I joined the LightSpeed Consumer Panel a few months ago and I am generally pleased with it in most aspects. At first I was a bit annoyed to learn that this survey company only reward survey participants with prize draw entries but I am now quite happy with this as I can quickly accumulate a large number of entries each month and because it actually looks like I have a reasonable chance of winning some day.
The main way of earning entries is by completing the surveys but entries can also be earned by completing mini-polls and updating your profiles every now and again. I was surprised at how many entries I had earned in my first month (160) and I was therefore content with the time I had invested with them. Still my main gripe with the LightSpeed Consumer Panel is that the rewards shouldn’t be 100% prize draw entries as it can seem a bit pointless at times, especially during the longer surveys.
The surveys are released quite often – usually once a week. The mini-polls are very short and easy to complete – they are released several times per month. The surveys are usually fun to complete as they make good use of audio and video integration. Another thing I like is that the surveys are usually VERY straight-forward and easy to understand. Another benefit is that the surveys seem to stay open for quite a long period of time so you don’t have to scramble to complete them.
Overall I think the LightSpeed Consumer Panel is a fun and pleasant company to use but you should consider the time it takes you to earn these prize draw entries and whether your time is being put to good use. However if you live in the US it is possible to convert your points into cash once you have reached the $25 payout level but of course this is not much use to me because I live in the UK.
Richard Hamill
(RAH)