.

• Frequent paid surveys (Daily Survey Panel, GlobalTestMarket, Opinion Outpost, Surveyhead, SurveySpot, Valued Opinions, YourFreeSurveys)
• Fair compensation for amount of time ($1-$10 for 10 to 45 minutes) (ACOP, GlobalTestMarket, HCD, Opinion Outpost, Pinecone, Socratic Forum, SurveySpot, Toluna, Valued Opinions)
• Cash instead of points system (ACOP, Greenfield, Mindfield, Pinecone, Socratic Forum, SurveySpot, Surveyhead, SurveySavvy, Valued Opinions)
• Offers Invoke Interactives for higher incentives ($10-$150 for 45-120 minutes) (ACOP, Greenfield, SurveySpot)
• Offers product testing) (ACOP, Global Opinion Panel/Synovate, Greenfield, MySurvey, Pinecone Research, SurveySpot)
• Low cash out point ($1 to $10) (Daily Survey Panel, Epoll, Greenfield, HCD, Mindfield, Opinion Outpost, Socratic Forum, SurveySpot)
• Pays via PayPal in a timely manner (3-4 days) (Daily Survey Panel, Epoll, Greenfield, Pinecone, Surveyhead, YourFreeSurveys)
• Good customer service by email, phone and snail mail (ACOP, Daily Survey Panel, GlobalTestMarket, Greenfield, Opinion Outpost, SurveySpot, Valued Opinions)
• Well-organized easy-to-navigate website with payment and survey history (GlobalTestMarket, Greenfield, HCD, Mindfield, Socratic Forum, Surveyhead, Valued Opinions)
• Screeners insure that you are qualify for most surveys received (80-90%) (GlobalTestMarket, HCD, Pinecone Research, Socratic Forum, Valued Opinions)
• Forum to air complaints with dedicated customer service representative (Greenfield, YourFreeSurveys)
• No sweepstakes, advertisements, spam or trial offers (GlobalTestMarket, HCD, Opinion Outpost, Socratic Forum, Surveyhead, SurveySavvy, ValuedOpinions)
• Few or no programming errors or survey glitches (GlobalTestMarket, HCD, Opinion Outpost, Socratic Forum, Surveyhead, SurveySpot, Toluna)
• Instant or quick confirmation (DailySurveyPanel, GlobalTestMarket, HCD, Toluna, YourFreeSurveys)
• Surveys that do not ask repetitive questions or bombard you will tables full of very specific traits of a product (HCD, Socratic Forum)
• Surveys that have progress-bars (varies widely)
• Surveys that have Next and Previous buttons so you can go back (varies widely)
• Surveys that have answer-bars instead of small circles for your answers (varies widely)
• Surveys that disqualify you quickly (GlobalTestMarket, Opinion Outpost, SurveySpot)

[Michelle99]

All good ideas.
I would especially like to see screening out done right at the beginning. For me this is the biggest survey turn off. Also customer service that provides an actual service and responds to emails.

[maplaver]

shorter surveys...
im sooo sick of surveys now!!!

[eddieMX07]

An ideal survey site would sent 4 invites per week. No more, No Less. And of course a good length like 10 minutes plus a fair reward like $3.

[LapisLee]

I think there are many factors that make a survey site ideal. I have outlined several things that I look for in a paid survey panel and made references to online survey sites that embody these qualities. I am certain that I have left a few things out, so feel free to add your comments and your favorite survey sites that you feel belong under these 19 categories.

• Frequent paid surveys Daily Survey Panel – GlobalTestMarket – Opinion Outpost - Surveyhead – SurveySpot – Valued Opinions
• Fair compensation for the amount of time spent ($1-$10 for 10 to 45 minutes) American Consumer Opinion – GlobalTestMarket – HCD Research - Opinion Outpost – Pinecone – Socratic Forum – SurveySpot – Toluna – Valued Opinions
• Screeners that insure that you qualify for most of the surveys received (80-90%) GlobalTestMarket – HCD Research – Pinecone Research - Socratic Forum – Valued Opinions
• Cash instead of points system American Consumer Opinion – Greenfield – Mindfield Online – Pinecone - Socratic Forum – SurveySpot – Surveyhead – Survey Savvy – Valued Opinions
• Offers Invoke Interactives for higher incentives ($10-$150 for 45-120 minutes) American Consumer Opinion – Greenfield – SurveySpot
• Offers product testing American Consumer Opinion – Global Opinion Panel/Synovate – Greenfield - MySurvey – Pinecone Research – SurveySpot
• Instant or quick confirmation of incentives Daily Survey Panel – GlobalTestMarket – HCD Research - Socratic Forum – Toluna
• Surveys that disqualify you quickly GlobalTestMarket – Greenfield – Opinion Outpost- SurveySpot
• Low Cash-out Threshold ($1 to $10) Daily Survey Panel – Epoll – Greenfield – HCD Research - Mindfield Online – Opinion Outpost – Socratic Forum – SurveySpot
• Pays via PayPal in a timely manner (3-4 days) Daily Survey Panel – Epoll – Greenfield – Pinecone – Surveyhead
• Good customer service by email, phone and snail mail American Consumer Opinion – Daily Survey Panel – GlobalTestMarket - Greenfield – Opinion Outpost – SurveySpot – Valued Opinions
• Surveys that don’t ask repetitive questions or too many specific product traits HCD Research – Socratic Forum
• Well-organized easy-to-navigate website with payment and survey history GlobalTestMarket – Greenfield – HCD Research Mindfield Online – Socratic Forum – Surveyhead – Valued Opinions
• Forum to air complaints with dedicated customer service representative Greenfield
• No sweepstakes, advertisements, spam or trial offers GlobalTestMarket – HCD Research – Opinion Outpost - Socratic Forum – Surveyhead – Survey Savvy – Valued Opinions
• Few or no survey glitches GlobalTestMarket – HCD Research – Opinion Outpost - Socratic Forum – Surveyhead – SurveySpot – Toluna
• Surveys that have progress-bars (varies widely)
• Surveys that have Next and Previous buttons so you can go back (varies widely)
• Surveys that have answer-bars instead of small circles for your answers (varies widely)

So that is my idea of the perfect ingredients for a great survey panel! Share your thoughts below!

[vwilliams55]

I know I don't like one dollar or 40 min surveys. I don't think it is fair. I like some sort of compensation for over 10 min of my time and I don't qualify. I have taken 20 min surveys and then get disqualifed. They got my info for free.

[LapisLee]

Here is what I feel is fair:

$1 for every ten minutes up to 30 minutes
$5 for any survey over 30 minutes
$10 for any interactive or other survey that lasts 60 minutes
$15 to $35 for interavtive surveys that last 60 to 120 minutes

Surveys for less than a $1, including sweepstakes entries, are unfair and and a waste of my time.

[YogaPrincess]

Frequent surveys.
No surveys which are rewarded with a sweepstakes’ entry only.
Pre-screened so I don’t waste time trying to qualify.
Provides a member’s area where I can obtain my personal survey history.
Customer service that responds within 24 hours.
The site is well-organized with little clutter.
Compensated in cash. Prefer a check but PayPal okay.
Cash out point no higher than $10.