American Consumer Opinion

American Consumer Opinion is an online survey company that offers participants a chance to win a cash drawing for completing quick, fun surveys and actual cash (between $4 to $50) for completing more extensive, in depth surveys that they refer to as "focus groups." The site contends that focus group participants generally do not make less than $50.

To join American Consumer Opinion, you need to click on to www.acop.com. This will bring you to the site's home page where you can sign up for the site. After you complete the questions, a confirmation link will be sent to your e-mail address under the name of "Ann Parks." The site warns that many of these e-mails end up in your bulk or spam folder, so if you are interested in receiving e-mails from the site, you should add the name "Ann Parks" to your e-mail address book.

American Consumer Opinion has been around for about 10 years. It's a legitimate site, but, unfortunately, does not offer a lot of money. There are several pros and cons to joining American Consumer Opinions:

Pros:

- The site is open to international residents. You don't have to live in the United States to participate and there is no age limit, although since many of the surveys pertain to work and other adult-oriented activities, teenagers will find the questions boring;

- There is a steady flow of both short surveys and longer questionnaires available to participants;

- Your information is private; they will never try to sell you anything, spam your mailbox with ads or telephone you.;

- The site has been around a long time and is respected in the marketing community.

Cons:

- There is no guarantee of earning anything for completing the short surveys, only an opportunity to win cash in a monthly drawing. To date, I haven't won anything. Only one person wins each month and the winner receives $250;

- The cash received for participating in a lengthy survey is not paid to you by the site, but by the company requesting the information. You may end up waiting four to six weeks for a $4 check;

- You don't get to pick which surveys you want to complete, you'll receive them by e-mail;

- There are times when the site goes "down" in the middle of your survey, which means you have to take the entire thing over again. The reason the American Consumers give for this is that the site is experiencing "too much traffic." But it is extremely frustrating.

American Consumer Opinion is a subsidiary company for Decision Analysis Inc., a Dallas based marketing research company. The company performs research for a variety of corporations around the world, including fast food chains, railroad corporations and airlines.

One creative way to make money with this site, instead of merely participating in the surveys, is to become an affiliate of the company. This can be done by filling out a form via e-mail and asking to have a banner, or link posted to your website. The company pays 50 cents for every person who joins the site when clicking on to your ad.

If you have an independent website or blog, this is an easy way to make a few extra dollars as the amount paid to affiliates is considerable as compared to other companies that offer the same incentive. But the person has to sign up to join the site, not simply click on the ad. Once you have accumulated $10 in affiliate fees, the company will send you a check. Monies paid to affiliates are made on a monthly basis.

On a scale of one to ten, I'd have to rate American Consumer Opinion a five. It's not a big money maker, but is totally legitimate, private and, using the affiliate program, is a painless way to make a few extra dollars online.

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