The Effect of Incentives in Web Surveys: Application and Ethical Considerations
Abstract
Although researchers use internet-based surveys more often than ever in their research, there is little research on the effect of incentives on response rate, speed and cost. This study attempts to fill in some of the blanks by comparing the different incentives offered to respondents of web-based surveys. The results indicate that offering a luggage-tag to each respondent and including them in a draw for a bigger value prize (a personal digital assistant) yields the highest response rate. In terms of response speed, there are no significant differences among each incentive group. The most expensive group in terms of costs was the combination of luggage tag and prize draw.
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The online survey approach was considered most suitable in this context based on Cobanoglu and Cobanoglu [97].
“Based on the suggestion of Cobanoglu and Cobanoglu [97], this approach is considered most suitable in this context.”
From Consumer Adoption of Online Food Delivery Ordering (OFDO) Services in Pakistan: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation (2021) · cites this paper as Cobanoglu and Cobanoglu [97]
Cites
Nonresponse in Household Interview Surveys
Groves, R. M., & Couper, M. P. (1998) · doi:10.1002/9781118490082 · Cited by 761 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Groves and Couper (1998) described these cost–benefit assessments as a bookkeeping system of debits and credits rooted in an individual's self-perception and commitment/ involvement with the object.”
BackgroundEstimating the Effect of Incentives on Mail Survey Response Rates: A Meta-Analysis
Church, A. H. (1993) · Public Opinion Quarterly · doi:10.1086/269355 · Cited by 705 · see citing works
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Ali, S., Khalid, N., Javed, H. M. U., & Islam, D. M. Z. (2021) · Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity · doi:10.3390/joitmc7010010 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
“Based on the suggestion of Cobanoglu and Cobanoglu [97], this approach is considered most suitable in this context.”
Can Lottery Incentives Boost Web Survey Response Rates? Findings from Four Experiments
Laguilles, J. S., Williams, E. A., & Saunders, D. B. (2011) · Research in Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s11162-010-9203-2 · Cited by 159 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cobanoglu, C., & Cobanoglu, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Delaware
- University of Baskent
- Venue
- International Journal of Market Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2003-07
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1-13
- ISSN
- 1470-7853 (ISSN-L)
- 2515-2173
- OpenAlex
- W2104187782
- Cited by
- 200
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 14.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Market Research (publishedVersion)
- Bilkent University Institutional Repository (Bilkent University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Survey Sampling and Estimation Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Mobile Crowdsensing and Crowdsourcing
- Keywords
- survey incentives, online surveys, response rate, response speed, survey costs, prize draw, personal digital assistants, research ethics, respondent motivation
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Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
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