This week, our focus is on online market research panels in China. There are apps, webs and a wechat public account. As reliability and quick answering process are two crucial things for market research, agents figure out various ways to guarantee them. The service offered online by Le Diao Cha (乐调查), Taidu 8 (态度8) and QQ Survey are widely used by market research companies in China. The report will provide the operation of these panels, pricing and reward system with some relevant thoughts.
Online panels in China : Apps
1. Zhuan Ling Yong (赚零用)
Intro
The business started in 2009 and this app was launched in October, 2013. It is one of the 5 main partners of Baidu.
The app covers both Android and IOS client. It can be downloaded through 6 app platforms, such as Appchina, 360, etc.
Sample size: 20 million
Ways of invitation
App, mobile messages, emails.
Ways of reward
Cash into Pay Bao, phone credit (only two ways now)
Pricing
1. Commission to respondents
2. Platform usage fee: commission per each * number of respondents * 10%
3. Questionnaire design: 100 RMB per each question
4. Call the police to check identity card: 3 RMB each. (Note: it must be true because since registration the ID number has been checked already based on the public security info system network.)
5. Call back to respondents: 3 RMB each.
Example: 2000 samples, 30 cities, prepared questionnaire, 10% checking rate, 8 RMB commission.
2,000 * 8 = 16,000
2000 * 8 * 10% = 1,600
2000 * 10% * 3 = 600
2000 * 10% * 3 = 600
Estimated total 18,800 RMB
Note：For a case like ours, the commission could be set between 5 to 10 RMB. The higher the price, the quicker data are collected.
Pros
1. High reliability. A mix of identity checking methods bind identity card number, phone number, email, address, bank account together. It is impossible to make any change within 3 months once the respondent answers a questionnaire.
2. Cheaper than other online platforms in China.
3. Much larger sampling size than other platforms.
4. The company is based in Shanghai.
5. Quick response, with an average speed of 300 questionnaires collected for one project on a daily basis.
6. Quota for samples in different areas can also be managed by Zhuan Ling Yong.
7. Easily-managed reward system.
Cons
China Mobile and other big companies are also using this system and sometimes they even give above 50 RMB per each valid answer. Respondents are attracted by them first and then come down this online panel. However, in most cases the commission is below 10 RMB.
2. Yi Diao Yan (易调研)
Intro
Scene: Mostly used in votes, customer satisfaction test and customer experience test. It covers both Android and IOS system.
For registration, information about users` email account, occupation, income level, age should be provided.
Ways of invitation
Yi Diao Yan sends questionnaire links through Emails, Wechat, Weibo, Renren and invites respondents to answer questions together with their friends and relatives.
Pros
It is the most suitable for internal tests within a known group of people, for example, a test for employees` satisfaction towards the employer.
Cons
1. Respondents` information may be untrue. Unless they really want the prize, they will not leave their real address information. It is not realistic to use it for large market research.
2. No specific deadline for an online survey. No project management.
3. It has fewer users than other platforms.
