This Christmas I was pressed for time, so I made a lot of online purchases. As a result, I got a lot of email solicitations and newsletters that I never signed up for. I make it a point to un-check the subscribe box during checkout. Nonetheless, I got a lot of junk email. Among the spam, there were a few emails requesting that I provide feedback about my experience. And while I am usually happy to provide my opinion on just about anything, I wanted to know what was in it for me. Here’s what was offered:
- Dell requested a review on an item that I recently purchased (imaging drum for my laser printer. ) There was no incentive and I deleted the email.
- Lane Bryant requested that I write a review (even though I haven’t purchased anything in quite a while) for a chance to win a $200 gift card. I deleted the email.
- PetSmart thanked me for the recent purchase of a cat scratching post with a 10% discount off my next purchase. I kept the email and will likely use it.
After thinking about my reactions to these solicitations, I came up with a few observations of my own.
- I like to be thanked for being a customer regardless of whether a coupon is involved. Kudos to PetSmart for taking the time.
- Coupons make me smile and I am likely to use them for return visits – from stores that I like to frequent.
- I dislike having the “chance” to be rewarded for my contributions more than being offered nothing at all.
I took my thoughts a step further and asked some Facebook friends what they thought of incentivized surveys. Here was the question…
Would you be more inclined to answer a survey about a recent purchase if you had an incentive? Even something like a small credit toward your next purchase?
Here were some of the responses:
- Yes, I get those surveys all the time after purchases, never do them cause there isn’t anything in it for me and to spend my time on… some type of incentive, and not that “Chance to win $10,000″ BS incentive.
- Probably more inclined with an incentive – a discount or special offer, not 1 in a billion chance at an iPod.
- I rarely ever answer the surveys. I might do so if there is a discount on my next purchase, but it would need to be a site from which I purchase regularly and the credit would need to not have an expiration. (Or a late expiration). Yeah, definitely not for a BS sweepstakes offer…
Customer feedback is important, but tricky to obtain. If you have loyal customers, they will typically provide you with what you need without an incentinve. But how do you hook new customers, get their feedback and then encourage them to return?
