Niall Doherty's Blog, page 173

Pinecone Research Review 2020

This is the definitive Pinecone Research review for 2020.

We’ve spent 100+ hours researching and testing the best survey sites.

Here’s how Pinecone Research stacks up…

– Key Points










Earnings Per Hour 1

$3





Payment Options

PayPal, bank transfer, gift cards.

Minimum Payout 5

None

Sign-Up Bonus

None

Overall Rating2.0/5 6
View Best Survey Sites


Or visit Pinecone Research »











Jump to…






What is Pinecone Research?How does it work?Is Pinecone Research legit or a scam?Is it safe?How much can you earn?How to get your moneyHow to sign upPinecone Research hacks





Pinecone Research AppPinecone Research BannersReferral programCommon complaintsIs Pinecone Research worth it?AlternativesHave you tried Pinecone Research?

This review is a joint effort between Will Peach (writer and researcher for eBiz Facts) and Niall Doherty (founder of eBiz Facts).

Our process:

The eBiz Facts team had previously spent 100+ hours researching and reviewing online survey sites.
Niall and Will spent a combined 5+ hours researching and testing Pinecone Research.
Niall contacted Pinecone Research support to test out their responsiveness.
Will wrote up his findings and Niall combined those with his own to create a first draft of this review.
We sent the draft to our Freedom Business Builder community and the folks at Pinecone Research and asked for feedback.
We made our final edits and published the review.

Note: We may earn a commission via referral links in this review. Read our full disclosure here.

What is Pinecone Research?

Pinecone Research is a survey site that offers you cash in exchange for your opinions. Most surveys are designed to review new products or services. The site also notifies you by email when new surveys are available.

The site is available to US users only. It is also exclusive.

You can only sign up via invite (more on this later).

Pinecone Research homepage

This way of making money online is known as GetPaidTo.

Full list of ways to make money online



How does Pinecone Research work?

The site is intended to help companies gather marketing information. This is done by creating surveys and sending them out to “influencers” – just a flashy name for survey-takers. Your responses help these companies improve their products or services.

One unique thing about Pinecone Research is that it offers users the chance to learn about new products before they go to market. There are also reports of users receiving free samples.

Here’s an explainer from the site as to how it works…

Source: Pinecone Research



Is Pinecone Research legit or a scam?

Pinecone Research is definitely legit. 

They are owned by The Nielsen Company, a New York-based marketing agency. This company has an A+ rating according to the Better Business Bureau.

Source: BBB.org

Pinecone Research has been operating for 22 years. It operates out of Cincinnati, USA. 

Beware of false reviews of the platform. Research shows several sites have tried to copy their format in the past. These sites have also been operating under similarly named domains. Some of the reviews you see may be for these copycat sites and not the real Pinecone Research.

The Nielsen Company – owners of Pinecone Research – also scores a decent 3.6 rating on Trustpilot.

Source: Trustpilot.co



So is Pinecone Research safe?

Pinecone Research is safe. 

Just make sure you use their official apps and login via the pineconeresearch.com domain. 

There’ve been fraudulent attempts to imitate Pinecone Research on Facebook. Note that Pinecone Research does not have a Facebook presence, and they will not ask you for your login credentials:

Source: Pinecone Research

According to their security policy, all communication with the site should happen via emails ending with @pineconeresearch.com.

How much does Pinecone Research pay?



Peter PineconeOnline Survey Taker at Pinecone Research $3 per hour

Peter Pinecone represents a typical person doing online research studies at Pinecone Research.

As you can see, his earnings are fairly low. (This is typical for survey sites.)

Each survey pays out $3 via a point system. Users report survey times lasting about 10-20 minutes.

The number of surveys available on the site is poor. According to this Reddit thread, most users claim to be able to earn from around 1-4 surveys per month. 

Other users report problems with beginning surveys and then not qualifying. There are also many reports of account inactivity leading to suspensions. You might notice this by no longer receiving email notifications on new surveys.

Pinecone Research does not pay for its Household Questions. These are short product evaluations some users are asked to complete in exchange for mailed product samples.

Our goal at eBiz Facts is to give you accurate information about online business so you can gain clearer insights, make better decisions, and achieve your own success.

With that in mind, we strive to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the income claims and estimates that you see on this website.

Here’s how:

We treat all income claims we find online with skepticism.
We don’t report incomes that seem especially controversial or unrealistic.
We cite our sources and/or share our calculations so you can see where the numbers come from.
If there are uncertainties about an income claim or estimate, we tell you what those are.

If you see an income claim or estimate that seems off, please tell us so we can fix it.

eBiz Weekly #94

eBiz Weekly is a free newsletter packed with tips, insights and opportunities to build your online business. We send it out every Friday to 7,609 legendary subscribers. We also post the content of each email here on the website.

Sign up to get the next edition of eBiz Weekly delivered to your inbox




HP

We'll first send a confirmation email to make sure it’s you

Best Online Lottery Sites (2020)

I’m on a mission to test, rate and review all the best online lottery sites.

Here’s my progress so far:

Lottery Site
Rating
Review




TheLotter






4.4/5

TheLotter review


BuyLottoOnline
tbd
coming soon


Jackpot.com
tbd
coming soon


LottoKings
tbd
coming soon


Lotto Agent
tbd
coming soon


Lotto Smile
tbd
coming soon


Multilotto
tbd
coming soon


WinTrillions
tbd
coming soon

Gambling problem? See our guide about how to stop gambling.

Where to get cheap lottery ticketsMore online gambling options

Cheap Lottery Tickets: Where To Get Them?

If you’re looking for cheap lottery tickets, these are the best places to get them:

At your local store that sells official lottery ticketsAt the official website of your local lottery (if available)At 3rd-party online lottery sites

As you go through that list, the tickets tend to get more expensive.

Gambling problem? See our guide about how to stop gambling.

Buy cheap lottery tickets from your local store

You should be able to buy traditional paper lottery tickets like this at your local lottery retailer…

For example, if you’re in the USA and want to play Mega Millions, you should be able to play the lottery at local retailers like 7-Eleven or Circle K.

Such stores are the main distribution channel for big lotteries and you’ll find the cheapest prices there.

Not sure where to find a lottery retailer near you?

Check the official website for the lottery you’d like to play and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Buy cheap tickets on official lottery websites (if available)

Some lotteries allow you to play online via their official websites, though you usually have to be in the same state or country to do this.

Examples of lotteries you can play this way:

EuroJackpot (multiple countries)Multiple lotteries in IrelandMultiple lotteries in the UK

Some US states also allow you to play various lotteries online:

GeorgiaIllinoisKentucky





MichiganNew HampshireNorth Carolina





North DakotaPennsylvania





Buy cheap tickets from 3rd-party lottery sites



Homepage of theLotter (reviewed here)

3rd-party sites like theLotter and Lotto Agent will buy lottery tickets on your behalf.

The advantage of such sites is that you can play your favorite lotteries from anywhere in the world.

The downside is that this is usually the most expensive way to play

TheLotter Review 2020

Welcome to my in-depth theLotter review.

As part of my mission to review all the best online lottery sites, I spent several hours researching and testing theLotter. Including buying tickets myself

Mystery Iraqi Guy – Online Lottery Winner

M.M.Online Lottery Winner $6.4 million jackpot winnings
Published October 20, 2020 by Niall Doherty




How did M.M. make money online?

M.M. is the name given to the man who won the Oregon Megabucks lottery back in August 2015.

Despite being an Iraqi citizen and living in Iraq, M.M. was able to buy a ticket for the Oregon Megabucks online via theLotter and won the jackpot.

Here’s an explainer video from TheLotter about their online lottery system:

Gambling problem? See our guide about how to stop gambling.

Here’s a video from a local news station in Oregon confirming the Iraqi man’s lottery win:

The win was also confirmed by several other news media, such as CBS News:

It looks like you can no longer play the Oregon Megabucks via theLotter.

But you can still play more than 50 other lotteries from around the world using their service.

Full review of theLotterBest online lottery sites

The goal of our Online Money Maker profiles is to show you all the different ways people make money online. We strive to ensure that each profile is realistic – no hype, no scams – so you can see what it really takes to build each type of business.

If you'd like to hear when we publish new profiles, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter below. Each edition is packed with tips, insights and opportunities to build your online business. We send it out every Friday to 7,556 legendary subscribers.

Sign up to get the next edition of eBiz Weekly delivered to your inbox




HP

We'll first send a confirmation email to make sure it’s you

Ted Tutton – Remote Tutor

Ted TuttonRemote Tutor $24 average salary per hour
Published October 18, 2020 by Rita Epps




How does Ted make money online?

Ted doesn’t really exist. He’s our avatar to represent a typical person with a remote job as a tutor.

This sampling of remote tutoring jobs should give you a sense of the work Ted would do for a living:

Source: FlexJobs.com

Wikipedia’s definition of a tutor:

A tutor, formally also called an academic tutor, is a person who provides assistance or tutelage to one or more people on certain subject areas or skills. The tutor spends a few hours on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis to transfer their expertise on the topic or skill to the student.

Frequently, remote teachers may also work as remote tutors outside of their normal working hours to supplement their income. This can make them both teacher and tutor at the same time.

The goal of our Online Money Maker profiles is to show you all the different ways people make money online. We strive to ensure that each profile is realistic – no hype, no scams – so you can see what it really takes to build each type of business.

If you'd like to hear when we publish new profiles, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter below. Each edition is packed with tips, insights and opportunities to build your online business. We send it out every Friday to 7,513 legendary subscribers.

Sign up to get the next edition of eBiz Weekly delivered to your inbox




HP

We'll first send a confirmation email to make sure it’s you

Tamara Teather – Remote Teacher

Tamara TeatherRemote Teacher $31k – $60k estimated annual salary
Published October 18, 2020 by Rita Epps




How does Tamara make money online?

Tamara doesn’t really exist. She’s our avatar to represent a typical person with a remote job as a teacher.

Teachers can work remotely to guide students in a variety of subject areas. This sampling of remote teaching jobs should give you a sense of the work Tamara would do for a living:

Source: FlexJobs.com

Wikipedia’s definition of a teacher:

A teacher (also called a school teacher) is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

These videos will give you a better feel for life as a remote teacher:

The goal of our Online Money Maker profiles is to show you all the different ways people make money online. We strive to ensure that each profile is realistic – no hype, no scams – so you can see what it really takes to build each type of business.

If you'd like to hear when we publish new profiles, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter below. Each edition is packed with tips, insights and opportunities to build your online business. We send it out every Friday to 7,513 legendary subscribers.

Sign up to get the next edition of eBiz Weekly delivered to your inbox




HP

We'll first send a confirmation email to make sure it’s you

MyPoints Review 2020

This is the definitive MyPoints review for 2020.

We’ve spent 100+ hours researching and testing the best survey sites.

Here’s how MyPoints stacks up…

MyPoints – Key Points










Earnings Per Hour 1

$1.50





Payment Options

PayPal, Gift cards, Air miles.

Minimum Payout 5

10% of referred person’s earnings (+ extras)

Sign-Up Bonus

$10 Amazon and Visa gift cards (sign up here)

Overall Rating2.3/5 6
Get Your $10 Sign Up Bonus


See all our top-rated survey sites »











Jump to…






What is MyPoints?How does it work?Is MyPoints legit or a scam?Is it safe?How much does MyPoints pay?How to get your moneyHow to get a $10 Sign Up BonusMyPoints Hacks





MyPoints GamesPoint PerksSearch and EarnReferral programCommon complaintsIs MyPoints worth it?MyPoints AlternativesHave you tried MyPoints?

This review is a joint effort between Will Peach (writer and researcher for eBiz Facts) and Niall Doherty (founder of eBiz Facts).

Our process:

The eBiz Facts team had previously spent 100+ hours researching and reviewing online survey sites.
Niall and Will spent a combined 5+ hours researching and testing MyPoints.
Niall contacted MyPoints support to test out their responsiveness.
Will wrote up his findings and Niall combined those with his own to create a first draft of this review.
We sent the draft to our Freedom Business Builder community and the folks at MyPoints and asked for feedback.
We made our final edits and published the review.

Note: We may earn a commission via referral links in this review. Read our full disclosure here.

What is MyPoints?

MyPoints is one of the oldest online survey sites. It offers rewards and cash to people in the US and Canada in exchange for completing surveys, watching videos, playing games, taking polls, and shopping at certain stores. 

Users can do this via MyPoints.com or with the free MyPoints Mobile App on iOS or Android.

If you’re in the US or Canada, you can sign up and start earning.

Surveys homepage at MyPoints.com

This way of making money online is known as GetPaidTo.

Full list of ways to make money online



How does MyPoints work?

Log in to your MyPoints account at MyPoints.com or through the mobile app. From there you can complete surveys, shop, play games, search for deals, and watch videos in exchange for points.

Source: MyPoints.com

MyPoints doesn’t clearly state how much points are worth, and it seems some rewards are better value than others.

700 points for a $5 gift card seems to be the best-case scenario, and I’ve read that you need about 4000 points before you can claim the minimum $25 payout via PayPal.

Points can also be redeemed for air miles (United MileagePlus). 

Is MyPoints legit or a scam?

I’d definitely say that MyPoints is legit. The platform has been around since 1996 and is owned by the same company as Swagbucks (reviewed here). 

As you can see, they have tons of positive reviews and a very high overall rating on Trustpilot…

Source: Trustpilot.com

MyPoints claims to have 20+ million active members, with 9+ million earning points. It works.

Source: MyPoints.com




Go To MyPoints




So is MyPoints safe?

MyPoints is safe.

You can see several user stories, many who’ve been using the platform for decades, over at the official MyPoints blog. For example:

Source: MyPoints’ blog

Also, MyPoints is owned by Prodege, LLC, which holds an A rating from the Better Business Bureau:

Source: BBB.org




Go To MyPoints




How much does MyPoints pay?



Paola PoindexterOnline Survey Taker at MyPoints $1 – 2 per hour

Paola Poindexter represents a typical person doing online research studies at MyPoints.

As you can see, her earnings are fairly low. (This is typical for survey sites.)

The maximum pay for a single survey is around $6.

The number of surveys you can do on the site per day is also reported to be minimal.

Some users may not qualify for certain surveys. According to one Reddit user however, you’ll still be awarded a small number of points despite not qualifying. 

There’s also a chance to randomly earn points using the platform’s internal search engine, MyPoints Search and Earn (see more below).

Our goal at eBiz Facts is to give you accurate information about online business so you can gain clearer insights, make better decisions, and achieve your own success.

With that in mind, we strive to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the income claims and estimates that you see on this website.

Here’s how:

We treat all income claims we find online with skepticism.
We don’t report incomes that seem especially controversial or unrealistic.
We cite our sources and/or share our calculations so you can see where the numbers come from.
If there are uncertainties about an income claim or estimate, we tell you what those are.

If you see an income claim or estimate that seems off, please tell us so we can fix it.

eBiz Weekly #93

eBiz Weekly is a free newsletter packed with tips, insights and opportunities to build your online business. We send it out every Friday to 7,490 legendary subscribers. We also post the content of each email here on the website.

Sign up to get the next edition of eBiz Weekly delivered to your inbox




HP

We'll first send a confirmation email to make sure it’s you