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  • Hello I would like to join your market research. I live in Nottingham.
  • Hello I would like to join your market research. I live in Nottingham.
    Hi Angela
    Please PM me with your e-mail address and I'll let you have details.
    Lynne
  • smudgy_2
    smudgy_2 Posts: 5 Forumite
    Hi
    I had been a market researcher for a number of years untill jan 2006 when it ALL went on the internet, well alot of it. Some companies folded and some merged. The work which is around now is quiet bad and poorly paid! They are asking for stupid quotas which are unobtainable in the time restains to get.
    Also the standard of questionnaire is really bad with alot of mistakes, which you as an interviewer have to correct and take the brunt of it!
    The pay has been reduced significantly as they can do most of the work over the NETT regardless od quality!

    In the last few months I worked in this Industry! I found I was being paid on average every 3 months! questionnaires were wrong and quotas unobtainable, fee's reduced. Some of these companies, not ALL are sharkes! and they DO treat there interviewers VERY BADLY!
    I wouldnt recommend ANYONE TO GO INTO THE INDUSTRY! As clients pull out at the last minute or changes are made and if the company is losing money, THEY WILL CLAW IT BACK FROM YOU!!!

    This is a VERY DOG EAT DOG INDUSTRY and since Jan 2006 things had got worse! So I wouldnt bother! It wasnt brilliant before they broke ALL the laws on employment simply because you are a contractor YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS!
  • smudgy_2
    smudgy_2 Posts: 5 Forumite
    I think your all under the illusion that you will make lots of money!! sorry you wont! Having been a researcher, deputy and supervised. In 2006 everything changed! As I've stated before! Most of the field work went on line and the work in the field has been reducing since this date.
    I have a friend who does these online surveys 40 mins for 80pence which ask him a whole host of questions I think in total he has made 16.00 but some only pay 30pence and depending on what you answer! ie which supermarkets you shop at or have been can vary in time for the same money!

    AS HE HAS INFORMED ME!!!

    I wouldnt be prepaired to pay to join these sites I honestly dont know of anyone who has, but some charge as much as 35.00

    Also Most of these sites come with what we in the industry no as a screener and if you dont qualify after a number of questions you earn NOTHING!!!!

    Focus groups, which I have also done, run and attended, are specialised people. Could be a bank looking at a particular product or service in this case a specific criteria has to be met.

    Payments vary from Client from 20 mainly - 50.00 The larger payments are paid out for car clinics and professional people who may own a jaguar or a specific car.

    You will not find recruiters of focus groups in the Yellow Pages.

    Also the Market Research Society Is what it says a Society which reserach companies can join to make themselves look more official by joining a professional body. Also the interviewers can join, but in my experiance you get a quaterly news mag, which did advertised the same companies and jobs and some training courses for a yearly fee.

    I joined for a few years then I myself didnt see the benefit of it. It does list all the copanies who are registard with them.

    As a researcher I found you had no rights! and I increasingly became fustrated with the treatment and the "Them And US" attitude of some of these companies. Some of them were really nice, but sadly the smaller companies either got bought out or most of them stopped trading.

    Some companies because of the lack of work and competing with the internet have reduced fee's or paying on completion. In one of the cases I did the job was 45 mins they wanted it in home to a quota and a total of 20 interviews which would have taken me 3 days and they were paying 65.00
    which included holiday pay.

    But they were only paying one days money even tho the company admitted this job couldnt be done in one day!! They also told me that they would pay me if I completed it, because the client wouldnt shift! they didnt and I stopped working for them.

    Also the average time for some of these companies to pay you is 3 months! which is because they are waiting for the client to pay them.

    It sounds simple and easy to ask people questions but believe me over the years I have worked in areas the POLICE wont work in! And some of these companies have been informed but dont tell the interviewer!

    THIS IS A DOG EAT DOG INDUSTRY AND MORE SO NOW. SINCE THERE IS LESS AND LESS WORK AND WITH THE CREDIT CRUNCH COMING IT WILL REDUCE EVEN FURTHER.

    Even the groups are quiet as I have a few friends who do them. So.... you can try but I would look for something you feel more in control of.

    When most of these jobs, which I found went belly up! they cut your wages, by coming up with stupid suggestions, like they havent recieved your work etc., Ive been very lucky in my career and havent been stung that often BUT I have heard it ALL the cheques in the post to work not recieved or cant use your questionnaires! I have also been told by some people working for some of these companies the things they do!

    SO THE CHOICE AS THEY SAY IS YOURS! BUT BELIEVE ME: IF YOUR NOT TOUGH, HARD WORKING, HARD FACED, TWO FACED OR STREET WISE, you are some times working in areas even the police will not enter!

    It isnt the industry for the faint hearted!!! sorry to sound so down on it 18 years experiance I sadly have marketing qualifications too..... and have designed questionnaires in house for the FTM and Software company! but working for a company it was SO,SO,SO much better!!!

  • smudgy_2
    smudgy_2 Posts: 5 Forumite
    :money: I think your all under the illusion that you will make lots of money!! sorry you wont! Having been a researcher, deputy and supervised. In 2006 everything changed! As I've stated before! Most of the field work went on line and the work in the field has been reducing since this date.
    I have a friend who does these online surveys 40 mins for 80pence which ask him a whole host of questions I think in total he has made 16.00 but some only pay 30pence and depending on what you answer! ie which supermarkets you shop at or have been can vary in time for the same money!

    AS HE HAS INFORMED ME!!!

    I wouldnt be prepaired to pay to join these sites I honestly dont know of anyone who has, but some charge as much as 35.00

    Also Most of these sites come with what we in the industry no as a screener and if you dont qualify after a number of questions you earn NOTHING!!!!

    Focus groups, which I have also done, run and attended, are specialised people. Could be a bank looking at a particular product or service in this case a specific criteria has to be met.

    Payments vary from Client from 20 mainly - 50.00 The larger payments are paid out for car clinics and professional people who may own a jaguar or a specific car.

    You will not find recruiters of focus groups in the Yellow Pages.

    Also the Market Research Society Is what it says a Society which reserach companies can join to make themselves look more official by joining a professional body. Also the interviewers can join, but in my experiance you get a quaterly news mag, which did advertised the same companies and jobs and some training courses for a yearly fee.

    I joined for a few years then I myself didnt see the benefit of it. It does list all the copanies who are registard with them.

    As a researcher I found you had no rights! and I increasingly became fustrated with the treatment and the "Them And US" attitude of some of these companies. Some of them were really nice, but sadly the smaller companies either got bought out or most of them stopped trading.

    Some companies because of the lack of work and competing with the internet have reduced fee's or paying on completion. In one of the cases I did the job was 45 mins they wanted it in home to a quota and a total of 20 interviews which would have taken me 3 days and they were paying 65.00
    which included holiday pay.

    But they were only paying one days money even tho the company admitted this job couldnt be done in one day!! They also told me that they would pay me if I completed it, because the client wouldnt shift! they didnt and I stopped working for them.

    Also the average time for some of these companies to pay you is 3 months! which is because they are waiting for the client to pay them.

    It sounds simple and easy to ask people questions but believe me over the years I have worked in areas the POLICE wont work in! And some of these companies have been informed but dont tell the interviewer!

    THIS IS A DOG EAT DOG INDUSTRY AND MORE SO NOW. SINCE THERE IS LESS AND LESS WORK AND WITH THE CREDIT CRUNCH COMING IT WILL REDUCE EVEN FURTHER.

    Even the groups are quiet as I have a few friends who do them. So.... you can try but I would look for something you feel more in control of.

    When most of these jobs, which I found went belly up! they cut your wages, by coming up with stupid suggestions, like they havent recieved your work etc., Ive been very lucky in my career and havent been stung that often BUT I have heard it ALL the cheques in the post to work not recieved or cant use your questionnaires! I have also been told by some people working for some of these companies the things they do!

    SO THE CHOICE AS THEY SAY IS YOURS! BUT BELIEVE ME: IF YOUR NOT TOUGH, HARD WORKING, HARD FACED, TWO FACED OR STREET WISE, you are some times working in areas even the police will not enter!

    It isnt the industry for the faint hearted!!! sorry to sound so down on it 18 years experiance I sadly have marketing qualifications too..... and have designed questionnaires in house for the FTM and Software company! but working for a company it was SO,SO,SO much better!!!

    :mad:
  • "Focus groups, which I have also done, run and attended, are specialised people."

    I'm not sure I'd use the word "specialised" as this implies that ordinary people would never have the talents/be able to do it, and yet it is the ordinary people we need.
    I think perhaps a better word may be "specific" - we are asked to reruit 8 people who shop at a particular supermarket, or watch certain TV programmes, drink particular lagers, bank at a particular bank, drive a specific car etc etc. So at some stage most people would usually fit into a group discussion (focus group) somewhere along the line.
    I agree with you that it's not a way to make big money as people aren't allowed to do that many groups, but the occasional £40 is usually very welcome.
    Lynne
    Considered Response
  • Hi I am a Focus Group Recruiter in Harlow, Essex. I am always looking for new people to attend focus groups.

    I have a website www.roundaboutharlow.co.uk which, although it is a community website for Harlow I also list current Market Research Projects on it. Anyone who lives in Harlow or the surrounding area is welcome to apply.

    I have also written an article about Market Research and Mystery Shopping. You will find a list of Mystery Shopping companies that you can join.

    I have a network of other group recruiters so if anyone is interested in taking part in some research please email me through the contact on the website with your Name, Town you live in, and email address I will then pass the details on to the relevant recruiter.
  • Has anyone signed up to Focus4 People, Fhios Group or Saros, and if so, how have you found them?
  • sammy452
    sammy452 Posts: 84
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Hi I have signed up to focus4people and have done a few market researches with them. I think the amounts they pay are one of the best and definitely recommend them. You do need to check their site every day, as sometimes things appear there a while before they email you.
    Hope that helps.
    Nyks Interest Beater £29/£260
  • tripleh_2
    tripleh_2 Posts: 195
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    I live in the Solihull area of West Midlands. Do you know any focus group companies I could register with? Ta
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