Awwww, lookit dat panda. I love pandas, but I hate scams! Today I will be reviewing Panda Research. The name sounds like it belongs to a panda conservation and breeding organization, but that’s not what they are. (Too bad; I would totally love to work for that type of organization) Panda Research is a survey site, just like the many others that have been reviewed on this forum and elsewhere on the internet.
But is there anything that sets Panda Research apart aside from an adorable name? Is this panda good, or does it actually bite? Let’s find out…
How does Panda Research Work?
You take surveys, some of which take up to 15 minutes to complete, and earn money for each one you finish. That’s pretty standard for survey sites. Panda Research provides two more ways to earn:
Test products - This sounds fun (and it is), but be warned: some of these require a credit card, and if you don’t cancel after the trial period, you will be charged for the service. You may also have to pay for shipping if you’re testing a physical item.
Refer Friends - You will receive 10% of all the earnings of your referrals for their entire time on the site. That’s actually pretty sweet; other sites put a cap on the amount you can earn off your recruits.
Read Emails - Panda Research will send you emails about their partner companies, which you need to open and read. It’s one of the easier ways to earn, but they cap your earnings via this method at $25.
How to Sign Up
Research Panda claims to have distributed over $2 million dollars in earnings. If you’re a US resident (sorry, residents of Everywhere Else in the World) and want a slice of that $2 million pie, follow the link below to sign up:
http://www.pandaresearch.com/reg
Once you’re done signing up, you will then have to wait up to 90 days for your application to be approved. Seriously, 90 days? I don’t know how they approve applications, but I have this mental picture of a single person buried under a mountain of printouts checking each application manually.
Payout Options
Panda Research pays only in cash, which is sent via PayPal. I don’t mind not having gift card or other options. Cash is king, baby.
What I do mind though, is the high minimum payout - $50! Man, in the time it took me to accumulate that much earnings, I swear I could have set up my own earning site! To make matters worse, you can only withdraw in $50 increments. That means, if you have, say, $60 in your Panda Research account, you can only withdraw $50. You’ll have to save $50 again before making another withdrawal.
But wait! There’s a 30 day processing time after you request a payout. If I had hair, I’d be pulling it out just about now. Seriously, the site’s payout program is pretty sketchy.
Read the Fine Print!
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse in this site… it does. Check out item D in their Important Terms and Conditions page:
Note: the typos in that excerpt are theirs, not mine. You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand what that means. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get paid for your work. But don’t worry! They totally promise to do their best not to screw you over. Yeah, that’s reassuring… not.
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
Panda Research is legit, but that doesn’t mean I can recommend them. The site’s overall experience just isn’t favorable to us survey site users. While Panda Research isn’t scammy, I still can’t trust them to handle my earnings properly and fairly. So, yeah… move along. There are better survey sites out there.
Too bad. I really love pandas.
Panda Research Screenshots
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Your Turn
This review is based on my own experiences using Panda Research. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried out the site? What was your experience like?
Let’s hear your stories!
