Tag Archives: online polling

The Mobile Commerce Generation Gap

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It seems that the younger you are, the more comfortable you are with using your mobile phone for purchases and banking.

Last week we wrote about mobile phone banking and asked for your thoughts. Some folks were all for it. Some were for it but with some reservations. And some were dead set agin’ it, by gar!

We didn’t ask for demographics but, in light of a new survey, it would be interesting to know the ages of the MindField Online members who were for or against. Cnet.com recently reported on a survey done by MasterCard that found that the younger you are, the more comfortable you are with mobile commerce. Here are some stats:

  • 65% of 18-to-34’s said they’d feel more naked without their phones than their wallets, compared 34% of the over-35 crowd.
  • 51% of men vs. 40% of women feel comfortable making a payment using a mobile phone.
  • Most telling: 63% of 18-34’s would feel comfortable using their mobile phones to make purchases, vs. only 37% of those over 35.

So, we’ll ask the question another way: Do you see a difference in attitudes about mobile commerce between you and your parents? You and your kids? You and your spouse? Let us know!

Online Coupons for Real World Savings

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Hey, times are tough. We’re all looking to pinch pennies, and more of us are going online to do it.

According to a recent article on InternetRetailer.com:

74% of consumers search multiple online coupon sources each week, and 25% spend up to an hour shopping for the best online discount deals.

From a dollar off of laundry detergent to a half-price romantic getaway, services like Bing, Groupon, Living Social, RetailMeNot (and on and on and on) are ready to help you save. And we’re definitely hooked. Here are some statistics, according to Bing:

  • 47% use more local deals and coupons than they did a year ago
  • 63% search up to 10 different coupons sites each week
  • 11% look at more than 10 coupon sites
  • 81% of moms search multiple sources each week

According to the survey, about half of us spend more than 15 minutes a week scoping out the deals, and about 25% of us spend between 30 and 60 minutes.

So, how about you? Are you clipping coupons online? Are you doing it more than you used to? Are you saving? Let us know!

Get All Your Shopping 411 with QR Codes!

Look familiar? You may not have paid them much attention, or known what they were, but these funny-looking symbols are the latest thing designed to improve your shopping experience.

They’re called QR scan codes (for Quick Response), and they are the 21st century answer to the traditional bar code. But while the bar code is designed for the seller – to improve efficiency in pricing and inventory – the QR is all for YOU, baby!

All you need is a smartphone with a camera, and an app that costs little to nothing to download. When you’re out shopping and you see the QR code on the label or on the display, turn on the app, point your camera and…that’s it. You are taken to a website that tells you all about the product.

There was a fun little article in the New York Times this week about shoppers in the Home Depot and Lowe’s using QR codes to learn how to select and care for trees for their yards. Which is funny because that is exactly how I used mine!

Another time I was heading downtown for a day of activities. I had one of those local weekly entertainment magazines, but wasn’t thrilled about carrying it around all day. Then I saw the QR code at the top of the “What’s Happening” section. I zapped it, and now I had the entire listing stored in my phone.

So check out the article, and look around the next time you are out. I bet you start noticing these things everywhere! Have you already tried QR codes? Tell us about it!

A Word from the Panel

Once again, we have updated our collection of positive Facebook fan comments page here at the blog. We call it Panelist Reviews. After seven months, and more than 7700 Facebook fans, it’s really gratifying to see the nice words keep coming. So THANKS! Check ’em out here!

Smartphones for Smart Shoppers

There’s a reason why search companies, advertisers, payment processors and local merchants are so interested in smartphones. It’s because they’re turning out to be powerful and popular tools for people looking to search locally, act quickly and improve their shopping experience.

That’s the setup for a recent article at GigaOm.com. A recent survey of over 5,000 smartphone users* turned up some interesting statistics on these three points, Searching Locally, Acting Quickly, and Improving the Shopping Experience:

  • 95% of smartphone users have searched for local retailer info
  • 88% act on that info within one day
  • 77% visited search engines to get their info
  • 79% use their phone while in the store
  • 75% use their phones in the store to make their purchases

Think about that last one… you’re in the store browsing the selection of, let’s say, vacuum cleaners. You are visiting some online consumer site that compares all the models in front of you. Then, you skip the checkout line altogether and make your purchase online!

Confused by all of this “digital online window shopping?”  You aren’t alone. Everybody from Google to Wal-Mart to Sally’s Cat Toy Emporium is trying to get a handle on this new way of shopping! All we can say is Stay Tuned!

* Including many MindField Online panelists…so, while we would love to hear your thoughts on online shopping, please don’t talk specifically about the survey!

There’s an App for That!

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Once upon a time (like, two years ago!) “apps” were the fried mozzarella sticks you ate while you were waiting for your dinner at Friday’s.  Well, no more. Today apps (for application software) are the hot convenience item, thanks to the explosion of smartphones.  Personally, your humble author has music, movies, maps, job search, games and weather apps clogging up his smartphone – but there are a million more out there.  As the popular tagline  goes, whatever you need to make your daily life a little more convenient – “there’s an app for that!”

According to mobile app developer ShoutEm.com…

  • 5 billion apps were downloaded in 2010. By 2013, it will be over 20 billion!
  • The average smartphone user spends over 11 hours a month using apps.
  • iPhone and Android owners use an average of 15 apps
  • Blackberry owners use an average of 8 apps
  • The top categories of mobile apps include social networking (Facebook, etc.) with 60 million users and maps with 40 million users.
  • The highest rated apps are Angry Birds (game) and Google Maps. Seriously, do you know any Angry Birds addicts? They are CONSUMED!

What do you think? Are you an app freak? Which ones are your favorites? Which ones are a waste of time? Anyway, for more fun app facts, and a look at future trends, check out ShoutEm’s infographic here.

New and Improved Survey Invitations!

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UPDATE! A happy MindField Online panelist has given a thumbs-up to the new email invitation. Check it out at the bottom of the post!

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Original post:

Hey gang: MindField Online has refreshed and re-formatted our email survey invitations! This cleaner, more concise invitation emphasizes the information you ARE interested in, without making you wade through the information you usually skip over anyway!

So, here’s a sneak peek at the top section of the new invitation, along with some explanations of the new look:

A: Right off the bat, this is your quick participation link to the survey. Just click and you’re on your way!

B: No guessing about your time commitment… here’s a quick estimate! If you qualify and complete, this is how long we expect the survey to take using standard systems.

C: How much money? THIS much money!

D: Your cashout progress. If you need $5 to cashout, and you have a balance of $4…that’s 80%!

We hope you like the new invitation, and find it informative and easy to use. If you have suggestions for further improvements, let us know!

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We just received an early review on the new email format! Jim in California says:

“…it is absolutely excellent!   Giving real time member status info is a great feature, as is the layout of info describing the study available and the “what’s new” corner.  Moreover, being able to reply directly to the email, as I am now doing, simplifies communication by 100%.  Others require having to login and hunt around for particular page where any inquiry must be entered.  Thank you for all of that.”

Thanks Jim – we think the rest of the MindField Online family will like it, too!

Fabulous Facebook Fans Update!

Hey guys: After 6 months and almost 6800 fans, our post celebrating MindField Online Internet Panels’ fabulous Facebook fans has graduated from “post” into a top-navigation “page!” From now on, “Panelist Reviews” will sit at the top of the page just waiting to be admired. We will keep updating it periodically, and we’ll let you know. Here is the link. And thanks again to the best Facebook fans in the world!!

Happy Birthday Jay!

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This is a special note celebrating the birthday of McMillion Research Vice President Jay Mace, who turns 42 this week.

Now, 42 is not a milestone or anything, but we didn’t have a Facebook page when he hit the big 4-0! So please indulge us for a moment.

Jay has been with McMillion Research/MindField Online since 1992. He has been a key player in the growth and development of the company, helping us to become one the most successful consumer research firms. Jay wears a lot of hats, but much of his job is about troubleshooting the process, doing what he can to make it smooth and satisfying for members like you.

A married father of two boys, Jay plays indoor soccer, listens to Elvis and is downright obnoxious about his beloved Steelers. And in the course of 20 years, Gary and Sandy McMillion say that Jay has become like a son to them.

Please help McMillion Research and MindField Online wish Jay Mace a very happy birthday!

Take the MindField Online Nickel Tour!

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Over at the MindField Online Facebook page, we commonly hear, “I’m new—how does this whole thing work?”  That’s a pretty broad question, so we usually answer, “There’s plenty of info to be found at our website, www.mindfieldonline.com -check it out!”

But exactly what you will find has been a mystery, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in an internet – until now!  So, keep your hands and feet inside the tram as we take an informative, exciting (but mostly informative) tour of the MindField Online Internet Panels website!

Home Page

What kinds of people make good MindField Online Internet Panels members? Awesome people, for sure, but for more specifics, click HERE.

How it Works

Would you like a simple, easy to understand explanation of how the whole MindField Online thing works? Sure you would. Here’s THIS instead!

IQD

Other than farm fresh ingredients, what steps does MindField Online Internet Panels take to ensure the quality of our data? Find out HERE.

FAQ

Check out the answers to some frequently asked questions HERE. Then, take a moment to realize “So THAT’S what FAQ stands for!”

About

Because corporate histories are so darn exciting, click HERE to learn more about MindField Online and parent company McMillion Research.

Register

Want to find out more about becoming a panelist for MindField Online Internet Panels? HERE is the place to find it!

Privacy

Concerned about your privacy online? Hey who isn’t? Check out all the ways MindField Online goes about protecting your personal info HERE.

Sweepstakes

SWEEPSTAKES! Who is eligible? How do you enter? What are the rules? What’s all that fine print say?

And that brings us back to the lobby. We hope you have enjoyed your tour of the MindField Online Internet Panels website! Thanks for your attention. Please exit through the giftshop…