FAQ

1. Register for our database.

2. We will contact you via e-mail to complete a pre-study screener to determine if you are eligible to participate in an upcoming study or test. Screeners are short surveys that ask you about what products you normally use and how often you use them.

3. If you qualify, you will be given more detailed information about the study and you will have the opportunity to choose a date and time that fits your schedule. You can also decline to participate.

We know that answering these preliminary screeners can be a bit of a pain, so from time to time we like to do something fun. Several times per year we offer contests and raffles that let you win prizes just for being a member of our database.

You will be contacted via email with study announcements. Along with the study notification, there will be several questions that pertain to the type of study being conducted. Should you qualify, a list of dates and times will be provided for you to choose from. Once you have committed to a date and time, it will hold your spot on that study. Since our clients expect us to secure a certain number of participants per test, we count on your participation.

We will contact you when we are conducting a study that, based on the information you provide to us, is appropriate for you or that may interest you. Due to industry guidelines, there are certain limitations as to the number of tests one can participate in. However, we want to use you in as many research studies as these guidelines will allow, so there will be opportunities to participate.

Test length depends upon the type of test and the number of samples. Some tests are very short and others may be lengthier. Tests involving a number of samples will take longer. Focus Groups generally run from 1-3 hours. You will be paid more for studies that take more of your time.

You will always be paid by check at the completion of every study. On occasion we conduct multi-day studies in which you must participate on all of the days in order to be paid. You will be paid upon completion of the final day of testing.

We always ask that you arrive 15 minutes early for prompt check-in. If you run late or have an emergency, please call us at 908-376-7000 or email us at discovery@sensoryspectrum.com. We may be able to reschedule you to a later session, however, we do remove people from our database when they are consistently late or do not call to cancel. Since our studies have limited seating, we ask that you do your best to keep committed to your scheduled time.

• Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early to check-in. If you are late you may be ineligible to participate.

• Bring a valid photo ID with you.

• If you are sick, have a cold or allergies, you should not participate in the test. Please let us know.

• Please do NOT eat or smoke for at least 1 hour before testing.

• We are a fragrance-free facility so do NOT wear any perfume, cologne or strongly scented body/hair care products. Fragrances can interfere with your ability to taste and smell and can also impact other testers on the room. You will be removed from the study without compensation if scents are detected by our staff.

• If you wear eye glasses, don't forget to bring them along!

• We are not equipped to provide childcare. Please make other arrangements for your children while you are testing. They are not permitted to wait in the test center.

Yes, but only if you earn over $600 in a calendar year. You will receive a 1099 form at the end of the year ONLY IF you earnings amount to $600 or more.

Ultimately, your opinions are included anonymously with those of the other survey participants in a report to the company that sponsored the research. Your responses help that company do a better job and make a better product for you the consumer.

Both large and small consumer product manufacturing and distributing companies sponsor these studies. As for specific names, we are sorry but that information is confidential and we are not at liberty to disclose that information. We work for some of the biggest and most successful consumer product companies in the world.

Please do not bring children to Spectrum Discovery Center unless they are participating in a study. We do not have childcare services at our location.