What’s up, guys? I humbly present this new survey site review for your perusal, scrutiny, and (hopefully) reading enjoyment. This time, I’ll be reviewing a survey site called Panel Champ.
The site used to be called Quest Mindshare, but the owners have rebranded it as Panel Champ. But even with their newbie status, they’ve got some pretty big names in their portfolio of clients. Their website proudly displays the list - and there are indeed some pretty big names here. Check them out:
- Lego
- Microsoft
- Pfizer
- Unilever
- Bayer
- Chevron
- CNN
- Coca-Cola
- Cisco
- HP
- Microsoft
- Ford
- Honda
- NBC
- The freaking United Nations!
- Disney (Which, let’s face it, is probably bigger than the United Nations!)
If you’re also new to survey sites and wondering about what the fuss is all about, here’s a quick survey site primer.
What are Survey Sites?
In the modern world, information - particularly information about consumer and market behavior - is extremely important. There are many ways for companies to get this sort of info. The act of getting this info is called market research, and it is very a big and lucrative industry in itself.
Giving Surveys is just one method for conducting market research, but it’s the most relevant one to this article. Have you ever asked for the check at a restaurant and got a survey form along with the bill? That’s a basic method of market research right there.
Now, on a much, much bigger scale, survey sites are hired by companies to provide surveys to their members. Since survey sites get paid to provide these surveys (remember what I said about market research being big business?) the people who take these survey also get paid.
The information goes to the companies who commissioned the survey. Since big business comes with big risks, they’ll try to mitigate some of that risk by using the info they’ve gotten from the surveys. For example, if a news network wants to produce a new documentary program, they would consult surveys to find out which topics viewers will respond positively to.
It’s all about the gathering and exchange of information. It’s big business - and you’re the most important element in all this. Think about it: your answers are taken into consideration by some of the world’s biggest corporations and most powerful decision-makers. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?
How to Earn on Panel Champ
Okay, with that long preamble out of the way, you’re now probably wondering what the actual earning methods are like on Panel Champ. Well, it’s really simple: you complete surveys, and in exchange, you will get rewarded with a set dollar reward. You’re not required to take any particular survey, but that’s not going to be very lucrative, would it?
These surveys take anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes to complete. Your earnings per survey depend on the length and complexity of the survey.
Most of the surveys on Panel Champ are music- and entertainment-related, which makes sense because the biggest names in their list of clients are media corporations. But that doesn’t mean you won’t get surveys on a variety of topics, including politics, sports, technology, and beverages.
Surveys are usually assigned based on your demographic. For example, if you’re experiencing certain medical conditions, you may be assigned a survey about drugs relevant to your condition. People who aren’t experiencing that condition won’t get the survey, naturally. Surveys sometimes come with pre-qualifying questionnaires. It’s like a mini-survey before the survey. The site gives this to determine whether you’re the right person to take a particular survey. But take note, you don’t get paid for the pre-qualifying questionnaire. If the site decides you’re not a good fit for the survey, well, all you can do is shrug and hope you qualify for another one.
Also, since demographics are important to Panel Champ, make sure you provide all the correct info in your profile. Don’t try to fake it; the site is run by a super-smart algorithm that can spot fake profiles and inconsistent answers.
Other sites will give you points for each survey you complete, which are converted to cash. Nothing wrong with that method, but it can sometimes be a pain having to mentally compute how much my points are worth in real-world money. So Panel Champ’s straight-to-cash earnings are appreciated.
After you’ve registered on Panel Champ (which I’ll be discussing in a bit), you will receive email notifications about available surveys. Some of these surveys come with deadlines, so I recommend you answer these surveys right away.
And here’s another reason why you should answer surveys as soon as you can: sometimes, surveys only require a set number of respondents. If you’re still taking a survey and the site reaches their required number of respondents, you will automatically be disqualified from taking the survey. And yes, that means all the time you spent on it is pretty much wasted. So promptness pays (literally)!
No Referral Program?
Nope, no referral program. This is pretty strange, since most of the newbie survey sites I’ve used go all-in on their referral programs. When you’re a new site, you’d really want to encourage new sign-ups and loyalty among your members.
I’m not sure if Panel Champ already has a large enough user base from their time as Quest Mindshare, but they don’t seem to be too concerned about attracting new members.
As a member, this is kind of disappointing to me because referrals usually comprise a large chunk of my earnings. When you consider that you won’t always qualify for surveys, it becomes all the more important to have alternate ways to earn on a given site.
Panel Champ has no referral program. Nothing. Nada. You’ll be flying solo here.
Earning Potential on Panel Champ
I always tell my friends and readers to manage their expectations on survey sites. You won’t be earning enough to afford that swanky vacation or pay for that shiny new SUV you’ve been eyeing. But that’s not what survey sites are for anyways. Survey sites aren’t get-rich-quick (or even get-rich-slowly) schemes. They’re all right for what I call beer money. Survey sites are a great way to earn a few extra bucks on the side, so keep that in mind when using Panel Champ… or any other survey site, really.
The surveys you’ll take on Panel Champ will pay about $0.25 for the longer (think 45-minute) surveys. So that also gives you a very rough idea how much the shorter ones will pay out.
Your actual earnings will depend on how many of these surveys you take. But first you need to actually qualify for them. It can sometimes be frustrating to take a site only to get disqualified, because that’s pretty much wasted time. But it is what it is.
So, just to repeat what I mentioned: this site is good for earning beer money (you can replace beer with “pizza” or “single-origin coffee” or “books” if you’re a nerd like Holden).
Payout Options on Panel Champ
You will immediately get credited as soon as you complete a survey. This seems like such a basic thing (and it is, really) but this is very much appreciated. Other sites make you wait for someone on the other side of the internet to manually approve your earnings. So instant credit to my account? Yes, please!
Once you’ve accumulated a minimum of $12.50 on Panel Champ, you can request a pay out. You can request a pay out as cash, which will be sent either through PayPal, Pay Tango, Visa Prepaid Credit Card, or Check.
How to Join Panel Champ
If you’re interested in trying out Panel Champ, the memberships are open for residents from the following countries:
- Canada
- China
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Norway
- Philippines
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- United States
https://www.panelchamp.com
Membership is free, which is a really good sign. That’s because a number of unscrupulous (read: scam) sites usually request money upfront, or as a way to hold your earnings hostage. So free membership, in my book, is a requirement. There’s no way I’m giving money to a site upfront, no matter how enticing their offers are.
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
Panel Champ is legit! Their earning program is pretty straightforward. I would have preferred more earning methods, such as watching videos or taking offers or reading emails, but a solid survey program is all right.
The only knock I have against this site is the fact that they don’t have any referral program.
Panel Champ Screenshots
Click to Zoom
Your Turn
So that’s my review of Panel Champ. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried out this sorta-new survey site? How did you find it?
Let’s hear your stories!
