I sometimes complete surveys for a well known group and get paid a minimal amount for doing so. Now I've come across this website and am tempted to apply.
Could this just be another money making racket?
Surveyscout
Another one.
Cathy K.
Full Version: Doing surveys.
I would be cautious here.
In the first one, you have to pay an amount up front to 'belong'. That is where they are making their money - from thousands of folk who are hoping to make more than the initiation fee sitting at home doing surveys. Who is to say that you will even hear from them again?
I am always very wary of these kind of things and wonder if they are scams.
In the first one, you have to pay an amount up front to 'belong'. That is where they are making their money - from thousands of folk who are hoping to make more than the initiation fee sitting at home doing surveys. Who is to say that you will even hear from them again?
I am always very wary of these kind of things and wonder if they are scams.
Thanks Karen, I feel the same. I do surveys for two companies, but they are definitely above board. One is connected to Canadian Living while the other is part of a wellknown group.
I think I'll just leave it at that.
Cathy K
I think I'll just leave it at that.
Cathy K
Cathy,
A good way to get involved with survey's and customer experiences is to approach market research companies and large companies directly.
Large retail focussed companies, including mobile/cellular operators, tv channels would have a group or groups of people whom they would use as a bench mark for generic surveys etc. to test potential reaction to new products, marketing ideas etc. For a cellular operator that person would for example provide user experience on a mobile phone that they are looking at launching, test new services etc. The same applies to a number of other products and services. If a company has a product research division, then there is a distinct possibility that they might have such a research group, or can refer you to whomever they outsourced that. What is important is the fact that you represent a specific profile within the general population, and that your opinion measured for some other similarly profiled people would represent the expected market reaction within that profile definition.
None of these pay very well, but sometimes there are quite a bit of "fringe" benefits around such.
A good way to get involved with survey's and customer experiences is to approach market research companies and large companies directly.
Large retail focussed companies, including mobile/cellular operators, tv channels would have a group or groups of people whom they would use as a bench mark for generic surveys etc. to test potential reaction to new products, marketing ideas etc. For a cellular operator that person would for example provide user experience on a mobile phone that they are looking at launching, test new services etc. The same applies to a number of other products and services. If a company has a product research division, then there is a distinct possibility that they might have such a research group, or can refer you to whomever they outsourced that. What is important is the fact that you represent a specific profile within the general population, and that your opinion measured for some other similarly profiled people would represent the expected market reaction within that profile definition.
None of these pay very well, but sometimes there are quite a bit of "fringe" benefits around such.
Cathy
All I will say is ask yourself the old adage which is " If it sounds to good to be true then it probably is"
I realise that what I am going to say in my experience is country specific to Australia. However, I worked as a an appointment setter to get people to attend Focus groups and I never once asked the person for some money up front if fact I was begging them to go to the Focus group to receive a "gratiuity" we were not to say the almightly dollar which it was, also the research was for big banks, insurance cos car manufacturers etc etc .
All I will say is ask yourself the old adage which is " If it sounds to good to be true then it probably is"
I realise that what I am going to say in my experience is country specific to Australia. However, I worked as a an appointment setter to get people to attend Focus groups and I never once asked the person for some money up front if fact I was begging them to go to the Focus group to receive a "gratiuity" we were not to say the almightly dollar which it was, also the research was for big banks, insurance cos car manufacturers etc etc .
QUOTE
but they are definitely above board. One is connected to Canadian Living while the other is part of a wellknown group.
Just to be sure that they are bonafide and above board you could check with Canadian living as well and see are they a bonafide accredited market research organisation also surely there must be a Canadian Market Research Authority .. Just as an idea it may behove you well to contact them as a prospective Focus group attendee and see if they can put you intouch with more MR's that do Focus groups.. you never know
Cathy,
It is a scam. A legitimate company conducting a survey will take a Simple Random Sample. A good survey depends on that 100%. A fast way to explain the working of a Simple Random Sample is to draw numbers from a hat. This is one of the first things you are taught in first year statistics.
What THEY are doing, is asking the numbers in the hat to respond to THEM. Sampling does not work that way. If you then supply them with info it is not relevant to the proportion of that surveys population, but only to that proportion of people knowing about the website. Which is far from random and closer to a bias sample! They should be shut down. Companies that make use of the info they gather (in such a way) can not make accurate inference about the population. That is why respondents are paid when COMPANIES approach THEM (note: not the other way around). It is to ensure that those units that have been contacted to respond via a questionnaire, are actually responding (to keep non-response low). That means that those units whom have responded is as close to a representative sample of the population as possible, and inference about the population can be made with confidence (Not based on inaccurate data). It is unethical to work the way they do.
Normally one should only for ethical reasons stay away from these guys. Say you do respond... and get paid... how do I as a researcher know (I have not seen you) that the info about your age and gender is true? How do I really know that you are not using say your grandchild to complete the survey (for a second time) for whatever reason? (And people really do that). Then there is the question about security for both sides (whom can be trusted and whom not...?). Hackers, misuse of private info, more and more... the list just goes on!
Stay away! There are more unethical connections to these "Internet" surveys than there are ethical ones.
Even when we do a survey here on SACanada, the data will only be relevant to SACanada. And the relevance for statistical purposes and inference, unfortunately can not be depend upon, as the people whom respond have chosen to respond themselves, based on their interest to the relevant question/topic. Not based on a drawn Simple Random Sample, which ensures representation of a population. SACanada's survey is useful for interest purposes.
I'm a bit worried that it sounds contradicting... so if it does, please let me know. I will try and explain again. Hope this was useful to you. Kind people should not be mislead in such a way. I am sorry. It's just WRONG!
It is a scam. A legitimate company conducting a survey will take a Simple Random Sample. A good survey depends on that 100%. A fast way to explain the working of a Simple Random Sample is to draw numbers from a hat. This is one of the first things you are taught in first year statistics.
What THEY are doing, is asking the numbers in the hat to respond to THEM. Sampling does not work that way. If you then supply them with info it is not relevant to the proportion of that surveys population, but only to that proportion of people knowing about the website. Which is far from random and closer to a bias sample! They should be shut down. Companies that make use of the info they gather (in such a way) can not make accurate inference about the population. That is why respondents are paid when COMPANIES approach THEM (note: not the other way around). It is to ensure that those units that have been contacted to respond via a questionnaire, are actually responding (to keep non-response low). That means that those units whom have responded is as close to a representative sample of the population as possible, and inference about the population can be made with confidence (Not based on inaccurate data). It is unethical to work the way they do.
Normally one should only for ethical reasons stay away from these guys. Say you do respond... and get paid... how do I as a researcher know (I have not seen you) that the info about your age and gender is true? How do I really know that you are not using say your grandchild to complete the survey (for a second time) for whatever reason? (And people really do that). Then there is the question about security for both sides (whom can be trusted and whom not...?). Hackers, misuse of private info, more and more... the list just goes on!
Stay away! There are more unethical connections to these "Internet" surveys than there are ethical ones.
Even when we do a survey here on SACanada, the data will only be relevant to SACanada. And the relevance for statistical purposes and inference, unfortunately can not be depend upon, as the people whom respond have chosen to respond themselves, based on their interest to the relevant question/topic. Not based on a drawn Simple Random Sample, which ensures representation of a population. SACanada's survey is useful for interest purposes.
I'm a bit worried that it sounds contradicting... so if it does, please let me know. I will try and explain again. Hope this was useful to you. Kind people should not be mislead in such a way. I am sorry. It's just WRONG!
Actually quite a few market research companies in North America invite people to join their opinion "panels." And they are definitely above board. These panels represent people from all over the spectrum. I'm sure Markinor in South Africa does the same.
One can either be paid for doing the surveys, or receive discounts, coupons, special perks, etc.
Canadian Living is Canada's answer to a combination of Fair Lady and Your Family, and a very popular magazine. They can't afford to operate a scam company, so I know theirs is above board as well.
One just have to choose between the scammers and th real thing.
The first website I posted is suspect, the second one gives some good advice. One should search the media for companies of which statistics and opinion polls are often quoted. Newspapers, television channels, etc are a good start.
Cathy K
One can either be paid for doing the surveys, or receive discounts, coupons, special perks, etc.
Canadian Living is Canada's answer to a combination of Fair Lady and Your Family, and a very popular magazine. They can't afford to operate a scam company, so I know theirs is above board as well.
One just have to choose between the scammers and th real thing.
The first website I posted is suspect, the second one gives some good advice. One should search the media for companies of which statistics and opinion polls are often quoted. Newspapers, television channels, etc are a good start.Cathy K
Cathy is right. There are totally legit research companies out there, too.
I used to do some work for company here in Toronto called Research Professionals and they were totally above board. Never had any problems with them and would gladly take their surveys - conducted in their offices midtown - again, should they call on me.
You just have to be careful about knowing who you can trust and check out the company very carefully. I tend to steer away from internet based surveys, though.
I used to do some work for company here in Toronto called Research Professionals and they were totally above board. Never had any problems with them and would gladly take their surveys - conducted in their offices midtown - again, should they call on me.
You just have to be careful about knowing who you can trust and check out the company very carefully. I tend to steer away from internet based surveys, though.
Yes, you guys are right. Polls are widely used, and can be above board. But their sampling technique used can be dodgy. If you go and read here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_poll
you will find they say the same:
The most important to remember is that a company (eg. clothing co.) using an opinion poll on their customer base, can not go wrong, as that is the right thing to do. Find out what your customer wants and how to keep them. Which will only be relevant for them (eg difference in market base between Edgars and Foschini's will explain why) and will only be relevant to the type of questions being asked and lots of other interesting things (which I will not mention as it really gets so involved once starting to talk about it). I am sure they have used the correct research practices and will be using that for a long time to come.
On the other hand...
That is different to an Internet survey company conducting research on behalf of other companies (eg, Telkom, Lux, Checkers, Local Municipality or even themselves) claiming their methods was based on true research practices. The reason is it's just not representative of the population. SA is a very good example of why. Most people have not got Internet access. Wikipedia explains it nicer. Sorry for the confusion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_poll
you will find they say the same:
QUOTE
In recent years, Internet and short message service (SMS, or text) surveys have become increasingly popular, but most of these draw on whomever wishes to participate rather than a scientific sample of the population, and are therefore not generally considered accurate.
and to understand it better go and read Sampling Error and Non-response Bias.The most important to remember is that a company (eg. clothing co.) using an opinion poll on their customer base, can not go wrong, as that is the right thing to do. Find out what your customer wants and how to keep them. Which will only be relevant for them (eg difference in market base between Edgars and Foschini's will explain why) and will only be relevant to the type of questions being asked and lots of other interesting things (which I will not mention as it really gets so involved once starting to talk about it). I am sure they have used the correct research practices and will be using that for a long time to come.
On the other hand...
That is different to an Internet survey company conducting research on behalf of other companies (eg, Telkom, Lux, Checkers, Local Municipality or even themselves) claiming their methods was based on true research practices. The reason is it's just not representative of the population. SA is a very good example of why. Most people have not got Internet access. Wikipedia explains it nicer. Sorry for the confusion.
I think the general thing to watch out for over here is "money up front" schemes. More often than not it is the dead "giveaway" that sometihng is not OK.
I get the impression that many of these companies do Market Research, rather than true surveys. That would explain why the sampling is not random. After all, it's not much use asking 20-year olds their opinion on the latest denture adhesive!
Charlene
Charlene
QUOTE (Die Kotzé's @ Jul 19 2007, 11:38 AM) 
These panels represent people from all over the spectrum. I'm sure Markinor in South Africa does the same.
As big as it is in SA, they are one of the worst in terms of statistical validity.
QUOTE (Dedré @ Jul 20 2007, 12:38 AM)
Yes, you guys are right. Polls are widely used, and can be above board. But their sampling technique used can be dodgy.
Can be? - very often is - totally agree with you
QUOTE (ckotze @ Jul 20 2007, 12:55 PM)
I get the impression that many of these companies do Market Research, rather than true surveys.
Quite right - however proper market research calls for proper statistical techniques - thus I would not call it Market Research but rather a uncontrolled, non-random surveys, pretty much as worthless as the paper written on. What is the purpose of any such research is you have absolutely no measure as to the validity thereof.
The above may well be valid for a pilot study - but often not designed for the formal study
In some cases the choices is limited, e.g. mobile operator phone testings. - that is normally done through a pre-selected panel, whose profiles represents the distribution of their subscriber population. When done as a properly controlled (i.e. with a control group) experiment that could be equally valid. Having said all, one does get the odd case where the possibility of a proper statistically valid research is not possible - then one has to make to with the best possible closest option(s).
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