Rant about annoying surveys (which I actually love most of the time)
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85146)
Shingle Springs, California
March 16, 2011 5:39pm CST
So here are my #3 (ok 4) pet peeves about survey sites:
Honorable mention:
Surveys that take forever to credit and/or pay you. Why should it take 4 - 6 weeks to get credit for the survey, and another 4 - 6 weeks to get payment?
3. You get disqualified immediately upon entering gender, age and/or location. Why can't the originating site just make this determination up front and not even show you the survey?
2. You get disqualified 5, 10 or even 15 minutes into a survey. If you've done more than 20% of a dang paying survey, you ought to at least get partially compensated.
and my #1 (drumroll)...
1. Buggy surveys - you do all or most of the survey and then it either errors out or doesn't return you to the originating website for credit. I lost out on a doggone $9 survey that I had totally completed because of that yesterday. 
And now, for an extra added bonus, my favorite survey sites, lowest to highest:
6. SwagBucks - so far I have redeemed one $5 Amazon.com gift card. They don't have a cash option, but they do have a lot of ways to rack up points. Not only surveys.
5. e-search - they pay automatically by paypal, nothing to request. The downside is that the surveys are very few and far between, and it takes a lot of weeks before you get credit.
4. Cashbackresearch - they only pay 50 cents per survey, and I've only qualified for enough to be up to $8 of a $20 payout. So I can't actually vouch for this site yet. I get disqualified a lot too.
3. SurveySavvy - I have managed to rack up a whopping $23 in credits so far, and I did get my first $5 check last month, so at least I can verify that they pay. Surveys are a wee bit too few and far between though.
2. Opinion Outpost - I've racked up almost $30 since end of January, and cashed out one $5 Amazon.com gift card so far. You can also opt to be paid by check at $20, or request a Citi gift card at $15. I qualify for a fair number of surveys, and am almost always credited the next day.
1. Vindale - I get surveys (they call them studies) almost every day on this site, and most of them pay $1.50. They also have reward mails most days (10 cents). I have gotten four $50 payouts so far since I joined in October, and am almost up to my 5th one. The $50 looks intimidating, but it's really not that hard to make it.
Sorry, but a lot of these sites are not available outside the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
I like doing surveys, some anyway, and if somebody wants to pay me to do them, what the heck.
And now, for an extra added bonus, my favorite survey sites, lowest to highest:
6. SwagBucks - so far I have redeemed one $5 Amazon.com gift card. They don't have a cash option, but they do have a lot of ways to rack up points. Not only surveys.
5. e-search - they pay automatically by paypal, nothing to request. The downside is that the surveys are very few and far between, and it takes a lot of weeks before you get credit.
4. Cashbackresearch - they only pay 50 cents per survey, and I've only qualified for enough to be up to $8 of a $20 payout. So I can't actually vouch for this site yet. I get disqualified a lot too.
3. SurveySavvy - I have managed to rack up a whopping $23 in credits so far, and I did get my first $5 check last month, so at least I can verify that they pay. Surveys are a wee bit too few and far between though.
2. Opinion Outpost - I've racked up almost $30 since end of January, and cashed out one $5 Amazon.com gift card so far. You can also opt to be paid by check at $20, or request a Citi gift card at $15. I qualify for a fair number of surveys, and am almost always credited the next day.
1. Vindale - I get surveys (they call them studies) almost every day on this site, and most of them pay $1.50. They also have reward mails most days (10 cents). I have gotten four $50 payouts so far since I joined in October, and am almost up to my 5th one. The $50 looks intimidating, but it's really not that hard to make it.
Sorry, but a lot of these sites are not available outside the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
I like doing surveys, some anyway, and if somebody wants to pay me to do them, what the heck.3 people like this
15 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
16 Mar 11
I too take a great deal of surveys and can say with Opinion Outpost alone I have earned $623.00 from April through November last year, they are getting far and few between there but pay right away, although now the min is increased to $20.
I also do SurveySavvy and do well there, I have made $329 for the same above time period. Many invites, take a long to credit and a long time to get, but they do pay.
Love Esearch and Epoll have done really well with both, no requests payments do come right away.
I also do Surveyhead they take a long to credit and long time to reach PaPal but loads and load of opportunities and have made about $200 there.
These are all I do because they will not waste anytime you either do qualify or don't within a minute or so!
3 people like this
@icequeen123 (934)
•
16 Mar 11
Have to agree with your comments here - I really hate it when you've put in the time and effort to complete a few dozen questions, only to be told that you don't qualify.
Normally I quite enjoy surveys, but sometimes they can also get a bit repetitive, same questions over and over - questions which sometimes don't seem relevant either.
However, if a pay out is made, and especially actual money into paypal etc., then I'm usually willing to persevere.
My favourites here in the UK are Pinecone and Lightspeed.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47611)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Mar 11
Pinecone and Lightspeed are two good ones, available also in Canada.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
17 Mar 11
A note about Swag Bucks, you can get paypal, but it takes a lot more swag bucks. You are right there are tons of ways to earn besides surveys. I never qualify for the surveys, but I have cashed out fifteen times there since last July. First three times were for Pay Pal, then I wised up. Opinion Outpost disqualifies me every time. I may have to try Vindale sometime.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
17 Mar 11
Minimum is over six hundred. I am wanting to say six fifty. See, on Gather, I can get $10 Pay Pal for 625 points, so I kinda felt growly about the $5 PayPal on SB costing more. I find lots of stuff I can get on Amazon, so for the four hundred fifty it is a much better deal. I am going to try some of the tasks. They look like MTurk stuff.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
Don't know if I have that much patience...
Anyway, yesterday I used my 2 Amazon cards to get Naomi a book she really wants, so hooray!
@BarBaraPrz (47611)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Mar 11
I got a cheque today from one of my survey sites... $47.76
and $5 in my PayPal yesterday...
If you're a member of MyPoints, they have little surveys that'll net 5 points even if you don't qualify (more if you do).
Also ClixSense just added surveys to their earning opportunities, but you have to sign up for them (even if you already are a member of ClixSense).
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47611)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Mar 11
As long as it works for you, that's fine. I was just reporting what I found.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
Vindale is not a scam. I can show you payment proof after payment proof. I can also explain why people are claiming it's a scam. It's because if you do the things on the "survey" tab, you sign up for offers which often require a credit card. But if you stay on the "study" tab, it's all surveys, no credit card required, and you can rack up the $50 pretty quickly.
1 person likes this
@13tyates (1606)
• United States
17 Mar 11
I also have gotten into taking online surveys in the last couple of years and have gotten tons of amazon gift cards since joining most if not all the sites you have mentioned.
Have also received plenty of checks from Pine cone Research! That is my favorite and qualify for almost every survey. They pay $3 per survey and send you a check for every survey. It is hard to get into this survey company so if you can you are VERY lucky!
I hate when survey companies do the things you listed above. It is not only annoying but also ticks you off because you do all this work for those companies then what? NO PAYMENT!
Ahh... so annoying!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
do you have a referral link you can send me? or is it just sign up and every man for himself?
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
17 Mar 11
When I first started doing surveys I was doing 15 plus, but now I only do a few regularly...the ones that pay. But I'm with you on the pet peeves; although, a couple that I do use Pay Pal and those seem to be pretty quick. My best "payers" are I Say by Ipsos, Global Test Market, Lightspeed Panel, My Survey, MyView, Opinion Outpost, FGI Research, and Esearch. I started SwagBucks, but my computer man told me it was putting too much junk on my system and slowing it down, so I stopped. I've never heard of/used Buggy Surveys and Cashbackresearch. I've used SurveySavvy and Vindale, but I didn't have as good of luck as you've seemed to.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
Buggy Surveys isn't a site lol, it's what I call surveys that encounter system errors!
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
17 Mar 11
The only survey site that I now do is one that doesn't allow me to say that I am a member. But if you were a member if Pinecone you might have them close to the top of your list. They might not send you too many surveys but they do pay and pay well. As for the others I gave up. Either I had the wring browser, the wrong profile or they wanted the Easth and I didn't own it to give.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
Feel free to invite me when it's invitation time...
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
17 Mar 11
I have been doing online surveys for about eight or nine years now. I went through all of the ones you mentioned and found fault with all of them. I did Survey spot and even afew more I can think of besides the ones you mentioned. I now have two I work with and get payment posted immediately, it adds up quickly and I get paid either by Paypal or other gift cards and gifts.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Mar 11
Well, I will tell you this: I don't usually give the information on them out. If you would like to be a referral of mine and would promise to do that then PM me and I will give you the referrals on both. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
17 Mar 11
I was a member of a couple of survey sites and I hate doing the surveys! I got sick of how long the darn things were and how long it took to get paid! These days I stick to an Australian site that still takes a while to send the cheques out but at least rewards points almost immediately and doesn’t screen me out as often. The problem is that there are not that many surveys to begin with!
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
18 Mar 11
I like doing surveys too. I am not a member of many sites though. I use Opinion Outpost more than any. The other few I have tried..well..I just didn't like the way they were set up I guess. I do hate to be into the survey for some time and then get kicked out..lol..There for a while..I wasn't fit for any surveys it seemed. I am doing pretty good lately. I have about $20 built up in Outpost.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
18 Mar 11
I just made $20 there too, but I just hit $50 on Vindale...
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Mar 11
sure, I'll do that - stay away from the surveys and do the studies...
@jhonnysherlin (179)
• India
18 Mar 11
surveys surveys whats this surveys i think about surveys some sites are doing scams like this.
see i am frustrated to these sites if they are telling about the data entry jobs and then after the registration is completed then they are saying like this soon or earlier the data entry jobs is avaliable for u so before that data entry jobs u will do one thing reffer a friend and earn moeny they are not sending any data entry jobs to us they never sent data entry jobs these are all grabber.
Another situation is going on like this like a w surveys if u register then we send a surveys to u and earn more through that surveys but it never come they are saying only just reffer friends thats it not to take surveys in these sites.
Why because there are no surveys yet i think survey means see like this how many cats in ur home or dogs if u own a bicycle or cycle or house or computer a mobile phone hmmm these are the surveys not for the product they are doing survey just for time pass they are doing survey. Survey means they must and should do the survey about the products and then review which is the best answers to take that type of surveys. These are waste suveys.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
18 Mar 11
I don't think of most of this stuff as a scam, more like an annoyance. But it can be VERY annoying...
@smooty54 (38)
• United States
24 Feb 12
I think its crazy that Cashback just changed its payout to $20. I have been a member of Cashback for a few months now, and I have only received one payout when it was 15 dollars. It took me about two weeks to make it, but if i would have been like glued to the computer, I could have made 15 in about 3 days. I am also a member of SurveySavvy, and you are right about them paying, it just takes a while (2 months for me to just get three dollars). I wanted to make sure that they actually do pay so I stopped at three dollars, so I would know I wouldn't be wasting my time. But now I have completed like 5 dollars worth and have yet to be credited, and its been about a week. I do appreciate your reviews about all of these sites, because I am always skeptical about trying new survey sites. I think I am going to go try your top rated ones so see how i do with it. Thanks again!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
25 Feb 12
SurveySavvy does pay, but it takes something like 4 - 6 weeks. I have now been paid by them, Vindale, Opinion Outpost, Swagbucks, Valued Opinions, e-search, e-rewards (airline miles), MySurvey and Surveyhead. But I do by far the best with Vindale. I'm a little dissatisfied with them though, they used to pay $1.50 per study, and now it's only $1.
@iklananda (1202)
•
17 Mar 11
that's the bad think they are not available for people outside of us, canada, uk and australia
