Product Surveys: An Innovative and Worthwhile Use of Time

All over the world, market research companies, and the businesses that hire them, have a desire to know what people want to purchase. It doesn’t stop there; it’s not only what they’re buying, but why they’re buying it that’s important. Do they prefer chicken meals over beef? Are they partial to a certain packaging versus that of a competitor’s? How do they feel about the price? Would they be more or less likely to buy the product if the price were changed?

The answers to these questions are only a small sampling of what market research companies are seeking. And how will they find the answers? One important method is by turning to the consumers and outright asking them. To this end, many companies currently offer product surveys, online as well as by postal mail and the telephone. These are open to Australians as well as to people in other countries worldwide.

How Are Product Surveys Found?

Some companies’ websites may be found using a standard Internet search. Others have exclusive membership and are available by invitation only. However by far the easiest way to find product surveys is to use websites such as this one, AustraliaPaidSurveys.com, which contains a directory of Australian survey companies.

Most companies send notifications of new surveys to email addresses. To ensure the emails are received, the addresses should be added to a Safe List. The surveys themselves are generally available on either the survey companies’ websites or else that of a company that is affiliating with them. They will typically ask several general questions before determining if the taker qualifies for the topic. This may include a person’s name, age, and the amount of income made within a year. All answers are confidential and kept anonymous.

What Types of Product Surveys Are There?

Many product surveys concern items that have already been released. Companies want to know if people like them and why, and whether they can improve upon them. But there are also many surveys that inquire about products that are only in the planning stages. It’s important to discover whether there would be a demand for the product if it were released, as well as which elements of the product people do and do not like. The results of the surveys may cause certain concepts for the product to be altered or discarded completely.

Still other product surveys may ask how someone uses a particular item or set of items and how often the item is purchased. There are product surveys in all categories, ranging from groceries to electronics. How frequently are DVDs bought for the household? How many times a year are cleaning supplies purchased? The possibilities of what kind of product surveys can be taken are nearly endless.

Why Product Surveys?

There are many benefits to participating in product surveys. Yet for many people, making their voice heard and having an impact on the items that have been and will be made are not large enough incentives. Despite the fact that the majority of surveys last anywhere between fifteen to twenty minutes each, it is often still too great a sacrifice of time and effort unless there is another, more immediate reward.

Such incentives vary by company. Some merely offer sweepstakes entries. Others will allow the purchase of a gift card or certificate once a certain amount of either “points” or money is earned. There are some that will pay cash, generally through PayPal but sometimes by cheque. Some companies include all such rewards as well as others, including magazine subscriptions and frequent flyer miles. Whatever the heart’s desire, it may be found through a survey company’s rewards program. And the rewards quickly add up.

Product surveys are worthwhile in numerous ways. Many throughout the world have seen and embraced their benefits. Australians will not be sorry for joining them.