Are Online Paid Surveys A Scam?
It’s true that there are a hundreds of survey sites online and not all of them are reputable, but once you are able to identify the legitimate market research companies from scam sites, who will have started on a path to earning a regular income from an enjoyable pursuit.
Paid surveys are not a scam in themselves. Surveys are own of the earliest and most used type of market research mechanism and are a critical part of the marketing process that all major businesses undertake to develop their business.
The scam arises from unscrupulous companies who convince consumers to part with their cash to sign-up to their website service which enables consumers to get access to a list of survey providers and first refusal on lucrative surveys. However in many cases, the information provided is no different than that provided on information sites such as GetPaid4Surveys.
It has also been known that some scammers create false survey sites in order to collect consumers email details in order to sell the information on without your consent. Luckily this is extremely rare as it is difficult for scammers to gain a presence in the search engine results however you should always be wary of emails from unknown companies who try to get you to sign up to their surveys. Always check any website you visit carefully and use the advice given in our survey FAQs to aid you in your search for legitimate market research companies.
Some critics argue that paid surveys are a waste of time. However it cannot be argued that online surveys as an industry continues to experience extraordinary growth as people realise how they can make money from time that would otherwise be wasted. There are a wealth of experienced online surveyors who continue to use online market research as a means for generating a healthy income stream.
Taking online paid surveys is not for the old-fashioned, the conservative, or those afraid to take a risk. You need to retain a sense of open-mindedness, flexibility and determination to get the most out of it. Once you get started and the first time you get paid, you will feel more confident about the process and start to sign up to more and more surveys and other online marketing activities. You never know, it may open up all kinds of different avenues such as mystery shopping, professional blogging, freelance writing, you may even decide to set-up your own market research company or survey website! Many people starting with the odd paid survey and have developed their own computer skills enough to develop their own online business.
Maximising your ability to earn money is made possible by joining as many online survey panels as possible. Each company will usually only send out a dozen or so surveys each month and therefore if you want to be able to make the most amount of money, you’ll have to join as many panels as possible to make sure you receive as many survey requests as possible.
Most market research companies also provide online or offline focus groups. Focus groups are research forums consisting of a group of people sat in an online meeting room and having a discussion about a particular product or service under the watchful eye of a research moderator; focus groups tend to provide a higher reward than surveys and can be a lot of fun.
Another service provided by market research companies is product testing, this is where you will be sent a free product and asked to test it then post your opinion on the site. Again with product testing the rewards can be high and you get to test some great products.
Take at face value any guarantees of legitimacy such as testimonials and photos of cheques. These do not give you any guarantee as to the legitimacy. Spend some time looking for the small print. Legitimate companies will be open about their use of your data in their privacy policy and their terms should spell. They should also provide clear contact information. You should also quickly google the company to see if there are several negative comments about their service.
Always look for survey providers from information sites such as GetPaid4Surveys. Registration is free and these sites are impartial when it comes to the information they provide. However, remember to read through each sites carefully and always check the terms and conditions or small print where applicable.
