Efficiency and Quality of an Online Surveys

Hundreds of respondents can fill out the survey within a matter of days, and all of these responses can be automatically inserted into a database such as Microsoft Access. Data from web-based questionnaires can also be automatically validated; for example, if a data value is entered in an incorrect format, or outside a defined range, the web-based program can return an error message requesting the respondent to enter the data correctly and resubmit the questionnaire.

If such validation capabilities are used, the researcher need not worry about issues of missing or out-of-range responses, and can proceed directly to preliminary analysis of the data. (It should be noted, however, that automatic data validation cannot guarantee the veracity of respondents' answers.)
More Flexibility In Design:

Questionnaires that are used in a "real world" environment lack flexibility. For example, consider a market research survey that is soliciting responses from a broad audience. There will be many people within that population to whom questions will be irrelevant. A researcher or interviewer would be tasked with identifying which questions were relevant to the individual participant.

Gathering Data on Rare or Deviant Phenomena:
If you are interested in rare populations (e.g., people with a specific illness, opposite-gender twins, African-American Jewish women), online survey techniques allow you to draw responses from all over the world, resulting in a much larger sample size than you could gather via traditional methods. If your research involves deviant phenomena (e.g., alcoholism, cheating on one’s partner), the privacy afforded by the computer may make it easier for respondents to admit to socially proscribed feelings or behaviors.

Some Important Benefits of Online Surveys:
1. Multimedia advantage - pictures, audio, video, and simulated shopping can all be incorporated
2. Higher response rates versus other surveying methods (such as through direct mailings)
3. Statistical compilation is often in real time - survey results can be monitored throughout the time the survey is online
4. Fast - final reporting results are delivered within a few days versus weeks
5. Online surveys eliminate interviewer bias or error - the survey is delivered in exactly the same manner in all instances for all panellists.
6. Quality of final data is higher - this is due to convenience for panellists, the ability to re-read questions, etc.
7. Time constraints for panelists eliminated - a user can take as much time needed to fully complete the survey
8. Easily survey consumers worldwide - geographic location of panellists does not impact the efficiency nor quality of the research data
9. Paid surveys allow for longer and more detailed information gathering versus surveying methods such as non-incentives telephone surveys.
10. Online surveys are taken at a convenient time for the respondent, not market research company
11. Most types of studies can easily be conducted online, including employee satisfaction surveys, company satisfaction monitoring, brand name evaluation, advertising research, competitive analysis, etc.
12. Top-level internet security and encryption protect panellist data
13. Privacy protection - respondents remain anonymous; privacy and confidentiality are protected.
14. Online surveys are a non-interruption surveying method. Panelist receives an e-mail notification for an online surveys, after they have agreed to such notifications from the online market research company
15. Help desks which offer live assistance, can provide needed customer support for panellists during a survey
16. Online survey methods are increasing rapidly in use, versus telephone surveys which have a dramatically declining response rate
17. Data compilation is efficient - household information is easily stored and maintained
18. Large majority of North Americans have internet access, which makes for an accurate household representation
19. Specialty online panels of professionals such as technology specialists, healthcare personnel, and youth, make targeted groups of demographics easy to survey
20. Online surveys, because of their efficiency, reduce the time to market for new products and services, potentially meaning more money for the companies hiring the market research firms to conduct research on their behalf.
21. Millions of North Americans are registered members of market research companies, meaning access to an accurate population sample in a variety of demographics.
22. Cost is lower than other survey methods. Internet panel survey costs are often only a couple dollars each, versus $20 for telephone surveys.
23. With a societal trend for having everything "online" and digitized, internet research panels truly are part of the wave of the future.