Happy April Fools Day!

I realize today’s not April Fools Day and personally I’ve never been much of a prankster. My mother on the other hand, enjoyed playing practical jokes on me and my siblings when we were kids. Almost every April 1st we’d find ourselves with pajama legs sew together, beds short-sheeted or a maze of string in our bedrooms. It was always in good fun though.

If you are a practical joker and looking for some inspiration for tomorrow, here’s a few websites you can check out.
April Fools Day
FamilyFun: April Fools Day Pranks
Top 100 April Fool's Day Hoaxes Of All Time

If you’ve got a good April Fools Day story you’d like to share, please leave your comments. I’m sure our other members would love to hear your stories!

Lights Out

Today Earth Hour invites people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – at 8:00 pm local time. Many cities around the world, including Chicago, Melbourne, Copenhagen and Tel Aviv, will participate and hold events to show their commitment to saving energy.

To learn more and find out what you can do, visit:
Earth Hour US
World Wildlife Fund - Earth Hour

Why Reward Options "Disappear"

Here is a common complaint I receive from members:

"It is unfair that you are no longer offering a prize that I have been saving up for. I answer your surveys diligently and I feel misled."

I understand how frustrating this is for you and it's usually frustrating for me too. Reward options generally disappear for one of the following reasons:

• The option is no longer available through our vendor. We saw this happen recently with the casserole keeper, a long time member favorite. The manufacturer we purchased the item from has decided to move different direction and will no longer be making this item.


• Because we know our members' reward preferences vary considerably, we try to make a wide variety of options available and include new options frequently, removing items that do not appear to be as popular or offering seasonal options that may be appealing.

What can be done to improve the situation?

• For reward options, such as the casserole keeper, which we know are popular but are unavailable through our vendor, we look for similar alternatives. My staff and I are currently on the hunt for new kitchen items to offer on MySurvey.com. If you have any suggestions feel free to send me your comments.


• Let me know what type of reward options you'd like us to offer. Be sure to also let me know when an item you've been saving up for has been removed. I can't guarantee that it will be replaced immediately, but if we know there is interest, we can make sure that we look for similar options to offer in the near future.

My staff and I have been working diligently the past few months to get some new and exciting rewards. I hope you are satisfied with our progress so far. Be sure to check back soon for updates.

Got a Question?

If you have a question about any aspect of your membership the quickest way to get an answer is to look in our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. There, you will find a list of categories and sub-categories, separated by individual topics. Simply click on any of the links pertaining to your question and scan the page for your particular topic.

If for some reason you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, or you encounter problems with your account, send me an email. I’ll try to get back with you as quickly as possible, usually within 24 hours. Please be sure to include your username and a full description of your issue. That way I can give you a full and complete answer to your question.

If you need immediate assistance, you can also call me. Our toll free number is 1-800-537-4097. My support staff is available to answer calls from 8 AM to 11 PM (Eastern Time) on weekdays and 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.

We always welcome your ideas, suggestions, comments and complaints about any aspect of your membership. If you’d like to share your comments with us please send an email to mycomments@mysurvey.com. Please note this email address if for general comments only, if you have a question that needs an answer please click the email link above.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Everyone is Irish today – enjoy the celebrations no matter where you are.

Watch the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade 3/17 at 11AM (EST)

Live Dublin Ireland Webcams

Survey Frequency

Here are some examples of the most common question and comment I receive from MySurvey.com members:

“I’m a new member and I’ve only received one survey. When will I get more surveys?”

“Please send more surveys.”

On average, our members receive a survey invitation every one to two weeks. You may notice that sometimes you'll receive surveys more often than this and other times less often. The number of surveys you receive during a month usually depends on the types of surveys we are conducting in that month and how they match with the information you provided about your household. For example, if we have lots of baby product surveys this month and there are no babies in your household, you may receive fewer surveys this month.

In-home product test opportunities occur much less frequently. That's because our clients do most of their new product opinion work online via a survey with pictures and descriptions of products. This allows them to use a much smaller sample for the more expensive in-home product testing phase. The longer you are on the panel, the more likely it is that you will have the opportunity for an in-home product test, but there are no guarantees.

Hopefully that answers a question about membership for many of you. Answers to many common questions can also be found by visiting our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section.

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New Reward Redemption Items

I wanted to let you know about some new Reward Redemption items we’ve recently added.

Garrity Power Light - Perfect for emergency situations, by simply cranking the fold-out handle for 60 seconds it produces 30 minutes of light. Requires 1700 Points.

Apple iPod Shuffle 1 GB - The world's smallest digital music player holds up to 240 songs and weighs in at about half an ounce. Supports MP3, WAV, AIFF and audio book formats, features a built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery with up to 12 hours of skip-free playback. Requires 6000 Points.

Phyralon 7-piece Cookware Set - Set includes: 1-1/2-quart sauce pan with cover, 2-quart sauce pan with cover, 5-quart Dutch oven with cover, 10-inch heavyweight open skillet pan (Dutch oven cover fits skillet). Features Easy Grip, cool-touch handles and cover knobs. Requires 7000 Points.

To learn more about these items and our many other redemption options click Rewards on the top menu, then click on Select Reward on the left menu.

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Daylight Saving Time Begins

Don’t forget to change your clocks one hour forward this Sunday (March 9). In 2005 Congress changed the start date of Daylight Saving Time to the second week of March. That new policy went into effect last year. The main reason we observe Daylight Saving Time (DST) is to save energy, although a recent study disputes that claim.

For more information on Daylight Saving Time, visit one of these websites.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/daylightsaving.html
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/daylight_time.php

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Market Research Scams

In the past, we’ve done whatever is necessary to alert our members and the general public about scams and unethical business practices of companies claiming to offer market research surveys. We’ve all seen the ads: “Earn $25 - $75 for each Survey You Take!” This is simply false advertising. Just like many other false claims and promises, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. MySurvey.com is a great way to share your opinions with companies about the products and services they offer -- you may pick up some extra cash, but keep in mind you won’t be able to earn a living wage from it.

I have recently learned of a mystery shopping scam that, unfortunately, involves the parent company of MySurvey.com, TNS. In this particular scam, consumers are receiving a letter on fake “TNS” letterhead offering them the opportunity to make “easy money” by cashing a large-sum cashier’s check. The letter then asks the recipient to participate in a “quality assurance” study at Money Gram by wiring $800.00 to a specified address in Canada. The “reward” for participating in this study is keeping a percentage of the cashier’s check for $980.00 from Sterling Bank that is enclosed with the letter. The cashier’s check is bogus and it will bounce several days after cashing it. The participant is then out of the money they wired for this so-called mystery shopping project.

If you encounter this scam or receive this fake project request, please notify me immediately so that TNS can investigate further. Visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association website (the largest mystery shopping trade association) for more information about the scam and recommended steps to follow if you have been victimized: http://www.mysteryshop.org/news/article_pr.php?art_ID=73

Here's an online resource to help you detect scams and protect yourself:
http://www.scambusters.org/scamcheck.html

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