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Survey Email


Stuey

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Just received this in an email (with a link to a web site to complete an online survey at zoomerang.com). Is it a genuine Groundspeak survey please? I know of several people who have received it tonight.

 

You are invited to participate in this brief 5 – 7 minute survey regarding your use and satisfaction with geocaching.com. All responses will remain confidential and used in accordance with Groundspeak’s privacy policy. View Privacy Policy

 

This survey link will be active until April 14th. We value your feedback and look forward to learning how we can better serve the entire geocaching community.

 

Thank you,

The Groundspeak Team

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this is the second thread like this.....which one do we need to use to discuss?? this one or over at the general section....so much confusion :lol:

 

Well, my thread is three minutes older than this one :D

 

edit: there's a third, older thread in the UK forum.

Edited by DavidMac
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There wasn't much info in there useful for phishing, and I opted outta the household income question.

 

Except for your valid email that replied to it, your IP, etc-

Nothing serious - but still info.

 

I took it, just to say I did.....

 

I thought the typo's were a perfect touch to a use/satisfaction survey! :lol:

(f 5 – 7 minute survey & Groundspeak’s "

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This post was helpful in the main forum so I'll repost it here:

 

I'm wondering if they can tell who participated by the list of characters at the end of the address; mine ends in -JQL84KAYT

 

Although technically you could map the responses with a user, we went to great care to anonymize the way that emails are handled through Zoomerang. Zoomerang actually received fake emails that map to our mail server. We then map it to the correct emails and send them out from our own mail servers. Once we get the results from the survey we will delete the mapping which will completely anonymize the results (and make it so all the emails in Zoomerang's database bounce).

 

The reason why we use the tracking is to reduce the number of duplicate surveys that would skew the results. Only those that opted in to receive emails from us received the survey.

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My personal guess would be that one of the primary purposes of the survey is to collect demographics to target advertising/marketing. I.e., what kinda' stuff can we try to sell these loonies on this geocaching website. I commented that loading geocaching.com with advertising would significantly detract from my geocaching experience. I also bitched about the server reliability on weekend evenings (prime time).

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My personal guess would be that one of the primary purposes of the survey is to collect demographics to target advertising/marketing.

 

You'd be wrong. Much of the information will simply help us figure out who you guys are. Correlation between questions can help us figure out how to support the community better.

 

Advertising has always been less than secondary for any motivations we have for the site.

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My personal guess would be that one of the primary purposes of the survey is to collect demographics to target advertising/marketing. I.e., what kinda' stuff can we try to sell these loonies on this geocaching website. I commented that loading geocaching.com with advertising would significantly detract from my geocaching experience. I also bitched about the server reliability on weekend evenings (prime time).

Yes, but do you feel you're getting your money's worth? :lol:

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As you read this, you might think I'm kidding... but I assure you.. I'm not

 

 

Question 14 has me stumped

 

"Which caches do I primarily search for?" - Where is the "Every cache that gets listed!" button? Actually, I'm serious... I can't pick just one, but guess I gotta! Yes I understand "PRIMARILY" but it doesn't apply, I like them all just fine.

 

 

Question 18... I would have picked "Several Times a day" but it wasn't listed

 

Question 31... maybe there is not as much of a difference in the USA, but in Canada we have College and University as totally separate kinds of schools. From a Canadian's perspective.. the choice of high school or university is a pretty big jump...

 

 

:lol: The Blue Quasar

Edited by The Blue Quasar
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Looked like a scam to me! Questions 1, 2 & 3; year born? what done in last year (all that apply) and been geocaching before? click next - questions 4, 5 & 6; year born? what done in last year (all that apply) and been geocaching before? click next - questions 7, 8 & 9, year born? what done in last year (all that apply). Third time around just clicked next w/o checking answers -- RED LETTERS: YOU MUST FILL OUT QUESTIONS 7, 8 and 9! Looked like a major scam like I said. Went back to email and opted out, but that could have been a typical spam scam in itself.

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Well apparently they don’t want to know my opinion, but that is okay, my feelings aren’t hurt, I can deal with the rejection. I think I need to go find a bar and drown my sorrows. {sob} :lol:

 

You probably didn't opt in to get emails from us.

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My personal guess would be that one of the primary purposes of the survey is to collect demographics to target advertising/marketing.

 

You'd be wrong. Much of the information will simply help us figure out who you guys are. Correlation between questions can help us figure out how to support the community better.

 

Advertising has always been less than secondary for any motivations we have for the site.

 

I stand pleasantly corrected, thank you for the insight... and yes I do appreciate the value of the service for the price

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Can someone post the URL for the survey here?

 

Each Url is unique so it can't be shared. We may do another one and send a sharable link via the weekly cache notification emailer to compare the results between the two surveys once this one is complete. And no - there is no need to do it twice :lol:

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Dang, I have to be over 18.

There is a reason for that. . . .

 

Can someone post the URL for the survey here?

Sorry, but you have to agree to some terms in order to take it-(see above quote)

Plus, Im quite sure that'd buy anyone a ticket outta here......

 

I read it. With my knowledge of marketing it seemed pretty open and shut. My wife completed and submitted it . Although I dont necessarily agree with what I believe it to be - Its only information right?

There is no emoticon for my expression on that one.....

Edited by Pto
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Each Url is unique so it can't be shared. We may do another one and send a sharable link via the weekly cache notification emailer to compare the results between the two surveys once this one is complete. And no - there is no need to do it twice :lol:

Thanks for the info, Jeremy! My survey invite was sent to my spam folder for some reason. When I attempted to "un-spam" it I accidentally deleted in instead! Argh...

 

:D

 

Is it possible to receive another survey invite or am I simply outta luck?

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Well, I handled this in reverse order, I do believe.

 

I went right to the survey, plugged along just fine, until it went into the area of getting too personal. It may be "SOP" anymore to ask for level of education, income, etc., and that information seems to have become too readily accessable (thanks to OUR government selling it off for one!#$%^), but it turns me off. None of your d@#$^ business, is my position. And so, I opted out and came here.

 

Having read this thread, I'm sorry I did not look for the end-around for that area of the survey and complete it. I have nothing but compliments to Groundspeak and geocaching.com. I am in my second year of premium membership, and I think it is worth every penny. I had not previously received any unsolicited e-mail that was tracable back to them, and overall I believe they have the best interest of the hobby/sport in mind.

 

I am guessing that boomerang helped design the survey and they kept the standard language in (the stuff that turns me off). Jeremy, if you want insight into what I like about caching and my general caching habits, I'll be glad to share. Let's just not too personal is all.

Red Iguana

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Well apparently they don’t want to know my opinion, but that is okay, my feelings aren’t hurt, I can deal with the rejection. I think I need to go find a bar and drown my sorrows. {sob} ;)

 

You probably didn't opt in to get emails from us.

Wrong oh great and powerful oz, and I did get one after all, it just arrived. Must have taken the long way around.

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A number of locals report that they found the survey in their spam folders. I checked there but found nothing.

 

Jeremy, you can stiff those people - I've got your big clue right here. Most really active geocachers are retired. (or they wish they were). An ad or two in AARP would double your membership.

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Can someone post the URL for the survey here?

 

zoomerang

Copyright ©1999-2006 MarketTools, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this site may be copied without the express written consent of MarketTools, Inc.

 

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U24JNQ7XENLM

 

 

Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:03:17 -0800

From: "Geocaching Survey" <survey@geocaching.com>

Subject: Geocaching Survey Invite

 

I also forwarded to abuse@geocaching.com and spoof@geocaching.com

 

addendum. the e-mail address is just like all other spoof phishing e-mail. this is not a real survey in my opinion. the "survey.zgi" is one of the clues. the others are that this survey sdoes not really address geocaching and asks for personal data. also, the company is "market Tools, Inc."

 

Blue Hodag

Edited by Blue Hodag
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Can someone post the URL for the survey here?

 

zoomerang

Copyright ©1999-2006 MarketTools, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this site may be copied without the express written consent of MarketTools, Inc.

 

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U24JNQ7XENLM

 

 

As Jeremy points out above, the ending characters are unique. I would guess only the first person (or last?) using that URL will be recorded.

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"You are invited to participate in this brief 5 – 7 minute survey regarding your use and satisfaction with geocaching.com"

 

Oddly enough, the majority of the non-demographic questions related to the caching activity and not to the use of and satisfaction with geocaching.com.

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A number of locals report that they found the survey in their spam folders.

In my case its not just a folder but a spam service that deletes the message. It just shows you the header with no way to retrieve the message body itself. So, that kind of thing can effect the randomness of the survey if others are cut out this way also.

 

Didn't get an answer yet to whether it can be resent!

 

JDandDD

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Can someone post the URL for the survey here?

 

zoomerang

Copyright ©1999-2006 MarketTools, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this site may be copied without the express written consent of MarketTools, Inc.

 

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=U24JNQ7XENLM

 

 

Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:03:17 -0800

From: "Geocaching Survey" <survey@geocaching.com>

Subject: Geocaching Survey Invite

 

I also forwarded to abuse@geocaching.com and spoof@geocaching.com

 

addendum. the e-mail address is just like all other spoof phishing e-mail. this is not a real survey in my opinion. the "survey.zgi" is one of the clues. the others are that this survey sdoes not really address geocaching and asks for personal data. also, the company is "market Tools, Inc."

 

Blue Hodag

Dude are you miffed???? the man is trying to get some input from the community to make things better for everyone. Not everyone visits the forums to give input on what they want, what better way to get mass input than a general survey. Real or not if you don't lo\ike it don't fill it out. Pay for my PM and I kiss your butt. for a week. ;)

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I for one got part way through the survey then stopped. This might be a British attitude but there were too many manddatory personal questions I am just not prepared to answer. I am happy to be a premium member and pay my way for a service but this gives you no acces to my personal info'! I therefore think the survey is useless as too many will opt out to make the findings of any use.

 

Further, not enogh thought has been given to some Q's. EG Do you enjoy micro caches? I have no preference either way so tried skipping this one but it wouldn't let me.

 

Sorry Grundspeak, you had a chance to get valuable feedback but blew it in my opinion.

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I also forwarded to abuse@geocaching.com and spoof@geocaching.com

 

addendum. the e-mail address is just like all other spoof phishing e-mail. this is not a real survey in my opinion. the "survey.zgi" is one of the clues. the others are that this survey sdoes not really address geocaching and asks for personal data. also, the company is "market Tools, Inc."

 

Blue Hodag

I am working in Marketing in a very large (Fortune 100) US company operating worldwide, and we use Zoomerang as well. They're quite known on the market, so you should not fear anything.
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Some of the questions I had a hard time picking one answer.

 

High diffuculty and terrain

Low diffuculty high terrain

yada yada yada...

 

The survey made me pick one of the 4 options and I would have been happy to pick all of the above.

 

Still getting data in to help drive change and support the site is a good thing.

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Why does the income question always stop at '$100,000 and over'? Just once, I wish one of the choices was '$1,000,000,000,000 and over' ... :huh:

 

I'm surprised that hasn't change much too on surveys, in some parts of the country (California metros, greater NY, greater Boston, etc.) that's almost the average or median income because no one else can afford to move into those areas :lol:

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Got the survey, clicked my answers and submitted it.

 

I find it ironic that a premium member would complain about "personal" questions in the survey. The results are going to Groundspeak, a company that you trust enough to give your credit card/Paypal (therefore your home address, bank etc etc) info to.

 

Just by scanning the cache logs of one of these folks, I saw much more personal info posted for all the world to see...complete with photo's.

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One quick point that I need clarification on, promise it's an easy one. (I am asking for a friend :lol: )

 

To receive the survey (and I am assuming future one's as well) you have to opt-in by

making sure the box in your "Edit My Profile",

labeled "Inform me of new features and changes to the web" is checked.

 

As a side note, I can really respect a company that goes about survey/customer contact this way.

Edited by MrCOgeo
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the e-mail address is just like all other spoof phishing e-mail. this is not a real survey in my opinion. the "survey.zgi" is one of the clues. the others are that this survey sdoes not really address geocaching and asks for personal data. also, the company is "market Tools, Inc."

 

I see it as being the other way around :lol: ... it's not that the email itself smells phishy, but that recently spam and phishing tactics have become so clever that it's difficult to tell them apart from the real ones anymore. It's unfortunate that things have reached the point where most people assume the worst until it's proven to be legitimate (I'm just as guilty of this, too- I didn't visit the survey site until I popped into the forum to verify that it wasn't a scam). I've heard of the Zoomerang site before, though I've never used it before now. Now, if the link in the email had been something like, "http ://123.45.67.89/geocaching/survey.zgi", you'd have good reason to be suspicious. :huh:

 

That's just the way the internet is these days. Unfortunately, because of all the junk out there, people would be foolish not to check up on something like this before clicking the link. It also means that, however well intended the Groundspeak folks were in sending out the survey, inevitably there will be a backlash of people accusing them of spamming or of giving out our personal information (no, I'm not accusing you of this, I'm just saying in general).

 

In fact, just the opposite is true. In another thread on this topic, Jeremy stated that they took several steps to protect the personal information of everyone who responded to the survey. I don't doubt that this was done at some time and expense on their part. In the 3+ years I've been on the site, I've found Groundspeak to have an excellent record with how they handle my personal information. Kudos to Jeremy and the gang for taking these extra steps to protect our privacy ;)

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