If You Want to Be
Compensated for Your Opinion
If you would like to compensated for your opinions on products, here are a quick list of places to get started. A little leg work on Google will find you even more opportunities.
There are a lot of different types of testing and survey options you can sign up for.
In some cases you may get a sample of the product to use and enjoy, in others you may receive compensation in the form of deep-discount coupons or gift cards for product.
Sometimes these seem a little too good to be true, but companies require consumer testing to work out glitches, get real-world opinions and make improvements before a product is released to the public. The information collected from product testers and survey takers is invaluable to these companies.
- Product testing
- Focus groups and panels
- Mystery shopping
- Paid survey sites
- Free samples at grocery store
- Retail experience surveys
- Free product testing electronics
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, check out the options below to get started.
1. Vindale Research
Notably with Vindale is that they will only reimburse product testers in cash.
You don’t get a physical product to keep.
When you sign up with them, you apply for surveys. By answering a few short questions, they will ascertain if you are eligible for a particular survey. They could be regarding anything from digital services to physical products you have used in the past.
You can then withdraw earned cash through either check or PayPal.
The whole process is easy, which makes it even better.
2. National Consumer Panel (Nielson)
When you sign up to become a product tester with NCP you’ll receive a handheld scanner or access to their mobile app. When you go shopping, scan the barcode of the products you buy to earn points towards gift cards and merchandise.
Sign up takes less than 5 minutes
Excellent reputation
Online presence of happy panelists
Registration adds your info to a database. When the need for a demographic group you fall into, or your area becomes a source of research for them, you will be contacted to participate.
3. Pinecone Research (Nielson)
Another Nielson brand.
You receive compensation in the form of points that you can redeem for cash or prizes for testing the merchandise they send to you.
They offer a wide range of gift card options, including virtual Visa cards, and brand-name merchandise. Sweepstakes are also a part of the Pinecone Research overall compensation strategy to thank you for your time.
They’ll keep your information for a few weeks in case a spot opens up, but if it doesn’t, you may need to apply again in the future.
4. American Consumer Opinion
A great place to start if you want to get paid to test products at home.
- They boast over 7 million users
- $30 million in incentives paid out
- Offer text alerts for opportunities
- Instead of cashing out you can donate instead
- Work with a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies
- Exchange points for sweepstakes entries
When you become a panel member, you can expect to participate in several surveys per year. Each survey typically takes around 10 minutes with short, easy-to-answer questions.
Every month or so you’ll be asked to take a screener survey so they know which opportunities to send your way.
You receive points for every survey you answer and you can cash them out via PayPal.
5. JJ Friends & Neighbors (Johnson & Johnson)
Mainly for testing makeup and other beauty products. This could include makeup, fragrances, or other self-care products. You will be testing products before they are released to the general public and the samples are your’s to keep.
As for payment, they typically use prepaid Visa gift cards.
As a trusted company that has been around for decades, it’s a pretty sure fire place to try for your first product testing experience.
6. McCormick & Company, Inc.
Known mainly for their premium spices and seasonings, so if you’re a foody and love to eat these tests are for you.
The first step is to apply to be a McCormick panelist. Once in the database, you can expect to receive periodic emails recruiting for studies.
McCormick says their studies fill up very quickly. You’ll want to act on them as soon as they send them to you.
7. UserTesting.com
Testing Websites before they’re put live and being clicked by the public is crucial to online business and digital services. If you’ve got an eye for layout and design, or you have a penchant for finding the little broken things when you’re running around online, then this may be right up your alley.
You simply create an account, download their software, then visit websites or apps and let them know what your experience was like. Panelists are chosen through demographics just like any other panel group.
Tests are a short 20 minutes or so, and you’ll receive the $10 per test via PayPal.
8. Erli Bird
Very similar to UserTesting.com. Same $10 rate for the same kind of work.
Compensation is cash based and easy to receive. You could also receive up to 5 opportunities a month for testing.
If #7 sounds like something you would love, then sign up for Erli Bird too and double up your chances to do testing on digital sites, apps and services.