Questions
Definitions
Why should I register with Reckner?
Reckner conducts many types of opinion and consumer research studies for national and
international companies. Registering with us gives you the opportunity to tell
them what you think of the products and services they offer to consumers. Once
you register, Reckner will contact you either by phone or email to invite you to
various studies. Each time you participate in one of our studies you are given a
cash incentive for your time and it is fun!
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Does it cost anything to join?
Participation is absolutely free! As a matter of fact, we pay you for your time and opinions!
You simply need to register in order to receive invitations for our research studies.
No legitimate opinion research company requires you to pay to become a member of their database.
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How do I refer a friend?
If you know someone who you think would like to participate in our studies, have them contact us.
You can send them an email through the referral page of the website or you can give them our phone number, 877-572-DATA.
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Why do I have to verify my registration through email?
Reckner follows a double opt-in process for registration.
This ensures that we only capture personal information from people who truly wish to participate in studies with Reckner.
Also, by receiving an email with a password protected link, we ensure that your information is acquired through a protected site.
All information that you give is treated with the utmost care and is never divulged to our clients or sold to any third party.
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Can my children participate?
Periodically Reckner conducts research with children as young as 6 years old.
We would contact you, the parent, to see if it is something that you would like your child to have an opportunity to do.
We never attempt to contact children without parental consent.
Reckner complies with the standards for conducting research with children as it is outlined by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998.
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Why do I have to provide personal information in the registration process?
These types of questions are classified as “demographic” questions by opinion research companies.
They are asked so that we can do a better job of contacting the right type of people for participation in the studies.
For instance, we would use gender information to target the right people for participation in a study about female specific products.
All information you provide us is kept in the strictest of confidence, we never share your individual information with the client; all information is presented as a group. Reckner is a member of CASRO and abides by their Code of Standards for Survey Research. If you are interested in learning more about CASRO, visit their website at
www.casro.org.
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What steps do you take to ensure that my information is protected?
Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on our security practices.
Reckner will not divulge your personal information to any third party or client.
Your information is used to contact you, screen you and send compensation where applicable.
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Will you or any of the companies you work for try to sell me anything?
No. Reckner and its clients are only interested in your opinion, attitudes, and purchasing behavior
regarding the products and services we ask you about.
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What type of compensation will I receive when I do studies?
Compensation is usually a monetary gift. Compensation rates are based on the type of survey you are participating in,
the complexity of the survey itself, and the amount of time required to complete the survey. Sometimes, compensation is in the form of a drawing,
a sample product, or a donation to a charity of choice.
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I already registered, but I haven't been contacted for a study. What should I do?
Once you register, it may take a while to match you with a study that is right for you. If you are concerned,
you could always call us and check that your information is accurate and up-to-date, or by checking your profile online.
We can be reached by phone at 1-877-572-DATA.
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Do I have to participate in every study that I receive an invitation for?
No. You have the right to decide which surveys you participate in. Not every topic will be appealing to every person.
Feel free to opt out or not respond to a given invitation if you feel you are not the right person or if you are too busy to participate.
Reckner does numerous studies in a given year so there will be many opportunities for you to complete a study for us!
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Why is it that sometimes you contact me, ask me several questions, and then tell me that the “quota is full”?
Additional questions are asked to ensure that we invite the right group of people to participate in each survey.
Because there are many different groups of people that might be appropriate for the survey, we have to set quotas to make sure that each group is represented.
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What steps should I take to prepare for a focus group?
When you sign up for a specific study, you are given the following instructions: In order to participate in this study you must bring a
Photo ID with you. Acceptable forms of ID are: a driver's license, a state non-driver photo ID, or a passport. No other forms of ID are acceptable.
Please arrive 15 minutes early so you can check in. No children will be permitted at the session. Please bring reading glasses with you if needed.
Please call if you are unable to make your scheduled appointment or if you have any questions.
NOTE: On occasion, respondents will be asked to do a homework assignment ahead of time, such as journaling, making a collage,
tracking usage of a product or service, etc. You will be told about this at the time you are scheduled, and paperwork is usually delivered via e-mail
or federal express a week or so before your scheduled group. Please turn off your cell phone or pager when entering the building.
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What steps should I take to prepare for a taste test study?
Arrive 10-15 minutes early in order to fill out paperwork and begin your session on time. Bring Photo ID.
Acceptable forms of ID are: a driver's license, a state non-driver photo ID, or a passport. No other forms of ID are acceptable.
Please bring reading glasses with you if needed. No children will be permitted at the session. Do not wear scented products such as lotion,
perfume, or cologne. Do not wear lipstick or lip gloss. Do not eat, smoke, or drink coffee ½ hour prior to the start of your session.
Please turn off your cell phones or pagers when entering the building.
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What should I expect when I get to the facility to participate in a study?
You will sign in at the reception desk and be asked to show your Photo ID.
You may be asked to fill out a short questionnaire and sign some forms for confidentiality purposes.
You can bring something to read while you wait for the rest of the participants to check in.
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Confidentiality
This word has two meanings in consumer and opinion research. First, it refers to maintaining the privacy of the respondents
who participate in our studies. At no time is any of your personal information shared with the client nor are your individual responses revealed;
all data is presented to the client in total. Confidentiality also refers to the fact that respondents are not told information about the purpose of the
study, who it is being conducted for, or specifics about the product they are testing (such as brand name).
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Focus Group
A focus group is a type of qualitative research. It is a roundtable discussion where small groups (8 to 10) of respondents are asked to
share their opinions about a specific topic of interest. Focus groups are lead by a trained moderator whose job it is to guide the discussion.
These groups usually last between 1.5 and 2 hours and are done at a central location.
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Home Use Test (HUT)
This type of research requires respondents to use product(s) at home for a specific period of time.
Sometimes respondents will need to come to a central location to pick up the product and sometimes it will be mailed to their homes.
The study is designed to capture respondents' opinions and reactions to the product(s) once the usage period is over; this can be done by a paper
questionnaire, a follow up telephone call or by accessing a survey through the internet.
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Incentive
Respondents receive gifts for their participation in consumer opinion research studies conducted by Reckner.
Usually these gifts are in the form of monetary compensation, sweepstakes, samples of products for their use, or charitable contributions.
Reckner typically compensates its respondents with a monetary gift that varies in amount depending on the type of study.
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In-depth Interview
In-depth interviews are meant to capture information and opinions from
a respondent in an unstructured manner. There is usually a discussion outline that is meant
to help guide the flow of the interview. In-depth interviews are conducted by trained moderators
and qualitative specialists. This is a type of qualitative research.
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Marketing and Opinion Research
A process by which businesses collect, analyze and interpret information. This information can be anything that will allow them
to make better business decisions (i.e. pricing a product, type of packaging, overall acceptance of the product itself, etc.)
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Moderator
A moderator is someone who has received specialized training to conduct qualitative research including but not limited to focus groups
and in-depth interviews.
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One-on-one Interview
A one-on-one interview is conducted in-person and usually involves a respondent and an interviewer.
These types of interviews could be either qualitative or quantitative in nature. This could also be referred to as a personal interview.
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Online Survey
This is a questionnaire that is administered via the Internet. The length of the survey can vary.
Online surveys can be used as an alternative to a telephone survey or in conjunction with a home use test.
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Qualitative Research
A research method designed to yield an in-depth understanding of the question posed.
Rather than a specific set of questions, there is often just an outline of topics.
The process is often collaborative like a focus group experience or a one-on-one interview.
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Quantitative Research
A research method used to statistically estimate the behavior of the population under study.
This is the data that is reported with confidence levels and/or standard deviations.
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Quota
This is the term that is used to identify the quantity of interviews/surveys that must be completed for a given study.
In most cases, there are several quotas that must be met and each has a specific set of requirements.
Quotas can be thought of as “buckets”; we must obtain a certain number of people for each bucket to meet the overall requirement for a study.
Some examples of types of quotas we might have for a given study could be: age quotas, gender quotas, product usage quotas (heavy users vs. non-users),
quotas by various flavor users for a food product (X # of strawberry, N # of Vanilla), etc.
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Respondent
This is the name used to refer to the person who is invited to participate in a study and provide their opinions.
Regardless of what type of study it is, this person is always referred to as the 'respondent'.
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Taste Test
Respondents are asked to come into a central location and evaluate a food or beverage product using their senses.
During these types of tests, respondents will provide feedback on the products by tasting the product and telling what they like and dislike about it.
Sometimes there will be just one product and sometimes there are several products to taste and determine which one is preferred.
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Telephone Survey
Telephone surveys are interviews that are conducted over the telephone.
The length will vary depending on the topic and number of questions to be covered.
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Test Product
he term used to refer to the product that will be evaluated in taste tests or home use tests.
When there are several products, they will usually be identified by a 3-digit code on the package/bottle.
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