Face-to-face advance contact and monetary incentives effects on mail survey return rates, response differences, and survey costs

• Published in: Journal of business research Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 99 - 106
• Main Authors: Bellizzi, Joseph A., Hite, Robert E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Inc 01.02.1986; Elsevier; College of Business Administration, University of Georgia; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: Journal of Business Research
• Subjects: Direct mail campaigns; Hypotheses; Incentives; Monetary incentives; Questionnaires; Response rates; Statistical analysis; Studies
• ISSN: 0148-2963; 1873-7978
• DOI: 10.1016/0148-2963(86)90059-7

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of using face-to-face advance contact and monetary incentives to increase mail survey response rates. Supermarket shoppers in differing socioeconomic areas of a city were approached by a research assistant and requested to complete a survey at home and return it by mail. Half of these surveys contained a one-dollar incentive. Another set of surveys was mailed to individuals selected at random from the telephone book; again, half contained an incentive. Response rate was significantly higher for face-to-face contact/incentive groups, although no interactions between contact and incentives were found. Factor analysis of survey data revealed no response differences by treatment groups. Per-return survey costs were significantly reduced through face-to-face distribution since effort was targeted to likely respondents. Self-perception and dissonance theories may explain higher response rates with face-to-face contact. Shoppers accepting the survey perceived themselves as helpful and would have experienced guilt if they had not returned it.