Frequently Asked Questions Where did you get my address and telephone number? Your home was randomly chosen to represent the households in your area. Your telephone number was chosen by a computer, which selected the last four numbers of your ten-digit telephone number randomly. In this way every number in an area code and exchange has an equal chance of being selected for the National Consumer Survey, which is an important part of our scientific process. After the telephone number was selected by the computer, Simmons used a database that matched telephone numbers to the addresses at which they are located. Back to Top Is the information that I give to you kept private? Absolutely! Simmons will hold all identifying information, such as name, address or phone number of respondents or non-respondents in the strictest confidence. Information from all of our respondents is combined into a report, which does not include any personal information about our respondents. Back to Top What are you selling? We are not selling anything! This is a legitimate research study conducted by Simmons Market Research, a consumer information company. We have been conducting the National Consumer Survey for more than 50 years. Back to Top Will I wind up on mailing lists if I answer your questions? No! Simmons takes very seriously the subject of respondent privacy and we would lose our credibility as a research company if we did not honor respondent confidentiality. Back to Top Why do you need this information? Simmons uses this information to create statistical data that helps companies make better products and services, television networks create new and better shows - in general we help American businesses stay in touch with the American consumer. Back to Top How do I know this is legitimate research? Simmons is a leading research company that has been documenting the lives of American consumers for over 50 years. We welcome any questions about our company and about the National Consumer Survey. You may call our toll free number 1-800-551-6425 (y en español, 1-800-822-4921) to verify that our work is legitimate. Back to Top Why do you need my name and the names of my family members? We need your name and address so that we can mail the surveys to your home, along with a token of appreciation for you and each participating member of your family. We need the first names or initials of other family members so that we can write their names on the surveys when we send them to each member of your family. Please remember that Simmons will keep any personal information that you give us in the strictest confidence. Back to Top Why do you ask the personal questions about education and jobs, etc.? The personal questions that we ask help businesses to understand what kinds of people (age, level of education, etc.) use what kinds of services and products. Simmons will keep any personal information that you give us in the strictest confidence. Back to Top Why are you calling me? Why was I chosen? Your telephone number was randomly selected by a computer to represent the households in your area. Now that your telephone number has been selected, we need your help and the help of your family members, because we cannot replace a selected household. Back to Top When will the surveys arrive? They will be sent out Priority Mail in a red, white and blue envelope and you should expect them within three to four business days. Back to Top Why are there two surveys for me to complete? Each member of the household will receive an individual survey to complete. In this way, every member of the family will have the opportunity to give their opinions on the products they use, the sports and activities they participate in, and what they read and watch. In addition, each household also receives one household survey in which we ask about the products people buy for the entire household (automobiles, appliances, etc.) The Household Survey is sent to the person that talked to our interviewer on the telephone. We recommend that other members of your household help with the completion of this household survey along with their own personal survey. Back to Top I didn't get my survey package yet - what do I do now? If your survey package hasn't arrived within a week after you spoke with our telephone researcher, please click here to contact us. Back to Top I don't have much time! How long does it take to complete the surveys? The time that it takes to complete these surveys will vary based on your use of products. If you do not use a product in your household, you will check off "No" or "Do not use" and then skip the questions about that product. Some questions are asked of men only, others of women only. We do not expect you to complete these surveys in one day! Our respondents have told us that by taking ten to fifteen minutes each day, they are able to complete these surveys and mail them back to us within about two weeks. We think you will find that completing the surveys is an enjoyable task! Back to Top When do I have to mail the surveys back to you? We would like to have these surveys completed and returned within three weeks. There is a date on the front cover of your survey to remind you of this date. If you need extra time, that is fine. We would rather have the surveys arrive a few days late than not receive them at all! Please don't hesitate to call us toll-free or send us an e-mail if you have any questions about your survey return date. Back to Top What's in this for me? How will I benefit from this? This is an exciting chance for you to make your product and radio, television and magazine preferences known. The information you provide will be combined with households all across the country and used to design and market products that best fit your needs. We know that this takes valuable time and we appreciate your efforts. Each member of the family will receive a token of our appreciation for this effort. Back to Top Who wants this information and what is the information used for? Simmons reports provide newspaper and magazine publishers and broadcasters with information about their reading, viewing and listening audiences. Our reports give new product planners information about the lifestyles, media habits and product preferences of their customers and prospective customers. Back to Top Who is conducting this research? Simmons is a research company that has been documenting the lives of American consumers for over 50 years and is nationally recognized as a leading authority on the American Consumer. Every year, tens of thousands of households participate in the National Consumer Survey, which gathers information on the lifestyles, media habits, and product/brand preferences of American families. Back to Top What is market research? I thought it involved selling or sampling products? Legitimate market research does not involve selling anything! Market researchers collect information on what consumers buy and what they think about different products. Legitimate market research companies also protect the privacy of their respondents and of the collected information. Back to Top Who do I contact if I have any questions about the surveys? Please call our toll-free number 1-800-551-6425 (y en español 1-800-822-4921) if you have any questions about the survey. Back to Top What happens if we have not finished with the surveys by the deadline? We have found that three weeks is usually enough time for our families to complete their surveys and mail them back to us. However, if you cannot complete the surveys in that time, please take a few extra days to finish the task. We will work with you on this! Please don't hesitate to call us toll-free or send us an e-mail if you have any questions about your survey return date. Back to Top My address and/or name has changed. How do I let you know? Please send us an e-mail or call our toll-free number 1-800-551-6425 (y en español 1-800-822-4921). Back to Top
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