Marianne, for all participants know, it very well could be an independent
organization with no commercial interest in a product doing the survey. I
doubt it, but we/you don't know for certain. That's the whole point of
having an independent market research org/company, such as eRewards (or its
parent company/org) conduct the survey vs. whoever is paying them to conduct
it -- it's to diminish or eliminate bias and confidentiality on both ends.
Knowing persons who work or have worked for market research, the originator
may have had more or less input re: survey questions asked. Often the market
research company designs most/all of a survey -- that's part of the job.

We have a magazine similar to yours -- Consumer Reports. That's one kind of
independent marketing research. The survey many LCs/LLLLs were contacted
about here is another. Independent market research company focus groups are
another. Testing a product out with real persons is another. However,
whether a magazine or another independent research entity, those working for
an independent research entity need to make a living, so the work they are
doing must be paid by someone. Few magazines survive based on subscriptions
-- most survive on commercial interests -- ads, etc.

Honestly, I thought whoever sent the survey really doesn't know LCs/LLLLs
well, as most of us are happy to give our opinions ad nauseum for free!



>
>
> **Hi Karen,
>
> > Re: eRewards survey -- Well, it's the old LC or LLLL (or reasonable
> > facsimile) catch-22... Someone actually asks for the input of those who
> > know
> > more breastfeeding aids/devices (finally) via a typical marketing
> research
> > format and we're all damned it we do and damned if we don't.
>
> **That is why it would be best if an independent organisation with no
> commercial interest in one single product woudl do the survey. Their name
> could then be known to those replying and the results ought to be published
> in an impeccable manner. We have the Consumentengids in the Netherlands, a
> consumer magazine that does all kinds of testing for many, many products.
> They have certain criteria for the product group and all sorts and brands
> are tested. Those are given a grade, so that consumers have an independent,
> fairly objective expert meaning on product X or Y or Z. Brands are happy
> with a good grading, because it wasn't them who said it, but the
> independent
> organisation. I would prefer something like that: an organisation testing
> partly medical consumergoods independently. If they have no funding, I do
> at
> least know that I'm not paying the manufacturer by answering the questions
> for free. If they do have money to share, I would at least know that it
> comes from an organisation that stands nothing to gain from my expert
> opinion. Wouldn't that be much better...?
>
> Warmly,
>
> Marianne Vanderveen IBCLC, Netherlands
>
>


Karen Gromada
www.karengromada.com/

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