Which companies pay for surveys?

In just about every business sector and industry, there is a percentage of businesses that hire market research firms to conduct paid online surveys for them. They view paying for surveys as a good marketing investment.

The reason these businesses hire an outside firm is because they want to get honest feedback about their products without revealing their name.

Most major fast food burger and chicken chains hire market research firms to conduct paid online surveys regarding their menu items and level of customer service. In the past, these type of surveys typically did not pay anything. However, in light of the current economy and increased competition in the fast food industry, more chains are now willing to pay for survey results that will help them increase profits and attract more customers. Some of these chains include Krystals, Wendy's, Five Guys Burgers, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King and McDonald's.

Many major doughnut chains also hire market research firms to conduct paid online surveys as well. They use the information from the surveys to help them identify product weaknesses and outline future marketing strategies. The competition in doughnut industry has increased dramatically over the past three years, and as a result chains like Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme invest thousands of dollars quarterly to pay for online survey research.

There are also quite a few companies in the cereal industry that frequently conduct paid online surveys. Their goal is to gauge the popularity of their products and also to get recommendations for new cereal flavors. This includes companies like Post, Kashi, General Mills and Kellogg's.

On average, payment for the above surveys ranges from $7 to $12. Some surveys are conducted by the actual company, however the majority are conducted by an outside market research agency.

You will also find many companies in the automotive industry that frequently conduct quarterly and yearly paid online surveys. Invitations to these surveys are usually sent to long time customers. These surveys typically contain questions pertaining to customer satisfaction, opinions about specific body styles and also a feedback section regarding high-end interior features such as automatic door locks and GPS capability. Some of the companies that pay to have these surveys conducted include Ford, Honda, Porsche, General Motors and Chrysler. Survey payment is usually in the form of a check, specialty gift card or a discount on your next car purchase.

Some of the market research firms that conduct these surveys include Forrester Research, Gartner Group, Harris Interactive and J. D. Power & Associates.