Contents
  1. Quick Summary
  2. Is the MRI Survey and Simmons Survey the same?
  3. Is the MRI Survey Legit or a Scam?
  4. How Does the MRI Survey Work?
  5. Why Does the MRI Survey Request Gender?
  6. What Does the MRI Survey Measure?
  7. Types of Questions on an MRI Survey
  8. How MRI Survey Information is Used
  9. MRI Survey Competitors
  10. Frequently Asked Questions
  11. MRI-Simmons Survey Pays Gift Card

Even if you’re not looking for a side gig, making some extra money is always a plus. The MRI Survey might be for you if you want to score some free gift cards without leaving the house.

The MRI Survey offers Amazon gift cards for completing surveys.

Is the MRI Survey and Simmons Survey the same?

The MRI Survey is the same as the Simmons Survey. MRI-Simmons Survey USA was formed when the MRI Survey of the American Consumer and Simmons’ National Consumer Study combined. They provide accurate consumer truth sets to marketers, media, and advertising agencies.

The MRI-Simmons Survey is available to take, but is it legitimate? We’ll discuss the details.

Is the MRI Survey Legit or a Scam?


Image source: gigworker.com

MRI Survey is a leading market research company; it is legitimate. Founded in 1979, MRI Survey combined with Simmons Survey in 2019. MRI-Simmons Survey has paid thousands of participants to take their surveys.

The MRI-Simmons Survey gathers data to help businesses better understand consumers. It allows for data integration, custom research, and more.

To gather this data, randomly selected consumers are paid to take surveys.

MRI Survey also partners with other research companies. 

Some of these include:

  • Acxiom
  • Analytics IQ
  • Equifax
  • Nielsen

MRI Survey uses advanced survey methodologies. They also have advanced data visualizations to provide insightful reports to their clients.

How Does the MRI Survey Work?


Image Source: how-paid-research-works.com

MRI-Simmons surveys 30,000 adults in the continental U.S. per year. Some of the questions they ask refer to:

  • What media outlets do they watch?
  • What products do they use?
  • How they feel about various topics.

You must be invited to participate in an MRI-Simmons Survey. A survey and two dollars are sent to you by snail mail. Depending on the type of survey, they may send five dollars.

It is an online survey. Once you go to the MRI-Simmons site, you’ll log in and then be asked to complete questions.

The survey can take up to one hour to complete. You then receive an Amazon gift card. The gift card's value range is $25 to $60. The gift card's value depends on what kind of survey it is. It will also depend on the demographic they are trying to reach.

You can take the survey on all device types:

  • Desktop
  • Mobile
  • Tablet

You'll also want to be sure to use an approved browser such as:

  • Edge
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Firefox

If you have a question about taking the survey or don't receive your gift card within two days, email the MRI-Simmons Survey at support@mrisurvey.com. You can also call them at 1-800-405-0170.

How Did the MRI Find Me?

The gold standard sampling methodology is probabilistic and address-based. The result is that all adults 18 plus in the U.S. have a chance of being selected to participate.

The sampling or way they choose participants begins with a database of all household addresses. The U.S. Postal Service provides these addresses.

The MRI-Simmons Survey oversamples the top 11 DMAs (television markets) among households that are identified as Black or Hispanic.

The random sample they gather only allows for one designated respondent per household.

Why Does the MRI Survey Request Gender?

In order to maintain the best demographic (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.) distribution, households are predesignated male or female. 

If no adult is available with a predesignated gender, a participant is chosen randomly from the opposite gender household.

What Does the MRI Survey Measure?

The MRI-Simmons Survey is a study of the American consumer. It measures attitudes. These are also known as psychographics. 

The survey measures values and what’s important to the participants. It connects the dots as to why people do what they do.

The survey also measures emerging trends. Some of its questions target culturally significant topics. Some topics that have been in surveys include:

  • Cannabis
  • TV subscriptions
  • Gender identity
  • LGBTQ
  • Sports fanship
  • Covid 19

Answers to the survey are projected out to the total U.S. population.

Types of Questions on an MRI Survey

One question that an MRI-Simmons Survey asks regards cord evolution. Questions it asks refer to:

  • TV subscription status
  • Technology usage
  • Service offerings
  • Streaming viewership

Digital studies with corresponding questions have also been conducted. These asked about mobile phone usage and other devices. It also asked about:

  • Social networking
  • Instant messaging
  • Blogging
  • Gaming
  • Online and audio video

Dozens of other emerging media channels were also questioned to provide media research insights.

A final example was questioning retail usage. They asked how participants interact with retailers, such as through mobile devices or online.

The survey also asked questions to measure how purchasing decisions were made, the amount spent, and what technology was used to make buying decisions.

How MRI Survey Information is Used

One example of how the information is used is in the print category. MRI-Simmons delivers data for magazine readership. That equates to ad readership levels. It gathers data on how different ads work. 

Some information gathered are:

  • Ads read the most
  • Actions taken
  • Purchase behavior
  • Purchase intent
  • Engagement
  • Demographics

The data is used to develop future and finetune current advertising campaigns. Similar data is gathered for other industries.

MRI Survey Competitors

Modern America is complicated, so consumers are constantly being surveyed. The result is that MRI-Simmons Survey has several competitors to keep up with the massive amount of information needed for marketing initiatives. Here are a few.

GWI

Unlike an MRI Survey, a survey doesn't just show up in the mailbox. GWI recruits its participants through panel providers, organizations that recruit and manage large panels.

GWI has an annual exclusion policy, so you can only participate in a survey once a year. They pay participants with the following:

  • Monetary payments via PayPal
  • Loyalty points
  • Vouchers
  • Charity donations

The goal is to attract people of all backgrounds, including wealthy people who want to help a charity.

Suzy

Suzy owns a panel of 50 million consumers. They use screening surveys to cull the participants to meet their clients' needs.

They used a 20-question survey to identify the respondents who fit the required criteria.

Suzy is unique because it pays even respondents who are disqualified during the screening process. The theory is that this will encourage people to answer honestly to avoid being disqualified and not paid.

Participants earn points for every question they answer. They can redeem their points for digital subscriptions or gift cards.

Nielsen

Some panels are “scientifically” selected. That means you can’t volunteer. But other surveys encourage volunteers. Nielsen sends snail mail to potential participants' houses and requests they participate.

Compensation depends on the survey. But usually, gifts are offered for participation.

Bixa

Bixa solicits volunteers for their surveys.

Participants will receive a monetary incentive for participating in a Bixa interview. The amount varies based on the study. They’ll know the amount before the interview.

All participants are paid within 48 hours. They can redeem their funds through an e-gift card or PayPal.

SIS International Research

SIS International Research is known worldwide for conducting surveys using focus groups. They have focus groups in various cities. Compensation is usually in the hundreds, with some groups as high as $500. 

Prime Opinion

Participants can sign up for these surveys. This survey website pays up to five dollars per survey. You are paid points on the survey app for every survey completed. Points can be redeemed for prizes. These include:

  • Gift cards
  • Cash
  • Donations to a favorite charity

Prime Opinion makes it easy to sign up for a survey. If you participate regularly, you can earn cash quickly.

Freecash

Participants can volunteer with Freecash by going to their website. It shows various survey opportunities and compensation. Besides surveys, they pay cash to:

  • Play games
  • Watch videos
  • Complete online games.

You earn coins that you can cash out. Compensation is 25 cents to a dollar per activity. You must have five dollars minimum to cash out.

Frequently Asked Questions

The MRI Survey is legitimate. But you may still have more questions. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions.

Can I refer a family member or friend to the MRI Survey?

You cannot refer to a family member or friend. Addresses are randomly selected to represent the U.S. population. So only selected households can participate.

How long does the MRI Survey take?

Users report that the survey generally takes about an hour to complete. But others have said it takes longer. It usually depends on the type of survey and the individual.

MRI-Simmons Survey Pays Gift Card

The MRI Survey gathers information from across the U.S. It studies the American consumer. Information gathered results in advertisers and media being better able to target consumers. It's a lengthy survey, but it could be worth the effort.

Bob Haegele

About the Author

Bob Haegele Bob Haegele

Bob Haegele, your personal finance guru, draws on years of experience to simplify complex financial concepts and offer actionable advice.

Dedicated to helping you achieve financial success, Bob is here to guide you through every step of your journey to financial freedom with expertise in areas such as investing, student loans, and credit cards. His work has appeared on Business Insider, CreditCards.com, and other nationally recognized outlets.

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