Media Insiders - Earn with the App!

If you haven't already tried out Media Insiders, you might want to consider it. I have been a member since January and have received $5 each month for running their app on my phone. You can earn rewards for up to three devices. The devices that they are currently accepting are the following:

• Android™ Smartphones (version 4.0 or greater - not rooted) 
• Android Tablets (version 4.0 or greater - not rooted) 
• Kindle Fire HD (not the first generation Kindle Fire)
• iPhone®5, iPads®
• iPads®Minis
• iPod Touch® ( iOS version 5.0 or greater)

Their payments are processed through Tango Card. You can redeem your Tango Card for merchandise from brands like Gap, Target, Starbucks, Home Depot, Amazon and more! You can also choose to donate your rewards to charity, use rewards for online game currency, or even redeem your rewards for cash. 

The process of redeeming your rewards is easy. Whenever you receive the email from Media Insiders with your Tango Card number and pin, you will then enter it at Tango Card. You will then be asked to choose what type of reward you would like: Purchase Gift Cards, Donate to a Charity or Redeem for Cash. If choosing Gift Card, select the brand of gift card you would like. Enter your name, the value of the gift card and an email address, then submit. Tango Card will then send you an order summary listing the amount and type of gift card. You should receive the gift card within 24 hours of submitting your order.

Below are screenshots of the payments I have received:

Recently, Media Insiders has updated their app so now requires you to connect to VPN. This would require you to confirm connection to the Media Insiders VPN every time your phone is powered off. This is an annoyance for some and for others they dont agree with sharing such information. To understand what this means in more detail, below is the email from Media Insiders about the latest update:

Surveys.com Relocated to AskGfk

Surveys.com announced earlier this month that it would was relocating to AskGfk. They have transferred all member data over to their new website, you are now able to log-in as well. I find the new website easier to navigate, its a little more organized and has a better template. There is one thing that does throw me off  - the orange as the main picture. But overall its a step up from the old website that they were sporting - it was a much needed face-lift.

What I really like about this new website is that it tells you how many points you have and the points available to earn. It took me 2 or 3 steps to find out what my point balance was on the previous website. On AskGfk they have it as soon as you log-in, now that's convenient!

Want to earn more points? Click on the "earn points" button and   it will take you to your survey page. There it will list the surveys that are available to take as well as when the survey started, when it ends, how many points it is worth and the status of the survey (open,closed, etc).

It seems surveys are still being routed through Surveys.com, but this is expected to change with time. With this change I am hoping to see more engaging surveys, ones that are innovative and non-repetitive. We can only what and see what else is to come.

You may also be interested to know that they are now using All Digital Rewards as their supplier for reward redemption. From looking at the cataorgieries in there catalog there seem to be a number of ways to redeem your points. Here is the breakdown from their catalog:

Digital Rewards

• Movie Downloads
• Digital Music (over 3.5 million tracks)
• Magazine Subscriptions
• Virtual Currencies (online games and member programs)
• Airline Miles
• Member Based Discount Programs
• Instant Win Games
• Sweepstakes

Experience Based Rewards

• Movie Tickets (usable at virtually any theatre accepting Visa/MC)
• Travel (land/air/sea)
• Sporting, Concert, and Event Tickets
  • Professional(NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS)
  • Major College Sports (Football/Basketball/Baseball)
  • Super Bowl
  • Bowl Games (BCS)
  • Final Four
  • Concerts
  • Broadway Shows

Prepaid Cards

• Visa/MC/Amex
• Retail Cards (68 retailers from which to choose)
• Physical and Virtual Card Solutions Available

Consumer Electronics

• Televisions
• Stereos and Home Theatre Systems
• Personal Audio (MP3/MP4 Players)
• Cameras
  • Digital Still
  • Camcorders

Kitchen / Home / Garden

• Applicances
• Children's
• Office
• Décor

Opinion Outpost Quick Thoughts App for iPad

Opinion Outpost has a new way to share your opinions! If you have an iPad you can install this app and start taking surveys that range from $1-$3 each. You can use these rewards to purchase iTunes gift cards. Here is the breakdown of what this app has to offer:

• After earning $10, you’ll be able to redeem your iTunes® credit. 
• Use your gift cards for the music, movies, apps, TV shows and books you love. 
• Over 1000 surveys available
• Earn up to $3.00 per survey
• Most surveys can be completed in a very short period of time.

•  Signing up is easy and safe. 
• Must be 18 years or older and U.S. resident to participate.

HCD Surveys - Scam Warning

HCD Surveys (HCD Research) has sent an email out to its survey panel members warning them of a potential scam alert. If you are a member of read below for more information:

Dear Panel Member,

Our company name, logo and other information was used by an unknown entity to unlawfully send out  fraudulent checks in an attempt to scam people out of their hard-earned money. These checks were not sent by HCD Research, and have nothing to do with HCD Research in any way. They were mailed by someone or some organization that used our identity for fraudulent purposes. However, they attempt to fool people into thinking the checks are from us. The checks are NOT from HCD Research, and have no monetary value.

These checks are sent from a variety of locations around the country, and are sometimes accompanied by an email that is made to look like it’s coming from us. We can assure you, they are not. They sometimes mention “mystery shopping” and “customer feedback” as part of the deception. They also ask the recipient to deposit the check into their personal account and wire money through a money transfer service such as Western Union to a random account number. However, the check is fraudulent, and will ultimately bounce even if it is accepted by a bank for deposit or for cash. You will most likely, be held responsible for any money from a fraudulent check that you spend, withdraw or receive in cash from a bank or check cashing service. Therefore, any money that you transfer by wire will be your responsibility.

HCD Research has never run mystery shopper programs, and does not perform any type of check studies in this fashion in which a check is sent prior to your providing research feedback.

This type of scam is also being run using names from other market research companies.  Please be wary of  any check from a market research or research panel company that comes to you unsolicited and in a very high dollar amount.

If you believe you have received a fraudulent check from HCD Research, please DO NOT attempt to cash it under any circumstances.

Finally, please be aware that we at HCD Research are doing everything in our power to stop the perpetration and furtherance of this scam. If you have cashed the check, please contact your bank and your local law enforcement.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at support@hcdi.net.

Thank you in advance for your help and cooperation.

Regards,
The Staff of HCD Research.

Resolution Research Merging with Opinion Square

Earlier today, Opinion Square announced on its Facebook page that Permission Research will be merging with them. Permission Research, which is Opinion Square's sister site, is closing its points program March 31st of this year. If you are a member of Permission Research you will need to either spend your point or transfer them to Opinion Square. There is not an option to transfer points on Permission Research's website as of yet, but there have been members commenting on Opinion Squares Facebook page asking how this is to be done, so hopefully an answer will be given soon.

SayNation Closes its Doors

 

   If you have recently tried to access SayNation you may have noticed what use to be their main page now comes up as an unowned domain. It seems that they sent out emails to members a few days prior to the start of the new year stating that they would be closing indefinitely.

  There have been some members that noticed a decrease in surveys over the past year and problems with rewards redemption. There was very little customer support, which some suggest, may have been caused from a lack of employees. Of course, these are only speculations. It just goes to show you never know when a survey site will close.