Pinecone Research Reviews and Features

Pinecone Research website screenshot

Pinecone Research

85 Broad Street, New York, New York  10004 US
Tel: 800.864.1224   Contact: https://members.pineconeresearch.com/#/ContactUs
Operated by: The Nielsen Company, LLC

KEY FEATURES:

payment icon
PAYMENTS OFFERED

checkmarkCash paid via bank transfer checkmarkAmazon gift cards checkmarkWalmart gift cards checkmarkStarbucks gift cards checkmarkHome Depot gift cards checkmarkApple gift cards checkmarkMovie vouchers checkmarkMerchandise checkmarkRetail e-vouchers checkmarkPrepaid debit or credit cards

study types icon
HOW TO PARTICIPATE

checkmarkOnline surveys checkmarkProduct testing checkmarkSurveys for Hispanics checkmarkMobile app

payment info icon
REDEEMING REWARDS

Typically, rewards are delivered within a few business days or sometimes even immediately after completing a survey. Your first 100 points will equate to $1, which will be sent to your home address.

Pinecone Research is a trusted leader in the survey panel industry. They are owned and operated by the market research company Nielsen, whose operations are headquartered in New York.

Pinecone Research focuses on improving the quality of tomorrow’s products through collecting research via paid surveys and product testing opportunities offered to consumers.

How Pinecone Research Works

pinecone research website

Pinecone Research Sign Up

Pinecone Research is an invitation-only survey panel, where members can earn rewards for participating in online surveys and product tests. Potential new members must be invited by other members to join, or they must find a join link posted on a website. SurveyPolice currently offers Pinecone Research signup links for Americans, Canadians, and people living in the UK: » Join Pinecone Research here.

To learn more about how to sign up for Pinecone Research, including tips on joining and why there are membership restrictions in place to begin with, check out our article on how to find an invitation to join Pinecone Research, as it should help answer any questions you may have about the process.

Payment and Rewards

pinecone research rewards

Reward Types and Amounts

For each survey successfully completed, Pinecone Research awards its members a minimum of 100 points, which equals $1.00 in your local currency. For example, Americans will earn $1.00 USD per survey, Canadians typically earn $1.00 CAD per survey, while Britons earn £1 per survey completion. There are a variety of rewards options that accumulated points can be exchanged for. These include:

  • Bank Transfer - Pinecone offers cash payments issued via bank transfer. When selecting this option, you will be asked to create a 'wallet' on a third-party payment processor website. Once set up, you can request a cash payment deposited directly into your bank account. Payments are issued in $10, $5, and $3 increments (which can be in different quantities; ex. 4 x $3 = $12). Bank transfers are typically issued within 48 hours of request, but can take up to 3-5 business days.
  • Amazon e-Cards - You can choose to receive an Amazon gift card with your collected points. The e-card will be sent directly to your email account.
  • Other Gift Cards - Pinecone Research offers a variety of gift card options including Starbucks, Apple Store, Walmart gift cards, as well as many others. Gift cards may be digital or in physical format and are listed under these categories.
  • Merchandise - Pinecone Research offers an extensive merchandise catalog consisting of various small electronics, household items and more. Merchandise rewards will be mailed directly to your home.
  • Prepaid Virtual Visas – prepaid Visa cards are available for redemption, however, they may only available to US residents.
Points Value: 100 Pinecone Research points = $1.00.

Redeeming Rewards

To redeem your rewards, simply visit the Pinecone Research website and log in to your account. From there, click the "Redeem" button to access the reward site. Under the SHOP tab next to HOME tab, select the reward items you wish to redeem and once you click on an item you are interested in, click the shopping cart icon to add the item to your cart. Click the shopping cart icon on the right side of the page to complete your order.

Note that PayPal is no longer offered as a rewards option and was replaced by bank transfers.

Earn your First Check/Bank Transfer Automatically

Once you complete your first survey, which is always worth a minimum of 100 points, Pinecone Research will automatically send you a check for $1.00 to the mailing address on your profile, or will ask you to cash out via bank transfer. This is a security measure to establish your profile and account. After your first check/bank transfer (or 30 days of being an active Pinecone member, whichever comes first), you will have the option to choose the form in which you would like to receive your future rewards.

Visit Pinecone Research's website 

Survey Taking Experience

Survey Types

Interesting online surveys are e-mailed to members, and are on a variety of different topics. As a Pinecone Research member, you are part of an elite group that represents consumers and households like yours nationwide. Your opinion is important to manufacturers who count on people like you to help predict which products will be developed and which may not be suited for launch. Paid surveys opportunities usually take about 15 to 20 minutes of your time to complete and you will be notified by e-mail when one becomes available.

Product Testing Opportunities

Occasionally, Pinecone may mail out products for their members to test from home. These may be physical products, or food items that may come delivered in a cooler. A follow-up survey is usually provided as part of the product test. These opportunities are highly sought after, as you may receive free food (or a product that you might be able to keep), as well as a paid follow up survey!

Visit Pinecone Research's website 

Community Features

pinecone research app

Pinecone Research App

If you prefer to take surveys on the go, you can download the Pinecone Research app onto your iOS or Android mobile device. The app will allow you to view available surveys, take online surveys, view and redeem your points, view your account history and more. Just remember to first join the Pinecone Research panel itself before attempting to take surveys through the app!

Quick Customer Service

If you have a question on anything Pinecone Research-related, do not hesitate to send in an inquiry through the website. The response time is usually 1-3 business days, or even quicker depending on the workload of employees during the time of your question.

Is Pinecone Research Legit or Scam?

pinecone research legit or scam

Is Pinecone Research Legit?

Pinecone Research is legitimate and is not a scam. This survey program is over fifteen years old and has paid out millions of dollars in rewards to its members. Pinecone offers quality paid surveys and product tests to its members and is known for offering fair rewards. Operated by Nielsen, a market research leader, Pinecone Research is not a scam and is a completely legitimate website.

Eligibility: Available in select countries including USA, UK, Canada, Pinecone Research is an invitation-only panel.


Please note that PInecone Research has been targeted by a cashier's check scam. If you receive a large, unexpected check seemingly from Pinecone, DO NOT attempt to cash it!

Pinecone Research Reviews (695)

5 Star Reviews (388) 55.8
55.8
4 Star Reviews (93) 13.4
13.4
3 Star Reviews (52) 7.5
7.5
2 Star Reviews (41) 5.9
5.9
1 Star Reviews (121) 17.4
17.4

Sort Reviews By: Date | Highest rating | Lowest rating

5 stars from me

April 15, 2019 by Brad from United States

You get $3 for your first survey. hey, its not a lot but better than most places. The pay is pretty good even though I don't get many surveys I still think its worth it.

Pinecone Research reply logo

Pinecone Research responded to this review on May 14, 2019

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your feedback! We study comparable incentives to try and stay competitive with incentives. We hope you continue to enjoy the studies sent to you and we value your participation.
Legit!

April 14, 2019 by Jennifer from United States

So I had no idea that they automatically send out a check to the address you provided after you complete your first survey! It was an unexpected surprise even though it's only $3! I am having issues with cashing it since I do not currently have a bank account or checking or savings, only a prepaid debit. I also hope to see more survey opportunities! & More surveys that I'm accepted to do!

Pinecone Research reply logo

Pinecone Research responded to this review on May 14, 2019

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for your feedback! We automatically send the first 300 points as a physical check to your house as the final step to establish your profile. After that, your points will accumulate for your redemption of various options on the online rewards page.
Pinecone Research is the best

April 10, 2019 by Ed from United States

Cant speak for everyone but i never had any problems with them fast pay out like in 5 min for gift cards cash a day or two but you get paid and $3 for every survey you complete they are the best to me!!!!

Pinecone Research reply logo

Pinecone Research responded to this review on May 14, 2019

Hi Ed,

Thank you for your feedback! We are glad that you are fond of the options for the reward and gift cards. Your continued participation in surveys is appreciated, and we hope that you continue to enjoy your experience.
Consistent Login Issues and Nearly ZERO Surveys

March 21, 2019 by Joyce from United States

Since the transition of ownership, this company has been in free fall with Constant connectivity issues and an absolute case of Missing in Action surveys. It's a crying shame that a stellar company has allowed its validity in the marketplace to bottom out so totally.

Pinecone Research reply logo

Pinecone Research responded to this review on May 14, 2019

Hi Joyce,

Thanks for the feedback! The best way for us to assist you with issues being experience is to submit a help request using the "Contact Us" form below:

https://www.pineconeresearch.com/contact.asp?linksourceid=20

A good rule of thumb for the best compatibility, is to participate on a PC computer versus a tablet or mobile device.
Delete accounts for no reason

March 20, 2019 by Nikki from United States

I was a loyal member of Pinecone Research for years, doing surveys and in home product tests, and I never had any problem getting my incentives. Suddenly the surveys quit coming, and when I went to log into the website, my account was suspended. So I contacted customer service to find out what was going on, and they told me I hadn't completed several product reviews. When I let them know I hadn't received any packages to review, and asked if they could provide me with tracking information so I could file a missing mail complaint with the local post office, then they changed their story and said that I hadn't been completing my surveys. Again I asked what dates they had sent the survey invitations, as I had not received anything for quite some time and there was nothing in my spam folder, and they refused to give me that information, and refused to reinstate my account. The only thing I can figure is that I had made too much money off of them and they didn't want to pay me anymore, because I did absolutely nothing to violate their terms of service.

Pinecone Research reply logo

Pinecone Research responded to this review on May 14, 2019

Hi Nikki,

We apologize for the issues you experienced as a member. Please note, membership can be discontinued due to continued lack of participation in studies. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide tracking numbers on any product studies as these items are mailed in bulk directly from our warehouse to all participants in a specific study at one time. For further information into membership parameters, please see our Membership Agreement below:

https://www.pineconeresearch.com/membership-agreement.asp?linksourceid=20