Finding the best gift card for research participants to reward them for their time and effort can be tricky. You need to ensure that participants will take part in your research efforts, but you also don’t want the cost to be prohibitively expensive. How can you do this most effectively?
By its nature, research often involves participants from different walks of life. Their preferences are likely to vary depending on their personal interests and demographics. How, then, can you find a gift that will appeal to all of them? It’s no wonder that gift cards are such a popular reward choice. They are versatile enough to suit all needs. However, the decisions don’t end there. Once you’ve decided to give participants a gift card, you need to pick which type. Here is where things can start to become more complex.
There are many different types of gift cards to pick from. If you can only choose one kind of gift card to give to every participant, which one should it be?
Here are a few things to bear in mind when making your choice.
Age has an important part to play when you’re choosing a suitable reward. Often, research participants will all be from a single demographic. Picking a gift card that appeals to recipients of a certain age is critical.
If your market research participants are young, they may appreciate a gift card for a gaming or digital media brand. A Nintendo eShop or PlayStation Store card could be ideal.
On the other hand, older participants are likely to prefer a more conventional gift card reward. A gift card for a clothing or homewares retailer like Walmart or Home Depot would work best.
Recipients can use most gift cards in only one country. You need to keep this in mind if you have participants from different countries involved in your research. It’s best to offer a gift card that they can use in multiple locations, like a virtual MasterCard or Visa. Participants in most nations worldwide will then be able to claim their reward and use it with ease.
It’s also worth bearing in mind the value of the reward you’re offering research participants. It could have an impact on the gift card you choose. If the reward is relatively small — say, $5 or $10 — a gift card to somewhere like Starbucks card is ideal. Recipients usually want to get something for free when they receive a gift card. They can exchange even a low-value Starbucks gift card for one or two free beverages.
On the other hand, if you offer a low-value Delta Airlines gift card as a reward, that’s far less appealing. The participant would need to spend hundreds of dollars on a flight just to get a small discount. They would be less keen to participate in your research on that basis.
A higher-value gift card will always be more appealing to participants. However, the principle remains the same — they’d prefer to get something for free. A gift card for a clothing, homewares, or beauty products retailer allows them to get a free, higher-value item.
There’s a lot to keep in mind when choosing gift cards for market research participants. However, Rybbon’s extensive range can accommodate all needs and requirements.
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
BHN Rewards puts the power of digital rewards to work for marketers, researchers, and HR managers. Don't forget to check out all the great content in our Resources section!
