How to make money testing products at home
Stella Mwangi
While you can be paid to test products at a physical location — providing feedback on products before they hit the shelves — there are also some opportunities you can complete from home. In some cases, you can actually make money testing products, while other times, you just get the perk of keeping whatever device or product you’re testing.
Here's a comprehensive guide on product testing opportunities you can do without ever leaving your house:
Where can I find product testing opportunities?
There are a number of ways you can find at-home product testing opportunities. Here are some avenues you can explore:
1. Market research companies
Many market research companies offer product testing opportunities to consumers as part of their studies. Here are some of the most reliable companies you can sign up with to start as a home product tester.
Toluna Influencers
Toluna Influencers is a global community of millions of people sharing their views about the products that resonate with them. This program offers two types of surveys:
Profile Surveys: Short surveys completed on the Toluna website to collect info and preferences and match you with relevant surveys sent to your inbox.
Longer Surveys: These are longer than Profile Surveys and can take 10 to 20 minutes to complete, and they pay more. Longer surveys are sent to your inbox; you must complete them at a third-party site.
Pay: With Toluna Influencers, you not only get paid to share your opinions but also earn rewards. The program typically pays $0.25 to $1, sometimes more, and you can cash out via a check, PayPal, or gift card. Plus, you'll be included in the $4500 monthly Sweepstakes draw, adding an extra element of excitement to your product testing journey.
Pinecone Research
Pinecone Research focuses on items yet to be introduced to the general public. The process of becoming a product tester is pretty straightforward. Sign up on their website. Next, you'll be notified by email when a study fits your profile. Take the study and earn points after completion.
Pay: You can redeem the points you earn via bank transfer, prepaid virtual cards, gift cards, or brand-name merchandise.
Amazon Vine
If you've bought stuff on Amazon, chances are you've left a few reviews for the items you've bought. These reviews could get you free products! Amazon Vine is an invite-only product testing program where participants receive new products that a vendor plans to sell on Amazon.
Selection is tricky and based on the helpfulness of your other Amazon product reviews. So, as you continue to purchase products on Amazon, keep writing helpful, honest reviews to increase your chances of getting selected.
Pay: You get to keep the free products you review.
2. Product review websites
Certain websites, like Influenster and BzzAgent, specialize in product reviews and testing. They often send out free products for users to test and review. Here's how each one works:
Influenster
Influenster is a product review platform for consumers using everyday products. The company sends reviewers a box of free full-size products (VoxBox) to try at home, then share their honest feedback on the Influester website and their social accounts.
Pay: You get to keep the free products you test.
BzzAgent
BzzAgent is a global platform of product testers who share their opinions and product experiences on various products and services for popular brands like L'Oréal, Gillette, ConAir, Unilever, Nestle, and more.
To get started:
Sign up here and share your details and interests.
Receive email invitations to share views on products that suit your interests.
Try the free product.
Share your experience on your social media channels.
Pay: Keep all the goods you review.
3. Online panels
Some companies, such as Nielsen and LifePoints (formerly MySurvey), have consumer panels where you can sign up to test products at home.
Nielsen panels measure all media types, such as radio, TV, podcasts, magazines, etc. Panelists join surveys/panels and share information about their media and consumer habits.
Pay: Nielsen panels and surveys offer gifts to thank you for participating.
LifePoints is an online platform that rewards users worldwide for completing surveys, mini-polls, product testing, and behavior tracking.
Pay: You earn LifePoints for every survey you complete. You can redeem the points for e-gift cards and PayPal cash or donate them to charity.
4. Social media and influencer platforms
Following brands on Instagram or Twitter can sometimes lead to opportunities for product testing, especially if you engage with their content regularly.
Influencer networks like AspireIQ and Social Native connect influencers and regular consumers with brands looking for product reviews and promotions.
5. Brand websites
There are some brands with dedicated sections on their websites where you can sign up to be a product tester or join their consumer panel. Check out the websites of famous brands and look for sections like “Product Testers,” “Consumer Panel,” or “Become a Tester.”
6. Focus groups
A focus group consists of random people who test products and discuss what they think about them. Companies usually hold focus groups before they launch a product to determine whether it needs any fixes.
Dscout is one of the best sites for finding paid focus groups. It features various paid product testing activities, from simple online surveys to long-term testing of entertainment mediums, and pays up to $100 per session.
7. Local research facilities
In some cases, local research facilities or universities conduct product testing studies. These might require physical attendance but can also provide opportunities. Email local facilities to find out if they have any testing opportunities and inform them of your interest in participating.
8. Word of mouth
Sometimes, opportunities for product testing come through personal connections or referrals. Letting friends and family know you're interested can sometimes lead to recommendations.
Types of product testing
There are different product categories that you can choose from. Here are a few popular ones.
Consumer products
Consumer products include kitchen appliances, vacuums, air purifiers, household products, cleaning supplies, etc. You'll find consumer products to test on most of the sites we've mentioned previously, such as BzzAgent, Influenster, Amazon Vine, and Toluna Influencers.
Electronics
Electronics include phones, smart devices, televisions, iPads, computers, headphones, smartwatches, etc.
On the Philips product tester platform, you can review Philips' electronic personal hygiene devices, such as shavers and toothbrushes.
Home Tester Club occasionally offers electronic products, like tablets, to test, which you can keep once you complete your review.
BzzAgent also features products for various tech brands, including Asus and Yamaha.
Beauty and personal care
The beauty category includes skincare products, makeup, hair products, shampoo, styling products, etc. You can find such products for testing on the Glamour Beauty Club. The company will send you free beauty samples that suit your preferences, and you can keep them after the testing period lapses.
If you're a fan of Johnson & Johnson products, check out the Kenvue Consumer Research Program, formerly the Johnson & Johnson Friends and Neighbors program. You can sample the company's products, such as body wash scents, mascara, dental floss, and more. After a survey closes, you may receive a gift card as payment.
Toys and games
You test children's toys, gaming systems, puzzles, board games, and books in this category.
Swagbucks Discover is an excellent resource for this category. Products are updated constantly, so it's easy to find new opportunities. You can earn 40 to 200 SB points per survey (100 SB = $1). You can redeem your points for gift cards to your favorite retailers, such as Amazon or Walmart, or get cash back from PayPal.
Food and beverage
Food and beverage product testing is a popular category. However, safety is a primary concern when testing consumable items, so stay cautious. You can test products both at home and on-site, depending on the nature of the test.
McCormick's Consumer Testing Program is a great place to give feedback on various foods, snacks, and beverages. To be selected to participate, you must meet the demographic requirements for the product's target market.
Social Nature is a product review site specializing in natural products. With healthy eating becoming a trend for more and more people, there are lots of paid testing opportunities to exploit on the site.
Health and wellness
If you're into health and wellness, you can thrive in this category by testing fitness equipment, fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, and supplements. Find testing opportunities on Toluna Influencers, Influenster, BzzAgent, Home Tester Club, and Pinecone Research.
Pet products
Testing pet products, particularly food and treats, is a popular way for pet owners to help shape the market and provide feedback on new products. But just as with food and beverages, take precautions to safeguard your pet's safety.
Brands such as PetSafe often seek feedback on their pet products, including toys, feeding solutions, and training tools. You can also try out Chewy.com for occasional product testing opportunities through their Chewy Influencers program. BarkBox is also known for its monthly subscription boxes for dogs and sometimes looks for testers to try out its new products.
Tips for being selected for product testing
Want to make a lasting impression and land more exciting product testing jobs? Follow these tips:
Accept and complete tests and surveys as soon as you receive them and submit high-quality feedback.
Don't just skim through the questions. Focus on specifics, identify strengths and weaknesses, and offer actionable tips to help improve the product.
Don't get overly emotional. Instead, express your thoughts in an easy-to-understand manner. And focus on providing constructive and helpful feedback.
Go the extra mile and offer more than basic answers. Provide unique perspectives and suggest alternative solutions.
Moeller started doing paid surveys in 2016 and is the founder of Paid From Surveys, a site dedicated to finding legit online income.
“The most realistic and easiest way to participate is by signing up to give feedback on electronic products you already have,” he says.
Moeller says that if you qualify for a product test, you will usually get to keep the product, but you should read the details of the test to make sure you know exactly what to expect before you participate.
Tips for writing product reviews
When writing product reviews, provide specific, insightful feedback. Instead of saying, “This product is great,” explain why it's great. Mention specific features and how they benefited you. Your responses should demonstrate that you genuinely care about helping improve the product.
Product testing scams
When looking for these opportunities, be cautious of scams. Beware of any product testing opportunity that requires credit card information or makes a promise that sounds too good to be true—such as an offer that promises a free flat-screen TV after filling out a 5-minute survey.
Moeller says you should carefully read the terms when you sign up for survey sites that offer product tests.
“Many sites are just an excuse to get your info and share it with hundreds of advertisers, so make sure you do not agree to that and stay away from sites that do this,” he says. “And in general, be critical — if it sounds too good to be true and the effort required from you is minimal in relation to the potential free product you can get, there likely is a catch.”
Moeller advises aspiring product testers to choose sites that make realistic claims and ones where it would make sense for the company to give you a product for the test and feedback you give.
A popular scam that you’re likely to come across is the Amazon product tester job scam1 that claims you can earn money from Amazon for reviewing products and then sends you to a non-Amazon site with a generic name. While Amazon does have Amazon Vine, its legit product testing program, remember that it is invitation only and does not offer compensation.
Legitimate product testing opportunities should not require you to pay money upfront or provide sensitive personal information beyond what is necessary for the testing process.
Vet the company that is making the offer by checking resources like The Better Business Bureau scam tracker, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber. Check forums like Reddit and Quora to learn if other people have experience with the company.
A legit product testing opportunity is one that:
Comes from a verifiable company with a good reputation
Has legitimate reviews from users
Doesn’t require your credit card information to access the opportunity
Requests that you deposit a check sent from the product test company into your bank account and use the funds to pay for testing (However, if you register as a product tester that pays you for your time, it’s normal to provide your payment preference, such as PayPal)
Bottom line: You can make money testing products at home
While testing products at home may not instantly make you rich, it's still one of the most straightforward single mom side hustles to help you earn extra cash and continue building on your family's financial well-being.
By following the tips in this guide, you can increase your chances of getting selected for product testing opportunities and ensure that you provide valuable feedback that companies will appreciate. Just remember to be cautious and avoid scams by sticking to legitimate platforms and opportunities. Happy testing!
More on supplementing your income:
Where to find free essentials and resources:
Sources:
“Amazon product tester job – is it a scam?” by Brian Roche, for WGAL, May 2024. https://www.wgal.com/article/amazon-product-tester-job/60439782
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Posted Nov 20, 2024
Want to make money doing product testing at home? Here's everything you need to know, from market research companies to review websites.
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