Pinecone Research - A Full Review

Pinecone Research is one of the top companies in the survey panel industry. It provides an opportunity for consumers to express their opinions and influence the products and services that businesses bring to the market.

They do this by collecting consumer surveys for their clients, looking for consumer feedback. You, the consumer, can earn cash and rewards by taking some of your time, only 15-20 minutes, to answer questions about an array of products, including electronics, children and babies, home appliances, sports equipment, health & beauty, and much more.

Keep on reading, and I’ll tell you a little about market research, how it works, how you can become a Pinecone Research participant, their rules of engagement, the cash and rewards you can collect, and some of the pros and cons of their model.

By the time you finish your reading, I promise you’ll have a better understanding of the process and whether Pinecone Research is a way for you to voice your opinion and maybe supplement your income.

First, How Does Market Research Work?

Like other survey sites, Pinecone Research allows businesses to receive feedback from consumers. For the participant, working with Pinecone Research is straightforward. You answer questions on a survey in exchange for cash or rewards.

Pinecone Research is owned by the market research company Nielsen, the global marketing research company, operating in more than 100 countries, founded in 1923. You might know of Nielsen because of The Nielsen Ratings, helping people who work in TV, radio, and advertising understand how their content performs.

Pinecone focuses on improving the quality of products through international research by collecting surveys for its clients through targeted demographics. They reward survey participants through a reward system.

Keep reading on for the information you’ll need to make an informed choice about how you’ll choose to spend your time and for what rewards.

Becoming a Pinecone Research Participant

One area that stands Pinecone Research apart from other survey sites is its uncommonness in attracting participants. Being a member of their research is considered exclusive. There are two ways to become a participant in Pinecone Research:

1. Another member of Pinecone Research can invite you.
2. You need to find a link on a website, via a banner ad, to join. The idea is to recruit participants who are already their target market due to their sites. To help you out, here is a link to sign up and become a member with Pinecone.
3. You must be 18-years old and a resident of The United States, Germany, Canada, or The United Kingdom. Pinecone Research has independent research for each country.

*NOTE: When attempting to register, they will ask your gender and age. Understand, you may still be unable to enroll even if you want to be a participant and fit these criteria because, at this time, they may already have enough.

Pinecone Research Rules

There are rules associated with all survey companies. Here are some of Pinecone Research:

• It’s a “one member per house” survey. There can only be one spokesperson per house, so you can’t earn multiple incomes with multiple household members.
• There is an expectation that participants complete their survey promptly.
• If you’re out of town or your computer breaks, you can suspend your survey, but if you plan on taking a more extended holiday, you have to seek approval from the company.

How to Collect Payment and Rewards:

You accumulate points for each survey you take. Pinecone Research will award a minimum of 300 points per survey, which equates to $3.00. After you’ve completed your first survey, they will send you a check to the address you’ve given in the mail to confirm your account information. After receiving your first check, you can choose how you’d like to get your future rewards. Here are some ways:

• Bank Transfer
• Amazon e-Cards
• Catalog and gift cards which include Starbucks, Walmart, Home Depot, and more
• Prepaid Visa cards (US Only)

The Pros and Cons of Pinecone Research

While Pinecone Research is considered a first-rate survey site that will pay you for your opinion, there are pros and cons to consider whether to become a participant with Pinecone Research:

The Pros:

• The survey doesn’t take long – only 15-30 minutes to complete.
• The Average user can earn up to $15 more monthly than at other survey sites.
• You won’t waste time with pre-qualification questions because you are qualified when invited. Saving time is because Pinecone Research already knows who they’re looking for, i.e., women between the ages of 40 – 55.
• They may allow you to test a product before it hits the market. If you love being on the leading edge, being an early adopter, or maybe you’re just a geek, you will love this aspect of Pinecone Research!
• You can redeem your points for various options such as gift cards for Walmart, Home Depot, Starbucks, Amazon, and more.

The Cons:

• Users collect points that they have to convert to cash – this can take a couple of days.
• Some experts consider the interface and website not very user-friendly.
• Desktop or laptop only. You can’t take the surveys on your mobile device.
• You can only become a member if invited by an existing member or joining through a website that you’re looking at that has a link to their site for membership.
• There are times when they won’t take new members because their panel is complete and new members aren’t needed.
• You can get kicked out. There are different reasons for this:
• You violate confidentiality.
• You violate the membership agreement.
• You register multiple people on your account.
• You no longer fit the panel composition they need due to changes in the general population.

Overall, Pinecone is considered reliable, trustworthy, and reputable. It is over ten years old and has paid out millions in rewards to its members. On the site sitejabber.com, you can read some of the reviews made by users of Pinecone Research.

A Final Thought

As with any product or service, not every consumer will like how Pinecone Research provided the service. It’s up to you, as the consumer, to research and determine whether Pinecone Research will be one of the ways you choose to spend your time and earn that extra money. Join Pinecone Research Now!