You may have heard about User Testing and that it is a great opportunity, but how do you know that you can trust this site? Is it is a legitimate source of income and can you guarantee that all your tasks and tests will be on the up and up?
Well, this is what this article is here for. Learn about whether User Testing is the real deal and if there are any issues that you should be aware of!
Is User Testing a Legitimate Operation?
Yes, User Testing is a legitimate operation that has garnered a significant number of testers over the years. The site also caters to some of the top brands in the US and has consistently provided payment to their customers in a timely manner.
Of course, just because a site is legit on the surface doesn’t mean that it is an easy company to work for. Here is greater insight into the brand:
Can Anyone Join User Testing?
Technically, anyone can sign up for User Testing. Once you have signed up, you will be sent a practice test. You may also be asked additional information about yourself, your lifestyle, and your habits.
Your answers and your test performance will be analyzed. It is based on this that your application will be approved or denied. Not everyone is accepted to join User Testing.
Based on reviews, though, it does appear that a majority of the testers are accepted into the fold.
Do You Have to Pay to Join User Testing?
One of the main signs of legitimacy regarding User Testing is that you don’t have to invest any money at all to join. It is a completely free process on your end. You simply sign up and wait for test opportunities to show up.
As an added bonus, you aren’t expected to bear any of the costs involved in sending money to your account either.
Are Your Tests Recorded?
It is natural to worry about your privacy and how User Testing is using the feedback and information that you provide them. Now, User Testing doesn’t tell you precisely how your reviews are used.
Nevertheless, you are being informed that during your test your online movements are being tracked to a certain degree. Almost all of your tests are recorded. This may be true for Live Conversations as well.
In many instances, you have to share your screen so that moderators know precisely what you are doing. You should know that this individual will be able to see any other sites or information that is present on your computer screen at that time.
Does User Testing Use All Your Data?
Although it isn’t explicitly mentioned, you should assume that User Testing will use any personal information that it attains.
Keep in mind that during the application process that you will have to volunteer information about yourself. It is likely that this information is imparted to any brand that is interested in your particular demographic.
As such, you should only join User Testing if you are comfortable with all of the information that you provide being passed down to third parties without your express approval.
Can You Make Real Money with User Testing?
This is one of the most common questions regarding User Testing and legitimacy. Yes, you can make money with this site. It boasts numerous users and they have all been reported that they have been paid the amounts owed to them and in due time.
In essence, you don’t have to worry about hounding the company for your money. As long as the results of your test were accepted, you will be paid for your time.
Do You Get Paid Fairly with User Testing?
As with any job, you want to make sure that you are being fairly compensated for the work that you do. Given the unique nature of User Testing and how it functions, though, it can be difficult to determine if this is the case or not.
According to the website, you can get paid between $4 and $120 for a test. More recently, though, the least amount that you get paid for any test has risen to $10. At the same time, these short tests have become a bit longer and you can spend up to 15 minutes on each of them.
The Live Conversations are the most coveted tests as they garner the highest amounts of money. The price of each of these tests can vary from $30 to $120. The exact price may depend on the duration and the nature of the test.
You will be informed ahead of time how much you can get paid prior to taking the test.
Are Your Tests Timed Properly?
When it comes to User Testing, time is money. This is because the amount that you receive tends to depend on how much time you spent on the test. Therefore, making sure that the tests are properly timed is key.
The shorter tests tend to be true to form. You typically only spend as much time as is required of you. Furthermore, you are responsible for how long you take on them.
With Live Conversations, there can be less structure. You will be informed beforehand how much time the test will take. Some reviewers will ask you if you consent to the test running a few minutes later. It is up to you to decide whether you approve of this or not.
In other instances, the Live Conversation may continue for several minutes past the expected schedule. At this point, it may be up to you to point out that it is taking longer than usual.
The downside is that it appears that you aren’t compensated for any of your additional time. The fee remains the same as the one that was initially quoted for that time period.
If you wish to, you can contact customer service to pursue your case but there is no guarantee on how this will turn out.
Do You Get Paid for Every Test?
This can be one of the trickier elements of working with User Testing. As with any site, there is always the risk that the website may lag, malfunction, or some other issue may crop up.
If this happens and your test isn’t saved or recorded, then it is considered as incomplete. In some instances, you are allowed to take the test again. In others, you are not.
In the event of such an issue, unfortunately, you are not paid for the test. This will happen even if you completed the test. You can contact customer service, but you may discover that your claim will be rejected, especially if you don’t have proof of taking or completing the test.
This is more likely to happen with the new app. There have been instances where the app has crashed or not saved the work that you were doing.
How Many Tests Do You Have Access To?
This is something that many test takers have wondered about. This is because some people appear to have greater access than others. This has led to people wondering if they are being cheated out of the system.
This isn’t the case.
As mentioned earlier, User Testing runs practice tests and collects certain information on you. They use these details to get a clearer idea of which brands you are best suited to, depending on their lifestyle. Your testing and answering style as well as the review rating that brands have given you.
Thus, User Testing will often narrow down the most suitable options for you and present them to you. It is up to you to determine whether to take the test depending on the price, your availability, and other individual factors.
Unfortunately, there appears to be no way to change this on your end. You can try to take a greater number of the tests offered to you and attempt to improve your performance. Even this is no guarantee that you will be moved onto other more desirable tests.
How Quickly is Money Deposited Into Your Account?
This, too, is an important consideration when working online. After all, there have been numerous horror stories of people completing work only to get tied up in the payment process.
Fortunately, this isn’t the case with User Testing at all. You will be paid what you are owed within a week of completing a test. The money will be deposited into your PayPal account.
You are able to keep track of your payment via the dashboard. Once you have completed a test, the status of your payment will change to Processing. This will quickly move onto Pending. It is during this time that the brand will review the video.
Once the money is deposited, the status will change to Paid. To date, there have been no complaints of users not getting paid for their work in a timely manner.
Are Your Tests Fairly Rated?
This is another common area that people wonder about. After all, your ratings can determine what tests you have access in the future. As such, it has a direct impact on your earning potential.
The disadvantage here is that there isn’t too much information provided ratings. To make matters even more confusing, brands and reviewers don’t have to leave you a rating. In many instances, they simply leave tests unrated.
It can be argued that no rating is better than a low rating. However, there is no way to know how User Testing or other brands regarded testers with a fewer number of ratings. It is possible to assume that these individuals aren’t given as much access to tests as those with higher number of ratings.
Is User Testing a Good Part-Time or Full-Time Job?
One of the reasons that people assume that User Testing is a scam is because they get their hopes up about how much they can make with the site. However, if you read through the terms and conditions, User Testing doesn’t make any claims about how much money you can make.
There are two main elements that dictate how much you can earn – the demographic that you fall into and how much time you are willing to spare on User Testing.
Most brands are looking for a specific demographic – age, gender, earnings, location, etc. This is what your application process will outline. If you fall into a more desirable demographic, then you will get more tests. If you don’t, it can be trickier to make money.
You also need to be willing to dedicate a certain amount of time to User Testing. Many of the testers who make consistent money will be online for extended periods and take every test that comes along.
You should be aware that even then, User Testing isn’t comparable to a part-time job, let alone a full-time job. It is great to make a few extra dollars here and there, but nothing more than this.
Does User Testing Have Good Customer Service?
A lot of people judge the legitimacy of a site based on the customer service department. Well, while User Testing is a reputable business, their customer service does leave something to be desired.
It can take the agents a while to respond to any complaints or queries. Even then, it is possible that you will have to follow a complicated process that doesn’t lead anywhere. You may also find that your complaints are dismissed rather quickly.
If you are looking for tech help, you may not always be assisted or as quickly as you would like.
Once again, this doesn’t mean that User Testing isn’t the real deal – they are. Their customer service has become increasingly bad, though, and this is something that you need to take into consideration before you apply for a job.
Is User Testing a Genuine Company?
User Testing is a genuine company that is linked to other reputable brands and is an organization that gives you the opportunity to earn legitimate money in a timely manner but it may not be as profitable as you may hope, even in the long run.
