How Do You Pick the Best Paid Survey Site?

A very good way to earn extra income from the Internet is to take Paid Surveys.  Big companies need to know what their customers prefer and what they are thinking.  They fund surveys to find out, and part of that money ends up in the hands of those who fill out the survey questionnaires.

To get in on this cash flow action you really need a good "Guide Company" to show you the way.  The challenge is to pick a good one.  There are all types and sizes. Big and small, bad and good.  So how do you choose?

Here are a few guidance points to keep in mind:

1. Generally speaking, the "Free" ones are among the very worst that are out there.  Remember TANSTAAFL!"  (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!)  If someone is out there on the Net with a website up and advertising you can bet your boots that he is getting paid somehow.

Who's paying him? Usually it is the fringe survey-making companies who are too cheap to pay the survey takers and just keep recruiting people to rip-off. They pay the recruiter (read: Free Survey) company to recruit for them. Also it's one-time spamsters and others of that ilk who are trying to be (barely) legit and only send tons of unwanted mail to people who were gullible enough to double opt-in for something like surveys. So you sign up to be sent surveys to fill out, not realizing that paragraph 38 on page 3 of the Terms and Conditions said that they could permit their 'customers' to send you special offers!

2. Look at the size of the Paid Survey company.  The bigger ones that have been around longer are more stable and can't/won't fold their tents and disappear so easily.  Also, they got big by providing a useful service, pointing their clients toward real surveyors who pay in cash.  To continue to grow they need satisfied customers.

3. Look for a contact point, office hours for their support function, how to contact them.  Are there real people behind it? Can you reach them?  Could you get your questions answered?  This is important.

4. Probably the single most important indicator, if you can get it, is their refund rate.  What percentage of those that sign on later decide to ask for/demand their money back?  3% to 5% is ideal. A little higher might still be O.K.  However, anything over 10% should be a red light! Just balance out the factors, use your best judgment.

[Or look at our picks on the Rankings page here at this website!]

5. Is there a guarantee, and, if so, how strong is it?  If all else fails, can you get your money back?  This is important not only for getting a refund in the worst case scenario, but also for the attitude the company is going to have toward its clients.  If there is a strong guarantee in place, they are more likely to treat their clients well so they won't pull the plug on the deal and opt out.

How do you know it's a strong guarantee?  Personally I'm partial to guarantees like that given by companies who market their services through ClickBank.  ClickBank provides a marketplace for venders to list their products in and sell from, an army of affiliates to help sell products and they collect the money.  When they collect money they take out their fees, pay any commissions and the seller gets the rest.

ClickBank has a 60-day refund policy.  Basically, if anyone asks for a refund within 60 days with any sort of reason, ClickBank says O.K.  For this they withhold 10% (more or less, depending on their experience) from the vendor and the salesman and hold it for 60 days as a refund guarantee.  So ClickBank is the seller's banker, and is holding the guarantee fund.  You can be sure that if you demand a refund from the seller, if he doesn't give it to you then ClickBank will!  Now that's a strong guarantee!

6. Look at more than one company and compare offers.  You can't have a "one horse horserace"!  Get several together, compare them, contrast them.  Look at what they say.  Look at their numbers.  Then, from an informed position, you can pick the one that's best for you.

In summary, you can certainly make money taking surveys.  Many do and are happy with the results.  A good Paid Survey Guide Company can help you to do the same.  Keep the above points in mind and you will very likely select a good company.  And whatever they cost, you will probably make that back and more with the first few paid surveys you take!

About the Author:
Jorge Chavez is an Internet Entrepreneur, marketer and author.  Working with the Internet full time for the last five years he has gained a wide range of experience.

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