The Lowdown on Product Testing - Part 4

We are in the home stretch with the “Lowdown on Product Testing” series. In Part 1, I talked about how consumer product testing works – including the benefits, time commitment, and precautions. In Part 2, I told you about SheSpeaks – a forum-based product review company for women. And in Part 3, I profiled BzzAgent – a word-of-mouth marketing and media company involved in product testing.

To wrap up this series, here’s a list of additional reputable market research companies who work with consumers to provide input to product manufacturers:

StartSampling – This is an online sampling company where members can select items to sample and receive Frequent Tryer Miles (FTM) to be redeemed for prizes. Membership is free.

PineCone Research – This is a market research panel for new products. Membership is usually by invitation only. Occasionally, PineCone Research recruits new members by posting banners on specific websites, and you must enter their site through the banner to qualify for membership. When the membership banners are spotted, often they are mentioned on forums, such as Refund Cents. PineCone product surveys are confidential, and members are required to agree to a confidentiality agreement to take part in the surveys. PineCone invites members to complete individual surveys based on their consumer profile, and members are paid $3 for each survey completed. Occasionally, PineCone will send members a product to test and complete a follow-up survey which includes additional compensation.

General Mills Pssst – This is a manufacturer-run market research division of General Mills which gathers feedback from consumers and shares information on new products. Pssst membership is free and members are encouraged to spread the word about the new General Mills products. I’m currently testing Fiber One Mocha bars for Pssst.

Kashi Taste Tester Panel – This is another manufacturer-run testing panel. Simply sign-up at the Kashi website, and after you create an account, select the “Edit Settings” option, and then select “Taste Tester Panel.” After completing a short survey, you will receive a coupon in the mail for a free Kashi product. Here’s a picture of the one I received.

Kraft First Taste – Again, this is yet another manufacturer-run testing division. I signed up several months ago, but I haven’t received anything yet…crossing my fingers!

Hopefully this series has given you a good primer on product testing. In my experience, it’s been a fun way to test new products, and it doesn’t cost a thing. As you get more involved in product testing for different companies, you’ll see your invitations to test new products increase. Generally, I receive a new opportunity every week. In the time since I began writing this series, I’ve begun testing three new products: TGI Friday’s Late Night brand (BzzAgent), John Frieda’s Root Awakening Hair Care products (BzzAgent), and Sinupret for Kids (SheSpeaks). In this time, I’ve also turned down the opportunity to participate in a two-week diaper study, because it didn’t fit into my schedule.

If you enjoy getting things free and having the opportunity to provide feedback on products, I’d encourage you to get involved in product testing. The keys to remember are that it shouldn’t cost you anything to participate, it shouldn’t be very time-consuming, and most importantly, it should be something you enjoy doing!

Your Turn: Are you currently a product tester? If so, tell us which companies. If not, are you thinking about becoming a product tester after reading this series?

The Lowdown on Product Testing - Part 3

Today, I'm continuing on with my product testing series and will tell you about BzzAgent. (Click HERE for part 1 and HERE for part 2.)

BzzAgent is a word-of-mouth marketing and media company. Product testers are called BzzAgents, and their duty is to spread the word about the products they are testing, called BzzCampaigns.

Getting Started

Sign up at BzzAgent.com to join. In addition to the questions asked when joining, BzzAgent posts themed polls on their site for you to complete from time-to-time. You earn points for each poll you complete, and you become eligible for BzzCampaigns. When a new BzzCampaign comes along that fits your profile, BzzAgent will send you an e-mail inviting you to join the BzzCampaign. The staff at BzzAgent selects specific testers to invite to each campaign, so you have to be invited in order to join. There is also a limit to total participants allowed in certain campaigns, so if you do receive an invite, act fast with your acceptance.

BzzCampaigns

Once you have joined a BzzCampaign, you will receive a BzzKit in the mail. It will contain the product, coupons, and a BzzGuide that provides instructions and suggestions for spreading the word about the product. After you’ve spread some “Buzz”, you are expected to complete a BzzReport on the BzzAgent site explaining the details of your “buzzing” about the product. The more you “buzz” and the more you report, the more future BzzCampaigns you will be invited to join. You will also be assigned a status based on your level of participation. My status is “Busy Bee.”

Additional Perks

BzzAgent used to award points to be redeemed on their site for gift cards and rewards. They got rid of that over a year ago, and now, when you complete a BzzReport or poll, you receive MyPoints, which can be redeemed on the MyPoints website. It’s a nice little perk on top of getting the product you’re testing for free.

What I’ve Tested

I’ve been a BzzAgent for several years and have tested dozens of products, including: Canadian Club Whiskey, Vanilla Royale, Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner, Dodge Ram Trucks (no – I didn’t get a free truck – just promotional materials!), Smuckers Uncrustables, Pledge Dusters, and several more.

The vast majority of BzzCampaigns are at no cost to the product testers. Occasionally, there is a BzzCampaign for a high-value product where the testers are required to pay a fee to join the campaign. Generally, BzzAgent.com subsidizes the majority of the cost and offers you the product to test at a reduced cost. Over the years, I’ve only been invited to 2 or 3 campaigns with a cost – one for a clothing steamer and one for a game system – and I just chose not to join these campaigns.

Current BzzCampaigns

I’m currently testing the following products: Afrin PureSea, Palmolive Pure+Clear, and Boston Market products.

Additional BzzCampaigns currently underway include: Neutrogena Cosmetics, Dannon DanActive, Got2B lotion, Ontario Turkey, Chili’s Restaurant, Pepsi AMP, Florida’s Natural, Clean & Clear, Diet Mountain Dew, Walgreens Take Care Clinic.

Up Next: In Part 4, I'll wrap up this series with a list of additional reputable product testing companies and give you the lowdown on how they work.

The Lowdown on Product Testing - Part 2

Remember that package of ice cream on my doorstep that I blogged about last week? Well, it was my Haagen Dazs party kit from SheSpeaks, and it included 7 pints of ice cream, an ice cream scoop, coupons, recipes, and sampling supplies.

Today, I’m profiling SheSpeaks, a forum-based product review company for women only. If you missed Part 1 – click HERE. Here’s the lowdown on how SheSpeaks works.

Getting Started

Prospective female testers sign up on the SheSpeaks website and answer a series of questions about themselves. There is no cost to become a product tester. The SheSpeaks staff will match available products to testers based on tester profile.

Product Tester Requirements

Once you are selected for a product test, you will receive a package in the mail within a few weeks. After you’ve tried the product, you are asked to provide feedback to SheSpeaks and discuss the product with other testers on the SheSpeaks discussion boards. You will also receive product information and coupons to share with friends and family.

What I’ve Tested

I’ve been a tester for SheSpeaks for the past few months. In that time, I’ve tested two products – Ghirardelli Chocolate and Haagen Dazs ice cream. (Can you tell this is for women?!?) I’ve also recently been asked to product test a popular cooking magazine and will be receiving a free one-year subscription as part of the test.

What’s Unique About SheSpeaks

SheSpeaks has recently rolled out the “taste taste party” concept. With these, testers are asked to invite friends and family to try out the products and provide feedback. The Haagen Dazs product test is one of these. Last week’s Haagen Dazs ice cream social was a blast, and my guests came up with great feedback for the manufacturer.

Up Next: Part 3 – I’ll share with you the Buzz about a company called BzzAgent.

The Lowdown on Product Testing - Part 1

Today, we’re beginning a new series on consumer product testing. For the past few years, I’ve been a product tester for numerous market research firms and manufacturers. Not only do I get to try the latest products on the market, but I also get to keep them for free along with high-value coupons to purchase more or pass along to my friends. In this series, I’ll tell you about the companies I work with, the necessary time commitment, and benefits of product testing.

How It Works

When manufacturers are considering bringing new products to market, they look to ordinary consumers to test-drive their product concepts and provide honest feedback and opinions. Some manufacturers, like General Mills, have their very own market research division which works directly with consumers to generate feedback on new or existing products on the market. Other manufacturers hire market research firms to work with consumers to generate feedback.

Product Tester Precautions

All the companies I work with are free to sign up. There is never a cost to test out the products. If you fit the consumer profile they are targeting, you will be invited to participate in the test free of charge. Be extremely wary of any market research firm that changes a fee to sign up.

The Perks of Product Testing

Product testing is a great way to stretch your grocery budget. It allows you to try new products without the investment in something you’re not sure whether you will like or not. It also allows you to provide your feedback to manufacturers on what you like about a product or what you would change. Your opinions influence what ends up on the market.

Product Privacy

Some testing companies focus on product development and testing new product concepts. In this case, often the tester is required to keep the product information confidential. Other testing companies focus on new products that have just come on the market. Their goal is to get people talking about their new products and generate excitement for these products. In this case, testers are free to share product information with everyone.

Product Tester Requirements

Tester requirements vary by company, but most require only a small time commitment. Some require the tester to complete surveys from time-to-time to help match consumer tester profiles to the product target consumer. Others require only you to complete an initial questionnaire when registering. Still others monitor your participation and quality of feedback on initial product tests to determine eligibility for future product tests.

Here are just a few of the products I’ve tested over the years: Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner, Pledge Dusters, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Yoplait Yogurt, YoBaby Yogurt, Smuckers Uncrustables, Coca-Cola products, Taco Bell products…and on and on.

Up Next: In Part 2, I’ll tell you about SheSpeaks, the market research firm for which I’m currently testing Haagen Dazs ice cream. Later, in Part 3, I’ll talk about BzzAgent, a word of mouth firm for which I’m currently testing Boston Market products, Palmolive dish soap, and Afrin.