NPD Online Research Review: Is it More than a Name Change?
Updated on: October 17, 2018 by anvitalis
Names come and go, but does the site stay the same? NPD Online Research is certainly not the first survey site to change its name. The question is, what else comes with the name change?
Is the site improved? Is it worse for the change? Is it solely a name change or did owners change as well?
The History
What is now known as VIP Voice, formerly known as NPD Online Research, is owned by the NPD Group. This popular marketing group has been around for over 30 years.
They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and they were founded in the 1960s.
There are 5 complaints on their BBB file, but they are extremely minimal. They responded in a timely manner with an appropriate response, and the complaint was closed.
They are listed 8th in the AMA Gold Report list of Top 50 marketing research firms in the world. Clients are served in 20 countries across 20 different industries.
As for surveys, they do outsource a lot to the Toluna group.
The website claims they have submitted over 12 million surveys each year is a wide range of industries including:
- Beauty
- Food/ beverage
- Clothing
- Sports
- Home goods
- Recreation.
Can Anyone Join?
Residents of Canada must be at least 18. In the United States, you can join as young as 13 years old with parental permission.
What’s the Deal?
There is no new secret here. VIP Voice, formerly NPD Research, is the same as every other survey site in this respect. Sign up with your email and standard contact information.
Once that is done, you can flesh out your profile to help ensure you do not waste any more time than you have to on surveys that you will not qualify to complete. The profile surveys are time-consuming, but you get points for them. It saves time in the long run for sure.
Another bonus here that sets them apart from other sites, in addition to the points you get for finishing profile surveys, is that you can get from 25 to 200 points for surveys that you screen out of. That is more than most sites offer, as many do not offer anything for the time spent on surveys you are disqualified from.
Once the profile surveys are complete, sit back and wait for the paid surveys to come rolling in. They may be emailed, added to your account, or both. This means you have to watch your email and filter your spam accordingly.
How Do You Make Money?
There is no cash to be made here. That is the most glaring difference between this site and others.
Throw out the idea you can get gift cards too. You can’t. The only thing you can trade in points for at VIP Voice, formerly NPD Research, is bids in BidLand, or sweeps entries in SweepsLand.
BidLand
I bet you can guess what this is. It is exactly as it sounds. BidLand is an online auction site. You can use your points to bid on prizes. There are a ton of options, including:
- gift cards
- housewares
- electronics
- much more.
Some examples of things people have won through bids include: Amazon gift cards, pots and pans, tablets, and even Bose speakers!
The prizes are high quality, but not guaranteed. You do have to win the auction to obtain them, which means you very well could see nothing for your effort. Some panel members are pleased with what they win, but there are those that have been members for years and have never seen anything for their hard work.
It sounds disappointing, but it is important to remember that your ability to win is directly related to the number of points you have. If you are consistent for a year, you could easily build more points than someone who had been inconsistent for several years.
Access to auctions is limited by what tier you are in. Your tier is based on how many surveys you have finished. This means your access to certain prizes is based on how active you are on the site.
Also, if you place a bid and do not win the item, your points go back into your account. You do not lose the points unless you win your bid.
SweepsLand
I bet you guessed this one too. SweepsLand is a magical world where you can trade your points in for sweepstakes entries. Sweepstakes prizes are amazing. They include trips, $1,000 cash prizes, and even VIP Voice scholarships.
There are also smaller prizes available such as gift cards, crockpots, and earbuds. One person even won an outdoor playset.
It costs one VIP Point for one entry. If you enter, pay attention to your email. This is how winners are notified one to two weeks after the contest closes. Names are also posted on the winners list.
Points spent on sweeps entries are gone. You lose them, whether you win or not.
How Many Points Can You Get for Each Survey?
Now you need to know how quickly you can earn points so that you have a chance at a prize.
VIP Points are paid out on a system of tiers. I have never seen this type of system before, but it isn’t terrible.
Here’s how it works. Tiers are based on how many surveys you have taken, and you earn a set number of points per survey based on your tier.
The chart below explains it better.
Tier | # of Surveys Completed | Points Awarded if Disqualify | Points Awarded if Qualify and Complete |
1 | 1 | 25 | 50 |
2 | 2-4 | 50 | 100-150 |
3 | 5-9 | 100 | 175-275 |
4 | 10-19 | 150 | 300-525 |
5 | 20+ | 200 | 550 |
It is a system set up to reward dedicated, loyal panelists. It is also designed to help avoid frustration due to screening out of surveys.
Another plus is that you do not have to worry about trying to find a balance between which surveys take the most time versus which ones pay the most. They all pay the same. Just take the shortest ones first.
Points accumulate quickly under this system, so you can start trying to get prizes fairly quickly. This is also different, as with many sites where you trade in points for gift cards or PayPal deposits, it can take a while to earn the minimum points necessary to cash out.
Other Things to Consider
There was one, but only one, complaint about increased telemarketing calls after signing up with VIP Voice. It may or may not be an issue for you, but you should be aware.
Also, remember you have to pay taxes on any prizes you get. This is true even if it is not a cash prize. You will even get a 1099 from VIP Voice if the prize is worth more than $600. You will have to claim it as income, because the IRS will get a copy of that 1099 as well.
One panelist won a BOSE speaker in an auction. Apparently, upon receipt, he checked online to get an idea of what it was worth. According to him, it was selling for $300 to $400 on most sites. The 1099 he received, however, listed it as being worth $700 to $800.
According to VIP Voice, they use methods of valuation that reproved and accepted in the industry, and they are as accurate as possible when estimating prize value. Sometimes this is different than the market value. It is a risk that is taken with this site, so you should be aware.
However, before prizes are sent out, you will be notified of the value and the tax liability associated with it.
Is NPD Online Research a Scam or Legit?
There is no scam here. This is a company that is old and well-known, despite the name change. You cannot have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau if you are a scam.
There is no request for payment or credit card information. Also, it seems that people actually receive the things that they win.
The real question is, “Is this a legit way to earn money from home?” No. You will not earn any money. You may, however, have some fun and win some nice prizes.
Conclusion
NPD Online Research, now called VIP Voice, is a well-known marketing group that works hard to gather data for its clients. To do so, it offers incentives to those willing to provide their opinion.
It isn’t a way to make a living from home, or really even a way to make money from home. It is a way to have some fun and have a chance to win some pretty great prizes though. Just know what you are getting into when you do.
If you really want to make money taking surveys, try SurveyJunkie and SwagBucks.
These are paid survey sites that actually pay, and they pay well within the industry. Given them a shot!