If you have spent any significant amount of time on the Internet, you have probably been invited to participate in an online survey. You might have overlooked the emails or not paid too much attention to them up to now. But maybe you should.Did you know that there are Internet surfers who are earning hundreds of dollars per month and earning lucrative rewards points through their participation?
These individuals are aggressively signing up for surveys and methodically book marking the sites, while keeping track of their submissions in a very organized way. They find it pays off.
Now, you might be the type of individual who just wants to earn a little extra money. Or perhaps you want to accumulate points that can be redeemed for gifts or money? Either way, there is a level of participation with survey offers that is just right for you.
The biggest issue with survey offers is deciding which offers to participate with. A search for “survey offers” or “mystery shopping” in a major search engine will yield a huge number of results. It is difficult at that point to know which survey offers are the most ethical and offer the most potential based on the level of participation you are interested in.
Key Differences
It is important to differentiate between online survey offers, mystery shopping and secret shopper opportunities, since there are distinct differences.
Survey offers present the opportunity to fill out online surveys based upon feedback you can provide for products and services in which you are familiar with. Frequently these surveys are based upon the profile criteria that you establish with the marketing company at the time of registration.
Mystery or secret shoppers tend to visit business establishments, including movie theaters, restaurants and retail stores, to monitor the level or service based on criteria that you are given. These opportunities can also be very enjoyable since it is possible to visit restaurants for free food, see the latest movies, etc. Here, we will be focusing on the opportunities with online surveys.
How to Start
There are some important criteria to follow when selecting which survey offers you want to participate in.
Start by selecting a few sites that offer cash paid surveys and then read carefully what they are offering. Some sites will provide direct access to the marketing companies who process the surveys.
You will then have to browse the database and apply for the surveys you are interested in. Some sites act as intermediaries; that is, they are the “go between” bridging the actual marketing company or client making the offer, and you, the participant. These sites have agreements with large marketing companies from which they receive the surveys; they then distribute them through their registered users. In this case, you will have to passively wait for surveys to complete.
As mentioned before, keep in mind that not all paid surveys are actually cash paid surveys. Some surveys do not offer cash as a reward for completing them. You might receive a free product or a service; discounts at certain merchants, vouchers or coupons, or free trials.
There are also surveys that allow you to join a contest upon their completion. If you are not interested in these, it is better to make this decision yourself in advance to avoid disappointment later.
How to receive the cash?
Another important criterion to consider is how you will receive the cash and who is paying. If you have joined a mediator type of site, you are usually paid by that site, not the one you are doing the end survey for.
If you have joined a database of companies seeking survey participants, you are likely to be paid by the surveying company. Regardless of the details, you should be aware of the payment. Be sure to double check your contact details carefully. Then, make sure that your personal information to be used as stated in the contact matches what you originally submitted.
Unfortunately, there are fraudulent survey websites that would attempt to get you to participate in cash paid survey, for the sole purpose of receiving your personal financial information. Your personal financial information can later be sold to many other companies and you could end up receiving hundreds of unsolicited mail and SPAM emails.
Cash paid surveys are an extra source of funds and they can help you improve your lifestyle with no hassle, but it is important to do some homework in advance.
Labels: Wikipedia, Cash, Money Tree, Survey, Spam, Emails
