Updated: February 24, 2015
It is important for businesses to learn about their customers that’s why most of them, specially big companies, spend a significant amount not only in advertising but also in market research.
This process involves buying research reports, looking at market trends, evaluating purchasing patterns, getting customer feedback and conducting focus group discussions. All these analysis and data gathering are often outsourced and done by a market research company.
Aside from earning money through mystery shopping, I have also been able to get paid by participating in market research and customer satisfaction surveys.
It’s actually fun and easy and requires you to only be honest and generous with your opinions about the company’s products and services. Some of my personal experiences on this income opportunity are narrated below:
Market Research for a Jeans Manufacturer
An international clothing company is coming up with new cuts for their famous jeans. They wanted to solicit initial customer reactions before they fully launch their product. They hired a market research company to recruit a sample population of their target market to try on their new designs and at the same time learn more about their consumers.
Personally, I was asked by a surveyor on my clothing habits, buying patterns, choice of apparel brands and my reasons for these preferences. Lastly, I was tasked to wear their new designs and give them my opinion regarding the fit, comfort and other criteria. This experience lasted for almost four hours, a bit exhausting but otherwise fun.
Market Research for a Television Network
A local television network wants to improve their viewer ratings and at the same time learn more about the watching habits of their target market. During that day, all respondents were not informed who the client was to avoid any bias on our opinions. We were divided into groups of ten people and was given a coordinator who conducted a focus group discussion.
We talked about television programs, the shows that we like watching, the viewing habits of our household and we even gave our opinion on various television commercials. It was a pretty laid back discourse which lasted a couple of hours.
Market Research for a Pharmaceutical Company
An international pharmaceutical company wants to improve their multivitamin brand. They recruited a sample of their target market and conducted a one-on-one interview regarding their respondent’s physical lifestyle, fitness routines and eating habits. My session lasted a little over an hour which is pretty short in my opinion.
Nevertheless, the questions given to me were a bit hard to answer because I had to discuss and evaluate my attitude towards work, nutrition and mental wellness. This survey was memorable for me because it helped me learn more about myself and how I ignore some important aspects of my health.
So do you think you can do this type of freelance work? If you’d like to participate in these type of market research endeavors, your first task is to find a legitimate recruiter where you can get your assignments. These people can be found by calling up your local advertising firms and market research companies. Contact them and try to get hold of the person in charge of population sampling and surveys.
Sometimes, these companies outsource their respondents through a recruitment agency so you might be given their contact details. Furthermore, always remember that participating in these market research endeavors will NOT COST YOU anything. You don’t have to pay a joining fee. If you’re being asked for one, chances are that it’s a scam.
Regarding compensation, from my personal experience, the payment that you get by participating in these surveys are generally good – usually more than enough to convince you to file a leave of absence from work although there are also market research events that are conducted during weekends.
Furthermore, quite a few of these surveys give out company gift certificates and product samples. Lastly, one of the reasons why I enjoy doing these is because I get to invite my friends to join me and assuming all of us pass the survey requirements, then all of us gets to participate.
To my fellow Pinoys, below is a list of local market research websites that you might find helpful:
Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines (MORES).
Website at: http://www.mores.com.ph/
McCann Worldgroup Philippines.
Website at: http://www.mccannmanila.com/
Good Thinking, Inc.
Website at: http://www.goodthinking.com.ph/
Wait there’s more!
You can likewise get paid by participating on online surveys like PanelPlace.
Moreover, you can search the internet and read make money online blogs to learn about legitimate websites that pay for you to answer surveys.
Currently, I no longer participate in online surveys as I have already become too busy with other projects. And if there’s one piece of advise I can give you if you want to do this – it’s NEVER to pay to become a member, and NEVER pay to become a premium member just to earn more. Be safe online and avoid scams.
For more genuine income opportunities, subscribe to Ready To Be Rich
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Photo courtesy of mygigi
I wonder if they’re looking for uber uber talented guy err gurl to work for them! hehehe!!!
@reyna
What do you mean “they” – those market research companies I mentioned? I don’t know, maybe you can ask via email. I have no HR contacts in those companies, most of the people I know are survey recruiters for them.
On a related note, I just came from another focus group discussion for a mouthwash. Compensation was not that high but I went home with a lot of freebies. 😀
Even I have also seen the customers who are get paid by participating in market research and customer satisfaction survey. From my personal experience, the payment that you get by participating in this Customer Survey is generally good.
[…] Furthermore, if you would like to participate in social surveys and earn some extra income, then read my previous article on how to Get Paid For Market Research and Customer Survey. […]
this site is very interesting, i had been in search for an additional income to augment my finances. these income oppurtunities excites me a lot as i am a field person, very observant and analytical by nature.
will really appreciate if you can assist me to take my first step
🙂
Hi Mae,
You can start by calling up some market research companies and tell them you want to be included in their database of respondents. I’ve also saved your email and I’ll send you an invitation if ever I get an opportunity.
I’m glad I could help. Feel free to browse around and hope you can find other income opportunities that you can do. Thanks!
hi! I happen to click on your website while searching for ways to earn online thru surveys. I found everything you’ve written very interesting. I’d like to try joining focus group discussions and earn at the same time. As this will be my first time in this endevour, can you possibly refer me to your survey recruiter? Many thanks for the help. God bless!!!
Hi dialy. Sure I will refer you to my survey recruiter. Can you please email me your age, gender, area of residence and field of work? Thanks!
Great site!!! I will definitely visit this site often. Lots of interesting info. Thumbs up to you Fitz!
Anyway, I’m also interested to be a participant/respondent on market research & customer survey. Can you also refer me to your survey recruiter? Thanks.
Hi Fitz, many thanks for your reply. I have already emailed the infos you need. Hope to hear from you again soon. More power !!!
Hi I am also interested to be a participant of market researches. Please refer me to your recruiter. Thanks 😀
Hi Mel. Please send me your info through email and I’ll refer you to my survey recruiter. I’ve highlighted the information you need to send in my previous reply. Thanks.
wow, finally i found a site that i can really use. please include me in your list for the survey recruiter.
Sure TWC. 🙂
hi Fitz,
your post is very interesting. i’ve been wanting to be a msytery shopper too and i can answer online surveys as well. can you refer me to one of your survey recruiters?
im 25, Female, i live in Pasay (boundary of Makati and Manila), my field of work is Customer Service.
thanks!
Great site!!! I will definitely visit this site often. Lots of interesting info. Thumbs up to you Fitz!
hello fitz,
about earning by answering online surveys, how are you able to recevie the payment? do you use paypal etc? i’ve been wanting to participate in such activities but i do not know what payment method is the best and most trust worthy.
Yes Anna, Paypal is the most reliable, and that is how I get paid. Good luck! 😀
Hi Fitz,
I’m a mom who chose to stay home to take care of the kids. I’m also interested to participate on surveys, hope you could invite me too. I added you to my blog list. Love your site.
Hello, i am a pmt member and happened to chance at the mystery shopper topic. went to your site and found it interesting. Am a stay at home mom and am most interested to earn without being away from home so much. My question is, are the pay in cash or like the online paypal thing for mystery shopper or the focus groups? I like to give opinions and thought it would be fun to join your group. Hoping to hear from you.
Hi gloria. All offline opportunities such as mystery shopping and focus group discussions pay in cash, while all online opportunities such as dNeero and AW Surveys pay through Paypal.
Hi fitz,
wow, im lucky to come across your page. if i may ask, how much can one get from participating in market research/ focus groups? kindly provide the minimum and maximum range of what you actually got, well if it’s ok. you may also reply thru my email. thanks a lot 🙂
Hi, I added you to my bloglist as i am sure I will come back for more 🙂
I am also interested in joining market research and customer survey so please count me in!
Thanks!
Hi! I’ve been reading your site for some time now as I’m learning about finances. I want to be a mystery shopper and part of the focus group discussion. I am 31, female, living in manila and working in a government office. Please include me in your list. Thanks and more power!
hope to be added to the list of people who likes to give out opinions and receive freebies much more cash from opinions given. am in malabon area, non practicing physician
I just received a check from Polytop corporation marketing research for $35000. This is mystery shopping market research customer service survye, training & consulting, I am wondering if this check is real? I searched the internet, but could not find any info on this company. Per Polytop’s instructions I am to deposit this check into my checking or savings account, and then call a coordinator for my shopping assignment.
I would like to do a market research job but don’t know where to start as many are scams,asking for payments instead of assisting me in making some.
Do add me to your mailing list and recommend some that are reliable.
Thanks
Hi Fitz, I would appreciate if you include me in your list too. I am very much interested in becoming a mystery shopper. 33yrs old,female,cubao,recent housewife. Hope to hear from you.
Please include me as well. Thanks a lot. God bless.
I am a mother with a 5-yr old princess. Please let me know if I can help you with your research through answering surveys.
Thank you
hi fitz,
i’m sorry to say this, but a lot of my friends have at one point joined awsurveys, and all of them claim that it is a scam. even a simple search on the web will provide many claims that the website is a scam and doesn’t pay many of its members…. i also belong to a forum, and my forum friends have discouraged me from joining te awsurveys.
have you been paid by that company? i would really love to know.
thanks!
Hi stef, it’s true that a lot of people have not been paid by AW Surveys. I guess I’m one of the very lucky few who did.
I think the secret to it is really on the referrals and making sure that they sign up through a different IP address. Which means telling your officemates to sign up under you may not work well because you’re in the same IP. Just my opinion.
Anyway, here’s a recent article I’ve found from another Filipino who got paid by AW Surveys. He provides some pretty good advice on what to do and not to do so you’ll get paid.
Here’s the link:
http://www.workfromhomephilippines.com/2009/02/23/awsurveys-scam-or-legitimate-the-answer/
I hope I was able to help and thank you for pointing this issue out.
hi Fitz, I’ve read some of your articles on your site and your Life Story, and I felt that we have the same goal in life. I’m also interested earning extra and eventually reaching financial freedom. I started joining/created blog sites, online surveys, and paid to click sites. I got curious about these survey respondents(mystery shoppers) thingy. So, I would really like to know if calling the marketing research firms would get me listed as one of their respondents. Do you happen to know any other market research firms aside from the one you’ve mentioned in your other articles? Thanks a lot! I would really appreciate if you could refer me to one of your recruiters! Thanks! Hope to hear soon!
Hi jeff,
I have written a separate post about mystery shopping here. You can contact the companies I wrote there. In any case, I’ll also refer you to my recruiters. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Hi I am interested to apply. I have tried working as a researcher for a skin care company. Its fun doing this job and I am hoping to widen my options. I have the time in the world and I want to work for companies that you have mentioned. I will appreciate it if you can refer me. I am hardworking and very much willing to work asap
Hi Fitz! I’m interested in the mystery shopper thing. Pls refer me to your recruiters. I was part of Synnovate as a recruiter and I would like to broaden my sideline 🙂 Hope you can help me. Thanks.
Hi Karen,
Please refer to my post about Mystery Shopping and it will give you the contact details of my recruiters, which is Shop N Check. Thanks.
Hi for those interested being a respondent I can help you out. Just email me ur name, age, contact number and current job @ [email protected]. thanks!
hi
i am really interested to be part in get to paid job.i was searching for legitimate site for months and im so glad to have read your blog.
can you refer me to your contacts?i am 29yo,a stay at home mom(i have alot of free time)living in valenzuela.tia
btw, great and very helpful article.continue to inspired other….
hello! My name is Gem, from Alabang and I’m really interested in this market research job that you are offering. If possible, pls email me the details and information on the said job. thank you.
Hi Fitz, can you also refer me to your survey recruiter? I had an experience with market research when I was a teen way back. I would really appreciate it if you can refer me. Thanks! Take care.
Hello there Fitz, I’ve been searching the net for a legit Pay To Click site/ Survey Sites but i couldn’t find any… most of them are scams and some will even charge you on your credit card. Maybe you can direct me to the right path… drop me a mail or two… thanks! ([email protected]) Guys, Add me up, maybe we could share ideas also… thanks! Cheers…
Good day! I am really interested in joining FGD since i love to shop and make reviews. Can you please refer me to your agent? thanks a lot!
Hi fitz,
I am very much willing to participate as a respondent for any categories. I am 26 yrs old working as Quality Analyst,Single,M, lives in Sta Mesa manila
Thank You!
Hi Sir Fitz or anyone who knows,
Any update on the company who offers market research participation. I tried contacting the companies listed above via email and phone but to no avail.
Thanks
hi sir fitz! can you also refer me to your survey recruiter? i am very much interested in this kind of work. thank you!
hi there!
i just finish reading your article and i find it very interesting since im in a mood of searching for a part time job..i hope you can refer me to surveyer recruiter and im more glad to do this job.heres my info: im 25,female, a data analyst and lives in deparo caloocan city. i’ll be waiting to your response. thank you and GOD bless!
I am currently interested. Please refer me to your survey recruiter. Thanks so much.
Hi, could you kindly refer me to your survey recruiter?:)
Hi Fitz, can you also refer to be a mystery shopper for the one you work for? I live in Cavite and could do tasks within Cavite, Alabang, Las Pinas and Manila. Thanks!
hi fitz, can u please refer me too to ur survey recruiter? im very serious to work and get paid by doing surveys. TYSM!!!
Hi there!
Would appreciate it if you can also refer me to a survey recruiter. Thanks much!
Hi im interested toi be a participant contact me 09435572880
Hi Fitz, can you refer me to a survey recruiter.. i love to do surveys at home.. pls… thanks in advanced..
i’m currently a fourth year engineering student,I want to participate so that i can have enough money for my upcoming thesis. Thank you po
Hi Sir Fitz!
I really enjoy your blog. I’ve been reading your articles for abput 3 hours na po. Hehehe.
This market research thing is new to me and it interests me. Can you please also endorse me to your survey recruiter? I’d like to earn additional income to invest.
Thank you very much!
Hi Fitz. Hope you can also refer me to your survey and mystery shopper recruiters. Thank you