So! Continuing with the #stuffiwonder theme…

The telephone vs online survey debate.

The one that goes;

“Really, given that everyone’s moving from landline to mobile/cell these days, telephone survey sample representivity is seriously compromised”.

More often than not (and, of course, depending on who’s doing the debating), it ends with a nod to online panel surveys. In this context, “…they’re probably just as good as – if not better – than telephone surveys”.

Right?

Well, I don’t know.

Panels are opt in. And yes, the same can (and should) be argued about telephone interviews. You most definitely need research participants to opt in beyond a “Bugger off, I’m eating my dinner” response.

But what differences might we see, in terms of motivation and the research output, between a sample comprising individuals who;

• Have been approached randomly (and I get that it’s not really random; the population will be limited to those with landlines), vs
• Sign up to be part of a/several market research panel/s and/to get paid for their opinions?