Most companies provide a way to update your information online. Search each company's website for instructions on how to update your information.

Why do you they ask for so much personal information?

Their clients are typically looking for very specific demographics when they're doing their research. For example, they may want to know what 35-50 year old women with household incomes above $40K think of a certain product. The research companies sort the data so that they only send a survey to women who are 35 to 50 years old and are within that income range. If you are uncomfortable providing that information, don't. However, by providing less information, you will not be selected for as many surveys. Suppose you are a 38 year old female with household income of $50K per year and you left the income field blank. You would not be a candidate for the survey above, because when the information is sorted by income, your record would not be included in the sort.

How will I know when a new survey is available?

Generally, each company will send you an e-mail message letting you know that you've been selected to participate in a survey.

How long does it take to complete a survey?

If varies from company to company and survey to survey. On average, about 15 minutes. However, I have participated in surveys that took over an hour. You will usually be told how long it will take to complete a particular survey, and how much you will be paid, in the email invitation.

What if I don't want to or don't have time to take a particular survey? Or am going on vacation?

There may be times when you are unable or don't want to participate in a survey. Most companies don't have a problem with this and will not penalize you for skipping a survey. However, if you remain inactive for a long period of time you may be deleted from their database of participants.

How can I improve my chances of qualifying?

There are generally two things you can do to improve your chances of qualifying:

1. Answer all the questions on your application. The more the company knows about you, the more often they'll be able to invite you to participate in surveys and the more often you’ll qualify. For example, if a client requires the participants be of a certain age then the research company can only allow people who tell them their age to participate in that project.

2. Answer HONESTLY! The research companies have extensive experience in working with people online and have developed ways of weeding out people who lie on their surveys. Trying to "beat the system" will only hurt your chances of qualifying.

How can I get more surveys?

The number of surveys your will receive varies significantly from person to person. This is directly related to your ability to help the researchers do their job more effectively. Here are a few recommended guidelines:

1. Respond carefully to all survey questions: The quality of information received is directly related to the quality of data which you provide. Therefore, take the time to answer the questions with thoughtful responses, particularly for open-ended responses where it is possible to say nothing.

2. Provide realistic responses based on your current situation: You will often be asked about your willingness to do something. This is often a hypothetical question for which it may be difficult to give a response. Nevertheless, please attempt to give as realistic a response as possible.

3. Many companies have optional Demographic Profiles that help them to select participants for various projects. These profiles are usually presented after you have submitted your regular application. Be sure to fill out all of these additional profiles. The are usually very short in length.