How many times have you seen on the Internet or in your email that you can take a survey and win huge cash prizes? Hey, you can just quit your real job and just live on your survey winnings! Sounds too good to be true. However not all surveys are scams. Some really do pay you in a variety of ways to help in marketing research. How can you tell the difference? Does it really pay that well?
My first experience with getting paid for taking a survey was when my kids were still under 10 years old or so. We were at the mall, doing some Christmas shopping, when a lady approached us and wanted to know if our kids could take part in a survey. They would each earn $5 apiece. They took the survey and were paid on the spot in cash. Woohoo!
Later I learned about taking surveys on the Internet. I found a web site or two that professed to pay survey takers in cash, prizes and a sweepstakes entry for some really big bucks. After about 2 years of participation in the occasional survey, I finally recieved a gift card for about $20. The main problem that I had was the classic case of putting all my eggs into one basket. I didn't diversify in the companies that I was doing surveys for. The more marketing companies that you sign up for, the more chances that you have to actually be awarded some kind of prize. If you don't win anything from one place, odds are that you will win enough from a lot of different places that it will become more worth your while.
So how many surveys will you need to take to earn some decent money? It depends on getting hooked up with the right ones. Getting signed up with a lot of the right ones. Maybe a hundred or more. You will find that certain surveys have quotas and if you wait too long to respond, you lose out. You will find that you will get into the first few screening questions and you may not meet the demographic needs of the survey. You won't get cash for those, but usually you will be entered into a drawing of some kind. You have about as much chance to win that drawing as you would any other. In other words, chances are that you won't, but you never can tell...
Not all surveys are created equal. Some have forms that are easier than others to fill out. Some have web sites that are a bit cluttered, others are straight to the point. Some profess to be a survey company but all you see when you get the sign up form is just the sign up form and not much else. Don't be fooled by the fact there is a Privacy Policy link or a Terms of Use link. A true market research survey site will have other information about the company, it will tell you what type of surveys they might offer, and tell you certain facts about the company and exactly what they are all about.
Market research companies are not out to sell you any products. They won't sell your email address to spammers. They won't sell your phone number or other personal data to folks to call you or send you junk to your house. They really only use personal data to know where to send you a check or a gift card. Your demographics are only used for statistical purposes. To be placed in as many survey panel groups as possible, you should fill out their forms as completely and truthfully as possible.
On the flip side, there are places who are not as tight with your personal information and you should not bother with them unless you want to open yourself up to spam and telemarketers calling you at all those inconvenient times. How can you tell which sites are not the good, reputable survey sites?
If you are invited to take a survey and the only thing on the page is a form that wants your email address before you can go to any other pages, it might not be a good survey site. If you are told that for taking a short survey you will be given a free, high dollar item like a computer or a refridgerator, it might not be a good survey site. If you are told that for a short survey and buying something from Column A, Column B, and Column C... it might not be a good survey site.
Now, does that make those sites bad? No. Not if you are in the market to do some online shopping for the sponsors that show up on those kinds of sites. Besides, even though market research companies may not sell you anything, they sometimes pay you back in special offers. Coupons, discounts or even free sample products. You may actually find some decent shopping resources. You might find some good deals on things to buy. But that's the key, those sites operate because you buy something from their sponsors, so they can afford to give you that free laptop, or that free HDTV, or whatever they are giving away today. They may also have some loopholes in there Privacy Statement that allows them to share your information with their associates or some such thing as that. What that means is they may not directly sell your personally data, but they can't be held responcible if one of their sponsors does. You may find yourself with a sudden, fresh supply of unsolicited phone calls and emails.
Should you take online surveys? Sure, if tha'ts what you like to do. Can you make big bucks from surveys? You can make money doing it, how much is up to how many surveys you actually complete, and from as many diverse companies that you feel comfortable with. Should I avoid taking any surveys? Not all surveys are for everybody, even the ones that give you free things for buying from sponsors could be worth your while if you are buying things you would purchase anyway. But because that last category of surveys are really commercial sites you should ask yourself is it worth opening yourself up to spam and unwanted sales calls.
I hope the info here helps. Test the survey waters and enjoy.