definitions

Why should I register with Reckner?
Reckner conducts many types of opinion and consumer research studies for national and international companies. Registering with us gives you the opportunity to tell them what you think of the products and services they offer to consumers. Once you register, Reckner will contact you either by phone or email to invite you to various studies. Each time you participate in one of our studies you are given a cash incentive for your time, and it is fun!
Does it cost anything to join?
Participation is absolutely free! As a matter of fact, we pay you for your time and opinions! You simply need to register in order to receive invitations for our research studies. No legitimate opinion research company requires you to pay to become a member of their database.
How do I refer a friend?
If you know someone who you think would like to participate in our studies, just send them the web address, reckneropinions.com. You can also send them an email through the referral page of the website.
Why do I have to verify my registration through email?
Reckner follows a double opt-in process for registration. This ensures that we only capture personal information from people who truly wish to participate in studies with Reckner. Also, by receiving an email with a password protected link, we ensure that your information is acquired through a protected site. All information that you give is treated with the utmost care and is never divulged to our clients or sold to any third party.
Can my children participate?
Periodically, Reckner conducts research with children as young as 6 years old. We would contact you, the parent, to see if it is something that you would like your child to have an opportunity to do. We never attempt to contact children without parental consent. Reckner complies with the standards for conducting research with children as it is outlined by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998.
Why do I have to provide personal information in the registration process?
These types of questions are classified as "demographic" questions by opinion research companies. They are asked so that we can do a better job of contacting the right type of people for participation in the studies. For example, we would use gender information to target the right people for participation in a study about female specific products. All information you provide us is kept in the strictest of confidence. We never share your individual information with the client; all information is presented as a group. Reckner is a member of CASRO and abides by their Code of Standards for Survey Research. If you are interested in learning more about CASRO, visit their website at www.casro.org.
What steps do you take to ensure that my information is protected?
Please see our Privacy Policy for more information on our security practices. Reckner will not divulge your personal information to any third party or client. Your information is used to contact you, screen you and send compensation where applicable.
Will you or any of the companies you work for try to sell me anything?
No. Reckner and its clients are only interested in your opinion, attitudes, and purchasing behavior regarding the products and services we ask you about.
What type of payment will I receive when I do studies?
The payment amount you will receive for completing a study will be detailed out in your study invitation. The amount paid will be based on the amount of time required to complete the study. Payments are typically made in the form of a prepaid VISA card which is given to you upon completion of the study. If the study is an online survey, then payment will be made via an email with a link to a virtual card.
I already registered, but I haven't been contacted for a study. What should I do?
Once you register, it may take a while to match you with a study that is right for you. If you are concerned, you can contact us at research@reckner.com to confirm that we have you in our database.
Do I have to participate in every study that I receive an invitation for?
No. You have the right to decide which surveys you participate in. Not every topic will be appealing to every person. Feel free to opt out or not respond to a given invitation if you feel you are not the right person or if you are too busy to participate. Reckner does numerous studies in a given year so there will be many opportunities for you to complete a study for us!
Why is it that sometimes you contact me, ask me several questions, and then tell me that the "quota is full"?
Additional questions are asked to ensure that we invite the right group of people to participate in each survey. Because there are many different groups of people that might be appropriate for the survey, we have to set quotas to make sure that each group is represented.
What steps should I take to prepare for a focus group?
When you sign up for a specific study, you are given the following instructions: In order to participate in this study you must bring a Photo ID with you. Acceptable forms of ID are: a driver's license, a state non-driver photo ID, or a passport. No other forms of ID are acceptable. Please arrive 15 minutes early so you can check in. No children will be permitted at the session. Please bring reading glasses with you if needed. Please call if you are unable to make your scheduled appointment or if you have any questions. NOTE: On occasion, respondents will be asked to do a homework assignment ahead of time, such as journaling, making a collage, tracking usage of a product or service, etc. You will be told about this at the time you are scheduled, and paperwork is usually delivered via e-mail or federal express a week or so before your scheduled group. Please turn off your cell phone or pager when entering the building.
What steps should I take to prepare for a taste test study?
Arrive 10-15 minutes early in order to fill out paperwork and begin your session on time. Bring Photo ID. Acceptable forms of ID are: a driver's license, a state non-driver photo ID, or a passport. No other forms of ID are acceptable. Please bring reading glasses with you if needed. No children will be permitted at the session. Do not wear scented products such as lotion, perfume, or cologne. Do not wear lipstick or lip gloss. Do not eat, smoke, or drink coffee 1/2 hour prior to the start of your session. Please turn off your cell phones or pagers when entering the building.
What should I expect when I get to the facility to participate in a study?
You will sign in at the reception desk and be asked to show your Photo ID. Acceptable forms of ID are: a driver's license, a state non-driver photo ID, or a passport. No other forms of ID are acceptable. You may be asked to fill out a short questionnaire and sign some forms for confidentiality purposes. You can bring something to read while you wait for the rest of the participants to check in.
I NEVER get picked! / Why did I get denied?
We appreciate all of our respondents and their willingness to participate. Unfortunately, not everyone gets chosen to participate in every study. Reckner has contractual agreements with each of our clients to ensure we are providing them with the target market they are looking for - and for the most part the decision regarding which specific people are selected to participate is out of our hands. Since our clients set the criteria needed for each particular research study, we cannot guarantee that everyone will qualify for that particular study.
How do I know if I'm signed up to receive study information?
Once you answer some general information questions on www.reckneropinions.com, you will be sent a confirmation by email. This email will confirm that you have been entered into our participant database and will provide further details about Reckner.
Is this a scam?
Absolutely not! Reckner has been in business for over twenty five years and works with over 250,000 study participants each year. We have three research facilities located in New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where we strive each day to please our clients and consumers in return for their support of the research we do. If you would like more information about Reckner and what we do, you can visit our website: www.reckner.com.
What do I do if the number I'm calling is not working?
If for some reason you are trying to reach us through a study number and it is not working, please call us at our main office number: 215.822.6220. Please keep in mind that after a study is complete, the study number will deactivate and will no longer be reachable.
Why did I get kicked out of the screening even though I did not answer all of the questions?
We appreciate all of our respondents and their willingness to respond. However, if you are answering questions and it is recognized that you do not qualify for that particular study, you will be exited out of the system as to not waste any more of your time. For some studies, our clients are looking for very specific attributes and we hope that you can understand that not everyone fits all of the criteria. For example, for many products, companies could want people who either use the product or do not use the product. If they are looking for people who do not use a certain product and a respondent says they do, it is not worth their time to continue the survey knowing that they do not qualify.
Can only people residing around your facilities participate, or can anyone join?
Anyone is able to join our list of potential participants. Occasionally we have need for participants from across the nation to participate in home use tests and online surveys. However, the frequency for these types of studies is less than those which require people to come into one of our locations.
What are your hours?
Our hours are dependent upon each of the different studies going on at any given period in time. Our normal office hours in each location are 9 AM - 5 PM. Keep in mind that for many of the studies, the hours will be outside of our normal operating office hours. This information can be found in your study confirmation letter that will be sent to your email once you qualify.
How do I unsubscribe from emails?
If you wish to be removed from Reckner's survey offers, simply respond to our email invitations asking to be removed. At the end of each email invitation there are instructions on how to do this. Just reply to the email with "remove" in the SUBJECT LINE. You will only be removed if you send the word in the subject line NOT the body of the email. (*If you've registered with multiple emails, understand that you will need to subscribe from each email account individually*)
How do I cancel or reschedule a study that I signed up for?
If you cannot attend a study that you signed up for, please call our local office to let us know. Chalfont, PA - call 215.822.6220. Harrison, NY - call 914 696 5150. Oak Creek, WI - call 414 768 6040.

Definitions

Focus Group
A focus group is a type of qualitative research. It is a roundtable discussion where small groups (8 to 10) of respondents are asked to share their opinions about a specific topic of interest. Focus groups are led by a trained moderator whose job it is to guide the discussion. These groups usually last between 1.5 and 2 hours and are done at a central location.
Home Use Test (HUT)
This type of research requires respondents to use product(s) at home for a specific period of time. Sometimes respondents will need to come to a central location to pick up the product and sometimes it will be mailed to their homes. The study is designed to capture respondents' opinions and reactions to the product(s) once the usage period is over; this can be done by a paper questionnaire, a follow up telephone call or by accessing a survey through the internet.
In-depth Interview
In-depth interviews are meant to capture information and opinions from a respondent in an unstructured manner. There is usually a discussion outline that is meant to help guide the flow of the interview. In-depth interviews are conducted by trained moderators and qualitative specialists. This is a type of qualitative research.
One-on-one Interview
A one-on-one interview is conducted in-person and usually involves a respondent and an interviewer. These types of interviews could be either qualitative or quantitative in nature. This could also be referred to as a personal interview.
Online Survey
This is a questionnaire that is administered via the Internet. The length of the survey can vary. Online surveys can be used as an alternative to a telephone survey or in conjunction with a home use test.
Quota
This is the term that is used to identify the quantity of interviews/surveys that must be completed for a given study. In most cases, there are several quotas that must be met and each has a specific set of requirements. Quotas can be thought of as "buckets"; we must obtain a certain number of people for each bucket to meet the overall requirement for a study. Some examples of types of quotas we might have for a given study could be: age quotas, gender quotas, product usage quotas (heavy users vs. non-users), quotas by various flavor users for a food product (X # of strawberry, N # of Vanilla), etc.
Taste Test
Respondents are asked to come into a central location and evaluate a food or beverage product using their senses. During these types of tests, respondents will provide feedback on the products by tasting the product and telling what they like and dislike about it. Sometimes there will be just one product and sometimes there are several products to taste and determine which one is preferred.
Telephone Survey
Telephone surveys are interviews that are conducted over the telephone. The length will vary depending on the topic and number of questions to be covered.
Test Product
The term used to refer to the product that will be evaluated in taste tests or home use tests. When there are several products, they will usually be identified by a 3-digit code on the package/bottle.