Survey Stashing: Valued Opinion hints & tips

JDPower

libra10 wrote: »

The idea is that the 'worker' is supposed to receive the increase, not the company who employ them. We are receiving a 'reduction' in pay!

When I first started with VO, an average survey might be worth approximately £2, now very few pay that much money, most around 50p to 75p. By charging 50p to claim a payment, this is a cheeky way of paying us even less money.

Oh I get your point, but our 'pay' is the points, the price has gone up on what we can spend it on (and I prefer this than the Maximiles approach of simply removing vouchers they can't afford to offer any more). The reduction in points paid is simply down to the success of survey sites now. Thanks in large part to sites like this promoting them, they're no longer a secret little thing that no one knew about and all the big sites have more than enough participants so they can reduce the points payout, lose some users and still have plenty to fulfil their quotas.

And in a way, you say it's a sneaky way of paying less, it COULD be argued it's a far more transparent way than if they knocked 5% or more of the points they paid out per survey and have hardly anyone notice. Which I suspect, with the OTT angry comments they are apparently getting, is exactly what they'll now do in future :undecided

libra10

As you say, these days many people complete surveys. Although the 'pay' is far from good, panellists can earn several vouchers throughout the year and have money for extras.

Survey companies are cashing in on this, and doing very well out of their members' willingness to spend endless hours placing clicks in boxes as they watch TV.

However, for survey results to be valid in their findings, companies need to keep the good will of their members. And with tactics such as those being used by VO (and others), I wouldn't be surprised if some members were not being as honest as they were when completing surveys.

Kite2010

I think as soon as I get enough credit to cash out, I'm going to ditch Unvalued Opinions

Charging an extra 50p to redeem a £10 gift-card (which they probably didn't spend £10 to buy) is taking the mickey

getzls

Not over happy about the 50p charge either. :mad:
Though still think it's a decent site.

Just wondering, if we all keep our money in the Bank without cashing in for a while and sent them complaints they might drop it?

Juxxize

I've just got the ''Thank you very much for your interest in our surveys. Unfortunately you can't participate in this study. Our records indicate that your ID has already been registered for this project and/or data inconsistencies have been identified regarding''
message I'm not happy about because it's quite insulting I feel like I'm being made out to be a lier , I've been filling the surveys in via the swagbucks site, maybe I have already done the survey because I haven't been telling porky's that's for sure. I find it insulting and I think they should be clearer what the issue is .

Lisamj_3

One of few survey websites to be worth being a member of. £10.00 threshold and doesn't leave you hanging for weeks/months before you hit it like loads I have been a member of, and thanks to seeing the list websites on moneysaving websites, quite a few others that also do the same. Voucher arrives about a week later. Very pleased with this website, rarely get issues with surveys but its easy to report then too.

Lisamj_3

getzls wrote: »

Not over happy about the 50p charge either. :mad:
Though still think it's a decent site.

Just wondering, if we all keep our money in the Bank without cashing in for a while and sent them complaints they might drop it?

Why are you paying to redeem your points as I have never paid!!

System

Because they've bought in a new 50p charge on vouchers, maybe you've not redeemed lately but it is definitely there.

SBOSlayer

I used to love this panel and i'll tell you tho I am grateful for them getting me through my postgrad book buying... but it's getting a bit tedious doing 30 minute surveys for little pay. That being said about the payout. At least they are trust worthy.

Sbarkia

I find it frustrating that the lowest Amazon voucher you can get is for £15, although you can a Flexi voucher for £10 and have the hassle of converting that to an Amazon one. Not as frustrating as Global Test Market though, as with them, although a £25 amazon voucher is 867 points, the lowest you can cash out is 1,000 points, so in actual fact you have to cash in 1041 points for £30 of vouchers.