This page aims to make the research community aware of the possibilities that the online survey company Credamo.world (in short, Credamo) offers, and aims to make it easier for scholars to use it. We also aim to make Credamo more accessible to researchers by taking the reader through the steps necessary to field a study in Credamo and by providing screenshots. This project (published in the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance) is joint with Lianjun Li (University of Science and Technology of China), Lina Ang, Noah Lim, and Wei Jie Seow (all at the National University of Singapore).
(Latest update: 2/2024)
Credamo is an online survey platform where users can create and field online surveys. Credamo also offers a broader array of products, including assessments, registration forms, and online polls, among others (Figure B1 shows a screenshot from Credamo illustrating the types of surveys that can be created using the platform). Here we provide step-by-step guidance on how to field a survey in Credamo.
Credamo has a dedicated international site in English catering to non-Chinese speakers. Users can switch between the Chinese and International sites by selecting the option from a dropdown menu located in the top right corner of the site (Figure B2). A user can register a free account using either an email address or a US phone number.
The Credamo Chinese site offers several ways to register, including a Chinese phone number (Figure B3), an email address (Figure B4), or other Chinese social media accounts such as Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter). Another popular option for registration is WeChat, a Chinese multi-purpose mobile app for messaging like WhatsApp. The WeChat app is known for its versatility, providing a broad range of services, including text and voice messaging, video calls, social networking features, and the ability to make mobile payments, and it is now a central part of daily life for many users in China.
Once logged in, the homepage presents a variety of tabs, featuring a list of projects and additional sections like "Application," "Sample Library," "Account Upgrade," and more (Figure B5). Credamo provides flexibility for various types of questions and studies (Figure B6). Detailed explanations for each type of study are available on the corresponding help page.
Overall, the survey design platform is more similar to Qualtrics than SoJump, our main survey platform of choice for studies in China.
In the survey design wizard, Credamo allows a process control (in Qualtrics, “survey flow”) to make sure the questions or blocks are in the correct order or to randomize blocks (Figure B7). Other functions include question logic and sharing of the survey (Figure B8).
Now that the survey is ready to launch, researchers can take advantage of Credamo's sampling service. For a pricing estimate on the sampling service, researchers can (1) fill out a form (Figure B9) or (2) engage directly with their customer service team to discuss specific details.
The form allows the researcher to input specific details (Figure B10) regarding the sample, including sample size, total survey questions, location, gender, age, occupation, professions, type of company, religious beliefs, employment status, ethnicity, and Hukou. Hukou refers to the household registration system in China. It is an administrative record officially identifying a person as a resident of a particular area.
Alternatively, if the researcher prefers personalized assistance, they can choose to engage with human customer service through various channels such as email, online chat, or phone communication.
In our experience with Credamo, we engaged with a specific customer service staff throughout the study about the sampling inquiries, addressing various matters related to the sample service, such as budget inquiries, handling financial matters, making specific requests regarding sample features and quantities, study design, conducting data collection, and delivering data.
We believe that engaging in direct communication with customer service regarding sampling matters is the most efficient approach to ensure that the sample has all the desired features and that the data collection is carried out as intended.
The customer service team facilitates the estimation process by providing a researcher with an Excel sheet to input sample specifics. Upon receiving the survey drafts and sample requests, the staff responds with a price estimate.
The staff reviews survey questions, leading to the exclusion of questions that are deemed potentially sensitive for Chinese politics (e.g. ideology).
After receiving a formal quote a nd depositing the funds in the Credamo account, the data collection begins. The Credamo staff will ensure that the exact number of participants needed is included (extra participants will be discarded by the staff).
The data delivery process is done by the staff sending an email with the survey responses attached. Unlike other survey platforms that allow researchers to observe data details in real-time throughout the process, we were unable to monitor the responses collected through the sampling service (Figure 11). As a result, the data collection process could use more transparency. This also means that a study is more susceptible to errors related to the survey distribution.
In addition to flat participation fees, Credamo allows for incentivized experiments, albeit with limited flexibility. In our experience, customer service merely allowed us to divide participants into four groups and disburse only four sets of different bonus payments. Thus, online incentivized experiments in China are conducted more easily on SoJump than on Credamo.