Tricia...I'm sorry to say it but...

[speechteachri]

I am officially going to take a break from surveys for a while. I have already been on a partial break, but I am making in official...for the next few months I don't intend to even try. I'm sorry to tell you that, and maybe I just have a low frustration tolerance, but the whole process just aggrevate the **** out of me right now. In a couple of months I'll probably go through a phase of trying again, but for now...not so much.
So I'm officially appologizing to you now for not participating in that portion of the site. I am still participating in shopping, just not surveys for now.

I LOVE SR, and would never leave it! Just can't do surveys right now...sorry.

[jnorth1007]

Sometimes it is best to just take a break when the surveys start to frustrate you. They shouldn't be a source of frustration for people but a way to make some extra free money. I think when it gets to be too much hassle a break usually puts things back in perspective and eventually you can go back to doing surveys without so much stress on yourself.

[SunshineGirl]

I am not trying to put this on you...because it's not you. But since you put this out here...

The sad reality is that SR is going to have a hard time staying in business if people continue to stop taking surveys. We've lost half of our survey takers in the last year and are looking at having to do employee cutbacks before too long if something doesn't change. Everyone wants us to give away more and more free stuff but then at the same time turns around and says that 1) they don't have time to take surveys, 2) they don't do freebies because they don't credit, and 3) they can't shop because of the economy. Any and all of the above might be true. But we're a business. If people stop doing all of the above plus don't refer new friends, we can't continue to pay the bills.

People beg us all the time to run more contests and give away more free stuff and higher commissions. But look around you at all of the small family businesses closing. We can't compete with the bigger sites in terms of commissions because we don't do enough volume. All that we can do is continue to be ourselves and offer customer service and a personal environment. But something does have to give as our active members do their shopping through %&$@ and their surveys through &*$#@ to get a higher commission but then come play with their friends in our free forum.

Again, this isn't directed at you because I couldn't get a survey all day yesterday either and it was REALLY frustrating. But I felt like I needed to respond with where WE are sitting right now.

[sunshinecindy]

I also think the OTX surveys are a lot easier, quicker and less frustrating, so if you want to continue to build your account up, you may want to just try those.

[kimntrent]

I would be so sad to see this happen. I can't shop a lot and surveys kill me too but I have a goal for WDW this december and I will try hard to keep you in business. LOL!

[askomsky]

It's so sad to hear, but so understandable from all accounts.

I'm lucky with survey's and I do try for the DS every day. SM and OTX though I don't try as HARD anymore if I get one easily I get one. I can understand how frustrating it can be.

I figured the survey's were hurting SR with so many people NOT making SM this Quarter and not seeing old timers on as much. It plain stinks and i just hope that SR can hold on however possible to get through these hard times.

It's also a shame that people are complaining about something that's free or a giveaway, I take part in what I can and feel lucky with what I've got.

[secretmoney]

I haven't been here long but I am pleased with the extra money that I have been able to earn for my upcoming Disney trip. After working 30 years of retail I left my job to stay home with my new grandson. I couldn't be happier. Many years of working for major retail companies has taught me to support the smaller ones. These are the people that care about their customers. Some days I am frustrated about not getting a survey (obsessed!) but I try to remember that this is extra money for me and if Sunshine Rewards wasn't here I wouldn't have anything extra. Sometimes offers credit for me sometimes not, I just hope for the ones that do. Don't be frustrated, I know people have other jobs too and not as much time as I do, but believe me it's important to support our friends.

[StitchandPooh'smom]

I am officially going to take a break from surveys for a while. I have already been on a partial break, but I am making in official...for the next few months I don't intend to even try. I'm sorry to tell you that, and maybe I just have a low frustration tolerance, but the whole process just aggrevate the **** out of me right now. In a couple of months I'll probably go through a phase of trying again, but for now...not so much.
So I'm officially appologizing to you now for not participating in that portion of the site. I am still participating in shopping, just not surveys for now.

I LOVE SR, and would never leave it! Just can't do surveys right now...sorry.

I definitely hear what you're saying - I have had the same four boxes to check all week with GF, and I haven't been able to get a survey. That being said, surveys are the bulk of my earnings and I am still trying every day. I think a break is not a bad thing if you are really frustrated, but I'd watch the forum for when people start to post about new surveys being added. I personally wouldn't take a break of a few months, but maybe try later next week and see what is out there.

I am not trying to put this on you...because it's not you. But since you put this out here...

The sad reality is that SR is going to have a hard time staying in business if people continue to stop taking surveys. We've lost half of our survey takers in the last year and are looking at having to do employee cutbacks before too long if something doesn't change. Everyone wants us to give away more and more free stuff but then at the same time turns around and says that 1) they don't have time to take surveys, 2) they don't do freebies because they don't credit, and 3) they can't shop because of the economy. Any and all of the above might be true. But we're a business. If people stop doing all of the above plus don't refer new friends, we can't continue to pay the bills.

People beg us all the time to run more contests and give away more free stuff and higher commissions. But look around you at all of the small family businesses closing. We can't compete with the bigger sites in terms of commissions because we don't do enough volume. All that we can do is continue to be ourselves and offer customer service and a personal environment. But something does have to give as our active members do their shopping through %&$@ and their surveys through &*$#@ to get a higher commission but then come play with their friends in our free forum.

Again, this isn't directed at you because I couldn't get a survey all day yesterday either and it was REALLY frustrating. But I felt like I needed to respond with where WE are sitting right now.

Tricia, you make very good points, and no one wants SR to shut down. I am doing a bit of early back to school shopping, which makes my balance creep up, but the surveys have dried up for me over the past few days. I know it is temporary, but it does seem unusual since it is the middle of the month, and it is very frustrating to check every day and have the same four boxes there that I can't check. But this too shall pass, and surveys will come again.

As much as I love the contests, I'd much rather see them go away than see SR go away. There is probably a good return for SR on the contests, though, as more people are active during that time.

Summer is also a tough time to do surveys. When my kids are home, I can't spend an hour or two just trying to qualify. I'm way more patient with surveys when I don't have hungry mouths to feed lunch!

Some people really can't shop right now, although I've tried to be more creative with my shopping to be able to go through SR as much as possible. I hope to do most of my back to school shopping through SR, but it will still be less overall than last year, I'm sure. Sad reality for everyone this year.

We just all need to hang in there and stick together, be supportive, and do our best to keep our earnings and SR's earnings up. SR has been great about finding new earning opportunities, and I'm sure the supply of surveys will pick up again soon.

[faithhope]

Thanks Tricia for being open and posting that. I LOVE SR!!
I'm sorry to hear the problems, but I didn't put the 2+2 and figure out the clues myself. It adds another reason for me to put up with the stupid surveys.

I love the games and contests, and shop Amazon via the SR link to try and make sure I do what I can to keep the fun rolling... and I've had amazing fun here (and at Disney) due to your hard work (and your great team) and I want to keep it going for many many years. Both of my girls can't wait to be old enough to join SR

So I'm going to get off my lazy butt and get my super membership back.

[SunshineGirl]

I love the games and contests, and shop Amazon via the SR link to try and make sure I do what I can to keep the fun rolling... and I've had amazing fun here (and at Disney) due to your hard work (and your great team) and I want to keep it going for many many years. Both of my girls can't wait to be old enough to join SR

This is a HUGE help to us. Even people doing things like checking out the Google ads in the forum helps us make up for NOT making a profit in places we used to. We try to turn around the Amazon, CafePress, Google ads, etc. money into what we use for the prizes in the forum contests.