My SavvyConnect and Survey Savvy Review

Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not affiliated with SurveySavvy or Savvy Connect . I purchase and test many products, this review however is based on research, testimonials and experience with similar products. All information in this review is available in the public domain, and any conclusions drawn from that information are my opinions only and not to be taken as fact.

SavvyConnect

SavvyConnect is an invasive software that connects you to third party online market research companies. The software is designed to monitor your internet activity and your search behavior. The purppose is to provide information so these research companies can better understand what people are doing online.

I hesitate to recommend SavvyConnect for reasons I'll get into below, but here's a quick summary.

From a strict marketing point of view, monitoring your internet activity is relatively harmless. And, it's completely voluntary, and those who install SavvyConnect do so with this understanding.

So, I don't have any issue with what SavvyConnect does, or how they do it (although I'd never recommend people give up their privacy for a few bucks). They're a market research company, and in theory, your information should never be used in negligent or harmful way.

In addition, SavvyConnect claims to respect your browsers privacy (or incognito) modes so if you want to surf online without being monitored you can do so.​

While I personally wouldn't risk privacy, or voluntarily install something for the purpose of monitoring, the other reason I don't recommend SavvyConnect is simply due to performance and technical issues. The software slowing down your computer for example.

If they were paying out thousands of dollars per month, it would be a lot easier to overlook these issues. But we're only talking about coffee money here.

Survey Savvy

As SavvyConnect collects data about you, you will get the opportunity to participate in surveys that are also related to online behavior.

The Survey Savvy website says there are no guarantees as to how many surveys you will be invited to participate, so while there is money to be made, it's not the best method of earning an income online.

Like all paid survey companies, their market research depends on accurate and relevant answers, which means you need to have some relation to, or experience in the survey topic. 

Unfortunately, you will have to answer questions to determine your eligibility and as a result, you can end up spending a lot of time that you won't be paid for.​

A second way to make some money with Survey Savvy is through referrals.

It's a multi-level marketing component that is downplayed on their website. SurveySavvy calls it a their "patented" referral system, but you can be the judge. It works like this.

1. You get incentives when you complete surveys
2. You get incentives when your direct referrals complete surveys.
3. You get incentives when the referrals your direct referrals made, complete surveys.

​

Is Survey Savvy A Scam?

I'm not referring to the SavvyConnect software here, or whether or not they are an established (and legit) company that pays you for sharing your opinion.

What I'm referring to is the opportunity that online survey companies have to take your information, but not pay you by telling you after you take it, that you do not qualify. There is no proof of wrongdoing by Lund Research, and I personally don't think there is a scam going on here. 

But, it's easy to see why people would make such an accusation when they spend so much time answering questions, only to be told they don't qualify. Naturally, it's curious whether or not Survey Savvy is still getting paid by their client, but not passing that onto the survey taker.  

Here is one such complaint from the Better Business Bureau.

Source Better Business Bureau 

How often does this happen, and what you can you really do about it? There's no way of knowing if you don't belong to the demographic they're looking for, or if they're just keeping a little extra money for profit.

SurveySavvy did have a response for the above complaint which I find to be a fair answer.

They claim that, all surveys have screener questions to determine whether a respondent matches their clients’ criteria and fits into an open quota group for that particular survey.

If you don't match their client's demographic criteria or fit into the open quota group based on your answers during this screening section, you will not be asked to complete the survey.

How long does it take to answer these screener questions? In the comment above the person says 25-30 minutes, which sounds to me like a lot of "screener questions", but that's only my opinion.

How Does SurveySavvy Pay You?

Payments are made by check in US dollars and mailed out to you.

SavvyConnect Customer Complaints

There seems to be no shortage of complaints regarding SavvyConnect and SurveySavvy. As mentioned earlier, most complaints have to do with the software causing technical issues with computers and devices.

Source Reviewopedia

I also noticed some complaints about poor customer service and SavvyConnect not sending payments. Many of the payment issues seemed to be related to technical challenges (when SavvyConnect couldn't confirm that the software was installed or active on the participant's device). It's impossible to comment on the validity of these complaints.

The reviews at the BBB are equal at 43% each positive and negative, with the remaining 14% neutral.

Technical Issues

When installing any software or app, you run the risk of it conflicting with other programs. This is particularly true of software that's invasive like SavvyConnect.

For example, banking sites and apps don’t work well with software that's collecting your personal information.

Additional issues are similar to those you get with any app. I've had them, and I'm sure you have too. Apps that drain your battery life, use up your data and even cause your phone, tablet or computer to crash completely.

Again, this is NOT a simple software program with a limited scope (such as a game or news reader). It's invasive and monitors your activity, so it must interact with multiple systems.

Privacy Concerns

For the small amount of money you would receive from SavvyConnect and SurveySavvy, I wouldn't put my privacy and my computer at risk. How much information they're extracting from you... who knows. They tell you it's anonymous, but unfortunately, there's no real reason to trust them.

There is a big incentive to pull more information from you since they're in the business of selling it. At the very least, it's not worth the risk in my opinion.

An argument can be made that we give up our privacy to companies like Google and Facebook as well, so what's the difference here? Only you can decide whether or not you're comfortable with letting another company in.​

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons 

Final Thoughts

While SavvyConnect and SurveySavvy are not scams, I can't recommend them. There are much better opportunities out there with higher earning potential. Ones that don't invade your privacy or involve the installation of software.

​Easy Money seems to be what everyone is looking for but it's a myth.

An alternative way to make money online is by building your own online business, which is a lot more simple than it sounds. There are countless programs out there that will show you how, not all of them are good (or legit). Here are some of the best ones I've found. 

If you found this article useful, or think it might be helpful for others, Please share.

Also, please leave a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you used SavvyConnect before?

Cheers,

Jay​