Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?
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Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam? In-Depth Review

Hello, welcome to my pinecone research Review. Do you ever hear of pinecone research? Is pinecone research Legit or a Scam? Let’s see…

You may be burdened by debt and mounting bills, or you may simply want some extra spending money. Pinecone Research, an online survey platform, claims to be able to assist by paying for your thoughts and opinions.

But Is Pinecone Research Legit?

Before we begin this review, let me introduce myself…

Hello, my name is Dima, and I’m a successful online marketer who went from spending time to running a successful affiliate marketing business.

In addition, I analyzed and tested over 200 courses to determine the best way to make money online.

In other words, I enjoy making money online and assisting you legally!

Pinecone Research is a one-of-a-kind survey site that has been the target of numerous scam accusations and fraud. In this review, I’ll go over those.

I’ll also explain who Pinecone Research is, what they do, and how they operate.

Table of Contents

Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?

Pinecone Research Overview

2.0 TOTAL SCORE

Pinecone Research

Best Alternative
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam

Pinecone Research is a survey site that pays you money in exchange for your feedback. The majority of surveys are designed to evaluate new products or services. When new surveys become available, the site will notify you via email.


Surveys 2
Can Make Money? 2
Recommended 2
PROS
  • Answer only prequalified surveys.
  • Test unreleased products.
  • Attractive compensation.
  • Various reward options
CONS
  • An invite-only membership.
  • You may be kicked out at any time.
  • Clunky interface.
  • Limited Location.
  • Desktop or laptop only.
  • Limited membership.

What Exactly Is Pinecone Research?

PineCone Research Panel is a market research platform that was founded in October 1998. Since the 1990s, there have been few online surveys and product testing sites.

The Nielsen Company, one of the world’s oldest and most reputable market research firms, owns Pinecone Research.

You’ve probably heard of Nielsen Ratings, the audience measurement system used by US television and radio companies for over seventy years.

So, if Pinecone Research is owned by a reputable company, why are there so many complaints?

Here’s the deal…

Many online complaints may not be about Pinecone Research at all. Indeed, those complaints could be directed at a company (or scam) that isn’t even legitimate. Allow me to explain…

How Does Pinecone Research Work?

Pinecone Research conducts market research. Through testing and surveys, they collect user feedback for their client’s products.

They, like similar sites, use a rewards system. As a result, rather than being paid in cash, you earn points for your efforts. The points earned can then be redeemed for cash or prizes.

One point is currently worth one cent (100 points equals $1.00). A typical survey is worth 300 points.

Signing Up (How does one become a member of Pinecone Research?)

As previously stated, you cannot join Pinecone Research directly from their website. To reach their legitimate signup page, you must first find them via a banner ad or a website (such as the one you’re currently on).

When you join, the first thing you’ll do is create a profile by providing basic personal information that will help them determine your demographic.

Surveys are only effective if the information gathered is provided by the appropriate person, someone who either uses or requires the product or service.

Pinecone Research will use the information you provide to match you to the appropriate surveys.

For example, if you are a parent, Pinecone will try to send you surveys about parenting products and services.

You will then receive survey notifications via email.

Who Can Participate in Pinecone Research?

If you are a minor, you must be of legal age (18 in most jurisdictions) or have the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Residents of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany are currently eligible.

Fees

Joining Pinecone Research is completely free. There are no monthly fees or third-party programs to worry about.

How Much Can You Earn From Pinecone Research?

It’s difficult to say how much money you can make with Pinecone Research surveys, as it is with other survey sites. Several factors influence your income potential, including how frequently you answer surveys, survey availability, points per survey, and so on.

Pinecone Research pays $3 per survey, which is more than most other survey sites. What isn’t clear or guaranteed is the number of surveys you’ll be eligible for.

Some members claim to receive only one survey notification per week. If this is correct, you will not be able to make much money from Pinecone Research alone.

If you’re looking for something more substantial, an online business may be the answer.

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Is Pinecone Research Legit?

To be clear, Pinecone Research is a legitimate company. The Nielsen Company owns them, as previously stated.

But there’s a problem…

Many websites make this connection, but none provide proof. It’s as if Nielsen claimed ownership of Pinecone Research and everyone else just ran with it.

That could be true or false, but I did some research to make sure it wasn’t just a rumor.

Nielsen is not mentioned at all by Pinecone Research. Nielsen also does not make public their ownership of Pinecone. Still, after some digging, I discovered this…

Pinecone Research
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?

In addition, Pinecone Research and Nielsen share an address…

BBB
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?

The fact that Pinecone Research is owned by Nielsen lends credence to its legitimacy; however, this does not mean that people who join are not being duped.

Let’s go over some red flags and why they might not be a cause for concern.

🚩 Flag #1 – Better Business Bureau Rating and Complaints

The Better Business Bureau is a reputable consumer advocacy organization. They assign letter grades to businesses ranging from F (extremely poor) to A+ (excellent) (really good).

Pinecone Research has received an F rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Rating and Complaints
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam? – BBB

However, this may be an unfair rating, and here’s why…

The Real Reason for Pinecone’s BBB Rating

Pinecone Research has a low BBB rating in part because many complaints have not been addressed (or resolved).

Some of those complaints are without a doubt valid. Perhaps the majority of them.

According to this alert, some complaints may not be about Pinecone Research at all… because it (Pinecone Research) is being spoofed by scammers (shown below).

As a result, those who sign up for a scam (thinking it’s Pinecone Research) are likely to file a complaint under Pinecone Research’s profile.

Scammers are also skilled at impersonating legitimate businesses and platforms.

As a result, some Better Business Bureau complaints (and complaints on other sites) may be about the scam spoofing Pinecone Research rather than Pinecone Research itself.

Nonetheless, those complaints continue to contribute to Pinecone’s poor rating.

🚩 Flag #2 – Spammy Methods Used to Participate in Pinecone Research

You may have found Pinecone Research’s recruiting tactics to be spammy, depending on how you discovered them. Whether it was recommended to you via email, text, social media, or another method, one thing you did not do was go out and find them on your own.

This is due to the fact that their website does not accept new members.

The Reality of Participating in Pinecone Research

The truth about Pinecone Research’s spammy recruiting tactics is linked to the previous topic. That spam is NOT being sent by Pinecone.

Instead, it’s the scammers posing as them.

In some cases, you may be solicited by legitimate affiliates using spammy methods that Pinecone Research has not approved.

In any case, it is not their intention to bombard you with spam.

If you join, double-check the URL (website address) to ensure it is Pinecone Research and not a scam (see image below, it should say https://join.pineconeresearch.com/…).

Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam
Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?

The image above is the official Pinecone Research join page (for the United States), but it is not available on their website. This is due to the fact that they do not accept new members on their website.

The text in the image above may be small (especially on mobile). “…we do not recruit members through our website or accept unsolicited referrals,” it says.

“…we will post recruitment opportunities via banner ads on various unsolicited websites throughout the year.”

Few, if any, market research and online survey websites function in this manner. That does not make it a problem. It’s beneficial in some ways.

In theory, it reduces the number of members, making survey takers less competitive. It also protects members and affiliates from referrals who sign up without using their links.

Having said that, not accepting new members on their site may make them a more attractive target for scammers (who spoof them) because scammers know you can’t sign up directly.

🚩 Flag #3: Inadequate Social Media Presence

When a company (or website) claims to have many happy members but has a weak or non-existent social media presence, this is a red flag.

However, I say “might” be a scam because this is only one indicator. Many businesses and websites avoid social media because it is expensive and time-consuming.

It is not always effective, and some people are simply ideologically opposed to social media.

In some cases, companies, such as Wealthy Affiliate, have their own social platform that is only available to members. Others may use forums such as Discord.

However, when it comes to make-money platforms that are typically found on social media, the lack of a presence can be a red flag. Pinecone Research, which has been around for over two decades, also does not have a large social media following.

The Real Story Behind Pinecone Research’s Social Media

Pinecone Research does not use social media to communicate and interact with its customers (or members). And they tell us on their website…

They state that they do not have a Facebook presence and will not request your login information. And if you see someone advertising Pinecone Research on Facebook (or other social media, presumably), they want you to notify them.

As a result, the Pinecone Research scams and frauds have nothing to do with Pinecone Research.

Pinecone Research is legitimate, and many of the problems people have with them are the result of scammers impersonating them. This is common at survey sites.

Does Pinecone Research Pay Cash?

Pinecone Research does not pay you in cash, but you can exchange your points for money via PayPal or check.

How to Redeem Pinecone Research Prizes

It is as simple as clicking a “Redeem” button and selecting the denomination (e.g., $5, $10, $15, etc.) to redeem your Pinecone Research Rewards.

Your points are then added to your “Cart” (much like an online shopping cart), where the redemption process is completed.

PayPal payments may take 3-5 business days to process, whereas checks may take up to 7 days to process.

When Will You Receive Your Pinecone Research Reward?

After completing a survey, you should receive your rewards (points) within 3 – 5 business days.

Simply log in to your account to view your points balance in the member’s area.

Do Pinecone Research Points Have an Expiration Date?

Yes, your Pinecone Research points will expire after 12 months of no earning activity in your account.

Prizes and Payment Options

You can redeem your points for cash, checks, virtual prepaid cards, gift cards, and merchandise.

How Much Time Do Pinecone Surveys Take?

Surveys from Pinecone Research take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, depending on how much thought you put into each question.

Because I tend to overthink everything, surveys usually take me longer. I don’t mind because I’m not usually rushed when doing surveys.

I also have a hyperactive puppy who likes to interrupt me whenever I concentrate on anything other than her (fortunately, she’s sleeping right now).

Pinecone Research Surveys will take a little longer to complete if you’re like me, overthinking with frequent interruptions.

What is Pinecone Research Looking For?

Pinecone Research is seeking candid feedback from you. And they can gain valuable insights about their clients’ products and services based on that feedback.

It’s not always easy to get honest feedback. It frequently necessitates survey participants sharing personal information with which they may be uncomfortable. Scammers also use platforms like Pinecone Research to their advantage, posing as someone they are not and answering questions as quickly as possible without even reading them.

Accounts that are locked

Pinecone Research, like all survey platforms, relies on honest and accurate feedback, as previously stated. As a result, your account may be locked if their automated system detects incorrect demographic information.

There are additional reasons your account may be locked, such as breaches of confidentiality and fraudulent earning methods.

Please read their membership agreement and understand the rules and guidelines before joining.

Will Pinecone Research reveal any of my personal information?

Pinecone Research says no… they will not sell your information to third parties. Instead, they claim it is only for research purposes.

However, you should always assume that your personal information is being sold. It makes no difference whether it’s Pinecone Research (I’m not accusing them) or a questionnaire you filled out for your dentist or your dog’s vet. Information is a commodity that is constantly being sold. And proving it is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Customer Service

For such a large platform, Pinecone’s support options are surprisingly limited (being owned by The Nielsen Company). For example, they do not provide chat support or a social media community to which you can reach out.

You can, however, submit a support ticket on their website or consult their extensive FAQ section for common questions.

If that doesn’t work, you can send them an email at:

Pinecone Research
250 E 5th St
Ste 1000
45202-4127 Cincinnati, OH

Pinecone Research Complaints and Reviews

Pinecone Research currently has a F rating with the BBB, which may or may not be accurate (due to scammers masquerading as Pinecone Research).

With some skepticism, consider the following common complaints:

  • Claims of removal or blocking as a result of non-participation
  • One reviewer stated that they were unable to redeem their points and thus felt duped.
  • Another reviewer stated that they were unable to access their account. When they asked for assistance, they only received an unhelpful automated response.

To be fair, some of these complaints, as well as others, were addressed and resolved. Not all of them (hence the low rating), but many.

Aside from some complaints about scams posing as Pinecone Research, it should be noted that overall ratings are not representative of all users.

They only include those who took the time to write a review or file a complaint.

Ratings are skewed because people are more likely to write a negative review than a positive one.

To be clear, this should not diminish the legitimate complaints of those who have them. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them, which is a major disadvantage in my opinion.

Similar complaints can be found on websites such as TrustPilot.

What I Like About Pinecone Research

  • The Nielsen Company is their owner. Aside from the increased stability, Pinecone Research may have access to better surveys than other sites.
  • Payouts are relatively high ($3/survey).
  • The payout threshold is low, and the cashout process is simple.
  • Cash payouts via PayPal and check (not just gift cards).

What I Don’t Like

  • Joining is difficult if you do not have a legitimate link.
  • Pinecone Research appears to be a popular target for scammers, with numerous warnings and alerts.
  • A higher-than-average number of complaints for an online survey platform, some of which remain unanswered and unresolved.
  • Notifications for surveys are limited.

Pinecone Research Conclusion: Is Pinecone Research Legit or a Scam?

With bills piling up and debt weighing you down, Pinecone Research may not be the all-in-one solution you seek.

They have some advantages; they are legitimate and pay out more than most other survey sites. However, if you want to make money online in order to have more freedom and independence, Pinecone Research will not suffice (nor do they claim to).

You could be a student or a single parent at home. You may have health issues that make regular work difficult, or you may simply dislike your job and are looking for a way out.

If that’s the case, you should start an online business.

With all of the scams and schemes out there, knowing how and where to get started the right way is essential if you want to get what you want.

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What do you think?

Written by mr.success

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