Step By Step Guide To Becoming A Products Reviewer And Getting Paid In 2023

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Companies spend millions of dollars to gain insights and opinions from consumers. Product testing is an effective way in which brands allow real users to test their products or provide feedback on aspects of their products. The upside is that research companies offer rewards to product testers in exchange for valid and candid opinions.

In 2023, research companies reward product reviewers in various ways; PayPal, prepaid Visa cards, prepaid gift cards from retailers, and free products. Becoming a product reviewer and getting paid entails a quick application process. It takes a maximum of 7 steps to sign up.

Many people seek ways to boost their income, and product testing is feasible. Although you cannot earn a substantial and consistent income, you can make extra funds to cover your monthly expenses or get free products. Let’s look at the basic steps, how the process works, what to do, and how to get rewarded.

How Can You Become A Product Tester?

Register with a research company contracted to manufacturers and brands to become a product tester. Many companies provide research services; some are more reputable than others.

Signing up is uncomplicated; the standard process follows 7 steps:

1. Register on the research company’s website. Most corporate websites will direct you to the survey sign-up page. The 1^st stage of registration will require you to provide your name and contact details, and email address.
2. Legitimate test sites will send a mail to your email to verify your address and then direct you to the remainder of the online application. Check your spam or junk mail folders, as the registration mail may land there.
3. Read the mail and follow any instructions. Generally, you will be redirected to the site to set up your user ID and password if you still need to do so.

The next step is to complete a detailed profile questionnaire. You will be asked questions such as:

• Your age
• Where you live
• Type of work you do
• What you are interested in
• What you are experienced at
• Your hobbies
• How many kids do you have

Before submitting your profile, double-check the terms and conditions and confidentiality clauses. Agreeing to share your information with 3^rd party suppliers can be risky and intrude on your privacy.

4. Some research companies may request you to take a test to check your response style and whether you can provide the required feedback. If necessary, take the test; your application will be complete.
5. Look out for a welcome mail that tells you what you need to do to participate as a tester.
6. Wait for your 1^st set of instructions.

Most importantly, never provide credit card details to a research company!

Do Due Diligence Before Signing Up

Before signing up as a product tester, do some research on the Company to make sure that they are legitimate testers. Read a few reviews to confirm that they pay, and provide free products, vouchers, or gift cards as promised. Although companies are legitimate, they may be listed as slow payers.

Another frequent complaint about product tester payment is the scenario where testers earn points they cash out once their points reach a certain value. Many testers say that research companies stop sending surveys just before they achieve a cash-out value, depriving them of their earnings.

Although product testing is a good way to earn money, it is not lucrative enough to sustain an income. However, free products, samples, gift cards, or vouchers are useful rewards too.

Build A Reputation As An Excellent Product Tester

May research houses will rate testers, and depending on the quality of feedback, you may receive additional testing and surveys. This principle is particularly relevant when respondents write reviews or objectively test products.

Becoming a product tester requires a set of management and communication skills. If you belong to several test panels, you may need to prioritize surveys to ensure you meet deadlines and provide insightful feedback.

Here are some tips on becoming a respected product tester:

• Write well, organize your thoughts, and communicate them in order. Use correct grammar and punctuation. Many testing companies ask for descriptions and reviews, in which case use descriptive words to explain your experience but do not waffle. Stay concise and relevant.
• Be Flexible; you may receive an urgent product survey request which could be passed on to someone else if you are not accommodating. Build a good reputation as a tester; this will secure a long-term relationship with the research company. The more complex, lucrative assignments are assigned to respected testers.
• Communication – if you aren’t sure what is expected of you, ask questions. Most research companies provide contact details for queries.
• Be constructive in your feedback. Suppose you do not like something about a product, and researchers rely on you to tell them. Detail what you didn’t like and suggest what you would prefer.

Understand The Purpose Of The Test

Particularly with longer, more detailed tests and surveys, it is important to know the reason for testing so that you can provide relevant feedback.

Here are some examples of product testing categories:

• New product launch – When companies have developed a product, they must test it to ensure it meets all its intended requirements. Companies rely on honest answers and user experience to guide them as to what changes must be made. Often testers are given samples to try.
• Testing two variants – Research companies often test multiple variants to determine which customer prefers. Often these variants only differ slightly, which is all the more reason for you to give good feedback.
  Variant testing product testers are given free samples if products must be tasted, smelled, or touched. Alternatively, companies ask testers to select between designs or types of services and information.
• Quality assurance – Products are used and tested to ensure they meet industry standards and manufacturers’ claims about the product. In this instance, testers receive product samples.
• Market testing is often the 1^st step, where companies decide whether to produce a product. You will be asked questions such as, would you buy a certain product, or would a product or service be useful to you?
• Testing to improve a product – Brands often reformulate products to improve them or meet changing market needs. Surveys ask participants what they like and dislike about certain products.

How Will You Get Paid As A Product Tester?

Getting paid as a tester is one of the 1^st things to look at before signing up with a research company. Companies have different ways in which they reimburse testers. Let’s look at the most common information exchange rewards:

• Most research companies operate on a point system. Testers accumulate points for each survey they take part in. Points are cashed out through PayPal or gift cards. A prepaid Visa gift card is a frequently used reward.
• Store and online shopping gift cards are commonplace, with Amazon being used most often.
• Payment is directly into a PayPal account.
• Free samples are considered a form of payment.
• Some testing companies offer discount coupons or freebies as payment for customers’ opinions.

Steps On Getting Paid

In the registration process, as a tester, you will be asked certain questions such as your email account, contact details, and delivery address. Ensure you double-check the information you submit.

If payments are through PayPal, supply the same email address you use for PayPal; if your email address doesn’t match your PayPal address, you will have difficulty receiving your payment.

Research companies also reward respondents through free products that need to be claimed in-store or used at the check-out online. You will receive electronic coupons on your mobile device or a voucher code to use when you pay online. Most survey companies prefer electronic payment methods.

Product samples, however, will be sent to the delivery address you supply. Sample items are generally boxed and delivered by a reputable courier company.

How Much Will You Earn As A Product Tester?

Product testing earnings vary considerably and depend on the survey’s length and complexity. For product testing, income is much higher over an extended period than for shorter surveys.

Short surveys pay as little as $0.25, whereas more in-depth surveys pay up to $100 per survey. Income is not steady and depends on the frequency of the products submitted for testing and your match to the product’s target market.

Product testing is challenging because you only qualify for testing on some surveys. Research companies match your profile to the product survey requirements. You can only participate if your profile and the survey correlate.

Another earning frustration is you may be kicked out of a survey halfway through if an answer you provide disqualifies you. This wastes your time and effort and happens frequently. Some research companies have taken cognizance of this and pay a flat fee, albeit small, to compensate you for the time spent on that particular point in the survey.

Another factor influencing your earnings is that product surveys can be few and far between for your particular profile.

Top 13 List Of Sites That Offers Free Product Testing

There are many product testing sites on the internet. However, the sites that are credible and reward testers correctly are:

1. Swagbucks Is One Of The Best Product Testing Options

Swagbucks is among the best and most reliable product testing and rewards programs. Swagbucks uses different testing methods, such as online shopping, home testing, surveys, games, and free product trials. There is a host of ways in which Swagbucks rewards participants:

• Cash back for online purchases
• PayPal
• Amazon gift cards
• Store gift cards
• Prepaid Visa cards
• Checks delivered to your post box
• Cash prizes
• Cryptocurrency
• Gifts
• Sweepstake entries
• Swag codes

Swagbucks has a membership recognition program that rewards loyal participants. The recognition program has 10 tiers, and you progress through tiers based on your lifetime earnings on Swagbucks. You will receive bonuses or cash prizes as you progress to a new tier.

2. American Consumer Gives Points To Cash Out Through PayPal

The American Consumer Opinion does surveys about marketing, advertising, products, the economy, and ideas. Registration is simple and is done through your Google or Facebook account. You receive points for participation which you can cash out through PayPal.

3. JJ Friends & Neighbors Lets You Keep Products

Johnson & Johnson is committed to testing their products before they are sold. The JJ Friends & Neighbors Program sends you products to test from a wide range of product categories, such as self-care products, face creams, soaps, and makeup. Once you have finished testing the product, you keep it.

JJ & Friends also has online surveys, focus groups, and consumer panels who do tests and surveys. You will be paid in prepaid Visa gift cards.

4. McCormick & Company Pay For Food Testing

McCormick & Company has a product testing panel for food. If you live in the Hunt Valley near Baltimore, McCormick recruits testers for in-house testing. Participants receive preloaded Amazon gift cards for home tests.

The Company sends out emails for recruiting, but you need to respond quickly to get a spot on the panel. Remuneration depends on the length and complexity of the survey. Product testers may participate 4 times per year.

5. UserTesting.com Pays $10 For 20 Minutes

UserTesting test websites for clients. It is an international site which makes testing interesting. You need to register on the website and take an online test before UserTesting assigns test material to you. This site requests your perspective on different brands, technology, and companies.

Test opportunities are posted daily, and your earnings are paid into a PayPal account.

The Company assigns tests based on specific criteria for each product or website. Your profile is selected if you meet the demographic requirements for an assignment.

6. Beta Testing Pays $10 For Each Assessment

Clients contract beta Testing to test products for tech companies. If registered as a tester, you must appraise websites, apps, and tech products to determine whether they meet user criteria. Please register as a tester on their site. Tests will be allocated according to your profile. It’s an international company and has 350k product testers across the globe.

The more detailed and useful your answers are, the more tests you will be invited to participate in. For longer tests of 45 – 60 minutes, you earn between $15 – $30. Tests that take place over an extended time pay even more.

7. PINCHme Sends Free Samples For Testing

Major consumer brands send PINCHme products to test. PINCHme then puts together product boxes based on testers’ profiles. The free product boxes are sent to testers to use and, in turn, provide feedback. PINCHme has a strong social media presence, and many of its products are reviewed on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

A bonus is that PINCHme often sends additional questions to testers. If the tester answers the question quickly, they receive extra free products.

8. Daily Goodie Box

The Daily Goodie Box recruits testers to try out consumer products and provide feedback. Goodie Boxes include samples and full-size products. Testers do not receive any cash payments or gift cards.

9. LifePoints Rewards You With Gift Cards And PayPal Credit

LifePoints is a reputable researcher that pays for conversation. Survey respondents receive gift cards from Amazon and Takealot or are paid via PayPal. LifePoints is an international product testing community. Members share opinions and ideas about certain products or product categories. Register on the website to become a community member.

10. BzzAgent Sends Free Samples

BzzAgent uses testers to give feedback on a vast array of products for its clients. Most products are reviewed on social media pages such as Facebook and Instagram. Testers must follow BzzAgent on social media and share their review on social platforms. Testers register online and create a profile. Product tests are matched the user’s profile details.

11. Smiley 360 Provides Free Products To Test

Smiley 360 is another research company that distributes product boxes to testers in exchange for their feedback on the products. Smiley’s dedicated feedback platform enables testers to provide direct feedback to brands. Testers are encouraged to share feedback and reviews on their social media networks and with members of the Smiley 360 community.

12. Opinion Outpost Lets You Earn Through PayPal

Opinion Outpost is a research company that services some of the biggest brands. They facilitate a link between consumers’ opinions and brands looking to improve their products. To earn points, respondents must complete short surveys online. Points can be redeemed as cash through PayPal or prepaid gift cards from Visa and Amazon.

13. Survey Junkie Is A Popular Testing Site

On your Survey Junkie dashboard, you will find a list of surveys suited to you. The surveys show the time it takes to complete and how much you will be paid per survey. Survey Junkie pays between $0.50 – $3 for each survey you complete. Survey Junkie does direct deposits in the US, but you can only cash out when you reach a value of $5 (500 points.)

6 Other Companies That Pay Product Testers

 In addition to the top 13 companies listed above, there are other product testing opportunities. However, these have not received as high a review, or there are other problematic issues that the tester has commented on.

1. National Consumer Panel Rewards You For Shopping

NCP is a service that Nielsen provides to its clients in conjunction with IRI. As a participant, you will be given a barcode reader or use an App on your phone to scan every product you buy. This will earn you points which you can use to get gift cards and products. NCP does not pay cash.

2. Toluna Rewards With Redeemable Points

Toluna is a community-based research company that pays for your opinion on products. In exchange for points, influencers participate in online surveys, community polls, discussions, and games. Points can be exchanged for gift cards or cash.

3. Ipsos Isay Pays With Points

Ipsos Isay is a consumer feedback system that pays for product surveys. Isay has a dedicated platform for reviews. Participants are rewarded with points to cash out through PayPal, Visa cards, and preloaded gift cards such as Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Apple, and Lowes.

Ipsos is an established international research organization, and what’s great about Ipsos is you can donate your points to a charitable cause.

4. Vocal Point Rewards Reviewers With Gift Cards

Vocal point matches testers’ interests with products and asks product testers to write surveys on goods that appeal to them. Vocal point pays with gift cards and exclusive offers.

5. Pinecone Research Earns You Points

Pinecone only sometimes has tester slots, and their selection criteria are stringent. The Company tests products before they launch. Testers earn points which can be exchanged for cash, gift cards, or branded goods. Pinecone will record your information, and if a product test matches your details, they will contact you to participate.

6. Inbox Dollars Pays $0.50 Per Survey

Inbox Dollars is a legitimate survey rewards company and is a relatively simple way to boost your income. Inbox Dollars rewards you with a $5 bonus for signing up. You are paid in cash to your PayPal account. Inbox Dollars is not a point-based survey company.

Wrap Up

Product testing is an excellent way to earn extra money or receive free products. It’s easy to sign up as a product tester. However, product testing will not earn you a sustainable income. Research companies pay for feedback with a redeemable point system, PayPal payments, or prepaid gift Visa cards. Free products are often used as an incentive.

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