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$100 in two hours as a focus group member!

May 12, 2008 in Focus Groups, Paid Surveys by admin | 1 comment

Short Version:

I’ve been a member of FocusForward.com for about two months. In that time, I’ve been invited to participate in one focus group, for which I was paid $100 in cash on the spot. All I had to do was show up and talk. Total time involved = about three hours, including travel.

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Long Version:

About two months ago, I signed up for a site called FocusForward.com, which is a focus group facilitator. Based on your demographic information, they connect you with opportunities to participate in focus groups in exchange for money.

I just completed my first assignment with them. A few weeks ago, they sent me a short survey asking questions about my cell phone use. I completed the survey, within a few days spent about fifteen minutes on the phone answering some in-depth questions. At the conclusion of the call, I was given the choice of a one-on-one interview lasting one hour, for $75, or a two-hour focus group worth $100. I opted for the focus group.

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Jeers to Big Idea Group

April 30, 2008 in Paid Surveys, Scam Avoidance by admin | 1 comment

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Most of the survey companies I’ve tried are fairly straightforward about how their rewards systems work. Every time I receive an email invitation to take a survey, I know exactly how many points it is worth before I even click the link. Also, most sites have a page that tells you what your points can be redeemed for.

A few weeks ago, I signed up with a company called Big Idea Group (BIG). You qualify for “clubs” based on your demographic information. Each club has a series of activities where you answer questions about features and usability of a particular class of products, including making suggestions for what features you would like to see on a new product.

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Four ways to avoid online scams

April 10, 2008 in Mystery Shopping, Paid Surveys, Scam Avoidance, Uncategorized by admin | 1 comment

When I started trying to make money online, getting scammed and losing money were major concerns for me. As a result, I took some steps to minimize my risk. Here are a few tips based on my experience:

  1. I do not ever pay money to join a paid survey site or mystery shopping provider. Legitimate companies can be easily found with a Google search, and there is no reason for them to charge a fee. They get paid by the companies whose surveys you take.
  2. Before I sign up with any site, I type their name, plus the word “scam,” or “fraud,” into a search engine (such as Google) to see what comes up. I decided not to join a couple of sites based on what I found out about them through a quick Google search.

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