This is how to get paid market research roles from home and online
Looking to land some paid market research gigs? Let’s dive into some tips and tricks on how you can secure those opportunities and get paid for your valuable insights. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, there are ways to break into the world of market research and start earning money for your opinions.
If you’re looking to make some extra money from home then finding paid market research work may be a great option for you.
Market research includes mystery shopping, focus groups, and taking part in online surveys. Giving your opinion on anything from current affairs to what chocolate you like to eat can make you money!
Remember that any money you earn must be declared to HMRC as self-employed income.
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What is paid market research?
Paid market research can include everything from mystery shopping to paid focus groups. This means that the gigs could include anything from purchasing toiletries to find out how the customer service was to watching a new TV program and giving your feedback.
Many businesses also use online surveys to find out what a select target group of people think about their products. Even the government us online surveys and focus groups to get a snapshot of how they are doing overall.
Research projects could also include what your view is on a new policy change or even how much a company should be charging for their product. The possibilities are endless!
How to find paid market research?
The great thing about finding market research roles is that they can be done from home online as while as out and about.
Finding the paid research gigs is quite easy, the harder question is getting on the studies as many have very strict guidelines on what they are looking for.
Of course, every company is looking for something different and just because you haven’t been accepted straight away doesn’t mean you won’t. Most companies keep you on the books in till you fit the criteria they need.
Before you start looking for these gigs, make sure you have a new email account set up so that you can quickly see the gigs that are coming in quickly. Some may be time-sensitive and trying to find them within a packed inbox is hard!
If you prefer online work only then make sure that you state that upfront and filter for those gigs only.
Remember to always cash out when you reach the limit as your money is not covered unless it’s in your own bank account.
Online Surveys
There are loads of different kinds of paid research jobs. Some of our favourites are:
Online surveys are a great place to start if you are interested in being paid to give your opinion. They are easy to do on the go or around the kids.
Some survey sites do have a bad rep but these seven are our favourite and make us good money.
1. Oh My Dosh
OhMyDosh is a survey site and cashback site combined. You can make money by answering their surveys which then goes into your account as credit. When you have reached the limit you can cash out!
Join OhMyDosh* here and get a free £1 added to your account.
Read more about what we think of OhMyDosh and how it works here.
2. Prolific Academic
Prolific Academic is an easy to use survey site that we’ve never had screen us out, which happens more than you’d think. You can reach the payment limit quite quickly while finding loads of different surveys that interest you.
3. Swagbucks
We love Swagbucks! There are loads of tasks available and you can earn money from answering questions or watching videos. The surveys are short so you can do them on the move pretty easy. Payout is via PayPal or Amazon gift card.
Join Swagbucks for free here*.
4. YouGov
YouGov is a great place to answer questions on today’s problems. The surveys normally involve your view on large companies, the government or your local council. You only need 50 points to cash out which is £50.
Use our link here to sign up free to YouGov*
5. InstaGC
InstaGC is a great place to earn gift vouchers. You can complete surveys, watch videos and search the web to earn points.
Sign up to InstaGC here for free*.
6. Onepoll
Onepoll offers short and sweet surveys that can be done on your phone while you are on the move. They offer great payment bonuses of up to £2,50 which can really help you reach your payout target. You can even earn more by hooking up your social media accounts as well.
Sign up to Onepoll here for free*
7. Valued Opinions
Valued Opinions pays well. You could be answering questions on the latest films or about the latest fashion trends. You get paid with gift vouchers that you can redeem and spend.
Sign up for Valued Opinions here for free*
Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping is used by companies to find out how good their customer service is and how well you, the customer can navigate around their shop of website.
You are their fresh set on eyes when it comes to their customer-facing business.
Think of it this way. You are the eyes and ears of the manager so they can see what their team is really like.
Businesses employ mystery shopping companies to find people who are happy to answer detailed questions on what their experience was like.
With most mystery shopping gigs, you are given a brief of what to buy or order and the questions to ask. Then when you are done, you are asked to fill in an advanced form on what happened. It’s normally after that, that you will be paid your set fee, which would have been agreed before you took the gig. Anything you are asked to buy is normally covered too.
As you can see the assignments can be varied.
You could be asked to complete your assignments online. This could involve adding a certain item to your basket and leaving it there to see if you get emailed about completing your order. You could also be asked to order to then go through a returns process.
Over the phone is an option too. You could be asked to book a short break than right at the end of the call cancel and see how long it takes them to call you back.
Examples of the kind of tasks you could be asked to do are:
– Order certain food in a restaurant and see how chatty the staff are. What the food was like? How long it cook to cook?
– Book a hotel room for a certain day and time. Ask questions about the room and hotel to find out how knowledgable the staff is.
– Buy certain items from a supermarket and check they are all in stock. Ask staff members certain questions like where a product was to see if they knew.
If you like the sound of mystery shopping then our favorite companies are:
9. MarketForce
MarketForce are a great company to start with if you are new to market research gigs and like the sound of mystery shopping. You can join straight away by answering questions so they can gauge how accurate your report taking is. It normally takes about 20 minutes to complete.
Grassroots Mystery Shopping
They offer a range of different jobs that are well paid. We’ve completed about tasks with a retail bank and even a few hotels.
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10. e-digital
If you like the idea of working online exclusively then e-digital could work for you. Tasks could include anything from testing apps to buying online. You do need to invoice them yourself though once you have reached the agreed payment limit.
All these ways are great if you are looking to make money from market research. Like always, the normal rules apply like:
1. Make sure you cash out straight away as no money is safe in till it’s in your own bank account.
2. Read through the terms and conditions and check you are happy with them.
3. Declare your income to HMRC.
4. Use any gift vouchers straight away in case the company goes out of business.
5. Read the brief first of any gig or survey so you know what it’s about. That way you won’t be shocked if you are asked to do something or ask questions on something that you are uncomfortable with.
Laura x
If you enjoyed this post and would like some more money making ideas from home, including ways to freelance, start a blog or even earn from your phone, then head over to my making money section here on Savings 4 Savvy Mums where you’ll find over 30 money making posts dedicated to helping you earn more from home and become more financially stable as a family. There’s also tips in my Money Saving Mums Facebook group. You could also pop over and follow my money making Pinterest boards for lots more ways you can earn money from home; Money Making Mums and Working from Home Jobs for Mums.
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