There is such a sthing as a free lunch (pineconeresearch.com)

Member Name: thehonesttruth

Product:	pineconeresearch.com
Date:	02/07/09 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: -

Disadvantages: -

Whoever said there was no such thing as a free lunch got it very wrong, for, thanks to the Internet, email, and answering a few questions, I've had not only a few free lunches, but also free breakfasts and dinners besides.
Pinecone research is but a small part of a large consumer research company, and Pinecones main aim is to collect and collate the opinions of a variety of internet users on any number of subjects through surveys and beta testing.

You've probably all been stopped in the street and asked to do a survey at some point or other, perhaps with a small incentive to do so. I know in Nottingham, where I live, this is a very common occurrence, although sometimes I just don't have time to stop and answer their questions.

That's why asking members to complete surveys over the internet is such a convenient tool, as it allows people to answer any questions while they have free time.

The results collected through these surveys are then used to develop and improve both new and existing products, and, thanks to your answers, the companies behind the products have a good general idea of what the public wants

As well as surveys, the site also collects results through beta testing, where they will send you a product, without any advertising or brand name to influence your opinion, ask you to use it for a while, and then collect your thoughts at the end of the trial. Beta testing comes with an extra £4 voucher to pay for the testing itself as well as the answers you provide!

The surveys
----------------
As with most Internet survey sites, you must show your eligibility to participate before receiving the invitation. This is usually done by answering a few prescreener questions via email.

Invitations to take part in surveys arrive both by email and letter, and your vouchers come at this time. It might seem odd that you are paid before completing the survey, and may be tempted not to complete the survey but just spend the voucher. However, bear in mind that if you do this, it's unlikely you'll receive another invite to a survey, meaning no more dinner money either!

Survey invitations, whether received by email or letter, tell you all the information you need to access the survey, including the site URL (as companies other than pinecone host some surveys) and the login information you will need. They will also indicate how long the survey will take.

Before you complete a survey you need to sign an agreement that you will not discuss the survey or product with anyone else.

What I like most about the surveys in the site is that once you are invited to take the survey, you're not going to arrive at the site to find they already have all the participants they need. Also, they give you a decent amount of time to complete the survey, usually a week or more, and even better, you can log off the survey and then carry on where you left off later on if you have something to do.

Most questions are multiple choice in the surveys, and they are generally quick to load, although occasionally they contain movie clips, which can slow it down. However, I'm on broadband and cannot say how the surveys perform on a fax modem.

Rewards
--------------
Of course, no one wants to give up their spare time for nothing, we all like a little reward and pinecone do not disappoint. While many sites offer money, or points to be collected and redeemed against products, pinecone give you vouchers worth 4.00 for every survey you complete, which are redeemable at many food outlets, including Greggs, KFC, Tesco, Pizza Hut and others, with a full list included in the voucher book that comes with your survey invitation.

The vouchers are presented in a book worth £4 in 50p and £1 denominations, and generally have a decent length of time before they expire, so you don't have to run out and use them immediately

How to Join
----------------
Now, this is where I annoy you all. No doubt some of you are already salivating at the thought of some nice tasty meal vouchers with your name on them. Sorry, but it's not that simple.

Well aware of the fact that a lot of people will sign up to grab a free lunch, they don't have any registration link on their web page. None at all. Zilch, zero NADA!

And you won't be sent an email from a cash grabbing friend trying to get as much dinner as she can by getting friends to sign up, as pinecone offer no referral scheme.

Instead, they advertise on sites online most likely to be used by their target groups. So, you might see the pinecone banner on a freebie site, a competition site and even on the occasional opinion site, as well as sites aimed at people with particular interests. If you see one however, sign up quick, as these banners are forever moving on to pastures new.

If you do click on the banner, it's a pretty standard sign up procedure, with personal details and address information, as well as a few questions about your interests and employment. You will then receive an email letting you know if your application has been accepted.

Anything else
-------------------
The site has a great privacy statement and none of your information will be passed on to the companies behind the products. All these companies receive are the compiled statistics, meaning that as they don't have your details they cannot target you with any advertising or Spam.

I've been a member for around 3 months and have earned £120 worth of vouchers, receiving and completing eleven surveys in this time. Obviously these numbers will vary depending on the surveys you are invited to, and on your interests, but I consider this a good reward for what boils down to a few minutes of clicking each month.

I'll take off one point because the banners is hard to find, although one little tip I would offer you is to join the forum at www.moneysavingexpert.com, as appearances of the banner are often reported in the forum by avid freebie hunters.

Thanks for reading.
Www.pineconeresearch.co.uk

Summary: -