There are dozens of companies around the world that conduct
consumer research and no matter what survey site you may use you are likely to
find many of these companies hosting surveys for you to take.
One of the most prevalent you’ll find is Research Now. As
with many consumer research companies, Research Now has many tentacles. In the
case of Research Now, it was originally formed as e-Rewards, Inc. and was
co-founded in 1999 by a loyalty-marketing expert, and the former president of
Electronic Data Systems Corp. and Perot Systems Corp. (Do you remember Ross
Perot, once a U.S. presidential candidate?)
In 2009, e-Rewards acquired Research Now Limited, a
London-based panel company with a very similar background as e-Rewards.
Co-founded in 2000 Research Now owned and operated the Valued Opinions panels,
which if you are taking a lot of surveys you’ll recognize for it’s own survey
site. Research Now boasts over six million panelists in 37 countries worldwide
and calls itself the leading global online sampling and data collection
company.
In 2010, e-Rewards acquired San Francisco-based Peanut Labs,
Inc. Founded in 2007, Peanut Labs had become well-known as a fast growing
innovation, technology, and social monetization company that connected
researchers to social media and helped publishers maximize their earning
potential via virtual goods and currencies. As part of the acquisition, the
Peanut Labs research business became integrated under the Research Now name,
but continues to operate the social media monetization business as Peanut Labs.
In November 2010, e-Rewards, Inc. completed another
acquisition, this of e-Miles, LLC. e-Miles was launched in November 2006 by
similar investors as e-Rewards’ initial investors and is an interactive
advertising channel that rewards consumers for the time they spend viewing ads
online – similar to the e-Rewards Opinion Panel model which rewards panelists
for time spent taking market research surveys.
e-Rewards is headquartered in Plano, Texas and its combined
businesses employ over 1000 employees in over 22 offices around the world.
So, as with most if not all survey sites Research Rewards is
in the business of conducting research and e-marketing for its clients. It’s
very successful. Of course as a survey taker you are one of the vital cogs in
the big wheel of data collection Research Rewards needs for its client base.
Not vital enough, however, to pay you a lot for your time and effort. But, you
don’t take surveys for the money, do you?