Have You Ever Participated In Marketing Research Studies?

OneEyedDiva

OneEyedDiva

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New Jersey
A couple of decades ago, I was turned on to doing studies by my (future) DIL. There were agencies that paid $25 per visit and they didn't take much time. Sometimes when we showed up, they had enough people and we'd get paid anyway. Then my brother found out about doing studies for GlaxoSmithKline testing dental product efficacies. My sister and I signed up and were called quite regularly. Once my husband even went. During most of the studies we had to be there several hours but it was cool because we'd read, watch T.V., play games and just have conversations. We had long lunches with free food and drinks from their cafeteria which had pretty good food. Sometimes we even had time to go shopping. If we stayed in, it was peaceful just sitting there looking out at their lovely grounds.

There was a group from Jersey City that joined us periodically. People in our group (I called them my "study buddies") were from different towns. One year I made $6,000. While we were there, a couple of our study buddies told us about other studies. One was a sleep study in NYC paying $5,000 for an overnight stay. Despite the money, I didn't want to do that one; others felt the same. We knew being called by GSK had to end eventually but it was nice while it lasted. Have you ever done studies?
 

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I did once, but I don't recall any money. Maybe there was a nominal amount.

But I realized I was such an outlier that they probably threw out my results. I'm not the kind of consumer they'd be interested in.
 
I have. In my youth, I was paid for testing an analgesic. I was also in a taste and smell study. How the studies are conducted is interesting and sometimes questionable.
 

My aunt was in that business, she ran a pretty good sized market survey company. Interesting business. In one of my favorites she brought in a group of men to drink beer and watch football. Then they were questioned about how they liked the different beers. I was never able to qualify for that one, LOL.

One I remember from years ago, she tested Scope mouthwash, lots of different bottle shapes and colors, but the same Scope. People were asked which they liked most. Apparently green and the bottle shape I think they still use won out. She did it blind, had no idea who's product she was testing.

As a result I always answer questions when I get polled by one, but never actively participated.
 
Yeah, years ago. It was a government thing. It was to give opinions on products, and professions. You weren't getting paid. I was skeptical, at first, but I did check up and it was a legit gov. agency. It was answer a "few questions", but it was about an hour and a half of 100s of questions, once a month. The last time I participated was about funereal directors. Since I never needed one, it was 100s of "none of the above". I stopped.
 
Call me a cynic but there are so many companies that claim to be doing market research and studies for this, that and the other, most of which are nothing more than a front for gleaning information in order to profile you. Later you can expect a barrage of companies that you don't know, have never heard of and have never had any contact with, all offering whatever the subject of the research was.
Mind you if, years ago, there was some sort of condom research........................
 
Hello, OneEyedDiva

No. I haven’t ever participated in any test studies. Yet find the information shared, “eye-opening” … lol.

“We had long lunches with free food and drinks from their cafeteria, which had pretty good food.”

Received a hearty giggle from the aforementioned; it beckons of truth, and common-sense … charming.☺️
 
I used to work in the market research field. I hated it. You didn't get paid unless you got someone to finish the survey. If it was long, the person would hang up and you wouldn't get paid. it was the most aggravating job I ever had.
 
Yes. Twice.
I was invited to view some pilots of new TV shows & gave my opinions. I was paid $100.00. Not bad for 40 years ago.

More recently, I was asked to test drive 3 new Nissan cars & rate them on comfort, acceleration, etc. Paid $150.00.
I like to rate products & would have done it for free. I always post reviews of products & services.
 
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Paladin1950 said:
I used to work in the market research field. I hated it. You didn't get paid unless you got someone to finish the survey. If it was long, the person would hang up and you wouldn't get paid. it was the most aggravating job I ever had.
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Paladin, the studies I'm speaking of and marketing research surveys are two different things. People conducting the studies we did were employees who got paid regular salaries whether or not there were studies going on and the number of participants was not a factor. This is true of places other than GSK whose studies I participated in. Plus we had to physically be there each time, even the couple of times when we took samples home to test. It's too bad that your ability to make money depended on others.
 
Old_Dame said:
Hello, OneEyedDiva

No. I haven’t ever participated in any test studies. Yet find the information shared, “eye-opening” … lol.

“We had long lunches with free food and drinks from their cafeteria, which had pretty good food.”

Received a hearty giggle from the aforementioned; it beckons of truth, and common-sense … charming.☺️
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Why thank you Old_Dame. :D And...
Welcome to Group.jpg
 
I worked at one time in the home office of a well known restaurant company. New menu items were developed in our kitchen. We got to try all of them and give feedback on what we did and didn't care for. It was fun and most of it was delicious.
 

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