This is relatively recent development I think, but has anyone else noticed that almost every single retailer asks you to complete a survey after you buy something? It’s usually printed on the back of the receipt or sometimes a separate print out is included. I know my own store gives out a survey after every transaction. But based on the response rate I see, I’m wondering if there’s really any point.
A lot of surveys are time intensive with little reward. The surveys I get from Best Buy usually come with the promise of “Enter to win a $10,000 shopping spree!”. Gee, thanks. Even if the survey only takes me 10 minutes, that’s 10 minutes spent doing something that is most likely a waste of time. Unless I’m guaranteed to be compensated, I’m probably not going to bother.
The surveys I hand out a million times a day do provide a concrete incentive for completion: a percentage off your next purchase. But even this doesn’t seem to motivate the majority of consumers. Many appear appreciative when I explain it, but I’d bet my paycheck that most people simply forget about it. I have no idea how long the survey I hand out is, since I’m not allowed to rate my own store, but I’m willing to bet more than a few customers have quit halfway through after feeling like they may never reach the end!
These surveys are clearly helpful to corporations though. They’re extracting value from customers in a quest to be more profitable, but only paying for the cost of administering the survey. Companies are desperate to get feedback too, considering the potential cost of negative publicity.
Should companies be willing to provide a bigger incentive to get the feedback they need? Does anyone find these surveys annoying? Would you prefer another way of rating your shopping experience?
