Frequently Asked Questions

Please note: If you are unable to find the answer to your question here and are a Mills Advisory Panel member, please log in and use the Contact Us form to submit an inquiry to our support team. If you are unable to log in to the members area, please email us at info@millsadvisorypanel.com. We will then do our best to respond within 24 hours.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PANEL

What is the Mills Advisory Panel (MAP) ?

The MAP is an online group of consumers age 18 and over who are willing to share their opinions about food and food products. After joining, panelists complete online surveys, providing feedback to influence the look, taste, and experience of General Mills and Small Planet Foods products.

The MAP exists strictly to conduct market research, the gathering of opinions and feedback, for input into the design of General Mills and Small Planet Foods products. The feedback of panel members is reported only in the aggregate. Individual identities will never be shared.

How do I join?

To be eligible to participate in the MAP, you will need to complete a questionnaire that details food consumption behavior and other information about you and your household. Once this questionnaire has been completed you then become eligible to participate. You will find this registration questionnaire if you go to the 'Join Now' page of this website.

Who can participate?

U.S. residents age of 18 or over who have been invited to join the MAP may participate. People who work for competitive food companies, advertising agencies, or market research companies or departments may not participate.

When I give you my personal information when I join, what do you do with it?

The Mills Advisory Panel gathers demographic information, such as age, occupation, and other household characteristics, about our panel members when they fill out the Registration Questionnaire and participate in surveys. We track this information so we can send surveys that correspond to members' qualifications and interests. We also summarize information about the panel to develop statistics, ensuring that the panel is representative of consumers from across the country. Contact information is used only when Mills Advisory Panel needs to communicate with the panel members.

How is my privacy protected?

The MAP is a strong supporter of privacy. We follow CASRO (Council of Survey Research Organizations) guidelines to protect respondent confidentiality. Please click on the 'Privacy' link at this site to review our complete policy on participant privacy.

Will it cost me anything to join or participate?

No. Participation is free!

What if I live outside the U.S. ?

Currently, the Panel consist of only U.S. residents.

HOW TO QUESTIONS

How do I opt-out of the panel?

We hope you will continue as a Panel member because your feedback is very valuable. However, if you decide to discontinue your membership in the Panel, log into My Account and select 'Cancel Membership'.

How can I update my panel registration information?

Go to the 'My Account' page of this website and enter your login ID and password. Type in any information that has changed then click on 'submit'.

What if I forget my password?

If you forget your password, go to the 'My Account' link on this website; click on the link next to 'Forgot your password?''; and enter your email address to request a password.

TAKING SURVEYS

How will I know when to take a survey?

For each study, you'll receive an invitation by email to participate. The panel research will be conducted on the Web. All you need to do is click on the link, or copy and paste the website address into your browser window. Then, simply follow the instructions on the screen to complete the survey. You are never obligated to participate in research.

How often will I be asked to participate in a survey?

Panel members will be invited to participate approximately six to twelve times per year in different types of projects, and no more than fifteen times a year. For each study, you'll receive an invitation by E-mail to participate.

How long will surveys take to complete? What if I start a survey and I run out of time before I can finish it?

Surveys will vary in length depending upon the subject. Most surveys will range from 10 to 20 minutes but others will be as short as 5 minutes. If you can't finish a survey, you can always come back to it at another time. When you return, it will take you to the place where you left off. In general, you will have 3 or 4 days to complete each survey.

If I receive a study invitation, does that mean I'm qualified to participate?

We do our best to identify studies that are relevant to you, based on the information you have provided to us in your profile as well as in previous studies. The email invitation will typically indicate the general subject matter and provide instructions that pertain to that study. You may be asked to take a 'screening survey' if there are any special requirements needed for a particular research study. It may be that we are looking for some characteristic that you or your household don't fit. In those cases, we will not require you to complete any more of that particular study.

REWARDS

Are members rewarded for their participation?

If you agree to join the Mills Advisory Panel, you may receive different types of compensation depending on the type of research project you participate in. For many projects, you will be awarded MAP points that can be redeemed for various prizes after you've accumulated a minimum number of points. For other types of projects, you may receive a product to try or some other type of compensation. Our invitation for each project will state the compensation.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

What kind of computer do I need to participate in Mills Advisory Panel surveys?

You will need to access our surveys by using one of these devices:

A traditional desk top computer
A laptop/notebook computer

One of these types of computers with Internet access and a Web browser will work for most Panel surveys. Surveys are tested on systems running the following browsers:

Netscape
Internet Explorer
AOL

You will NOT be able to access our surveys using any of the following devices:

A personal digital assistant (e.g. Palm Pilot, Handspring Visor)
A television-based browser or television set-top box (e.g. WebTV)
A game station (e.g. Sony PlayStation, Microsoft X-Box, Sega DreamCast)
A mobile phone

What if I am having trouble completing one of the Mills Advisory Panel surveys?

Try the following:

First, please simply click on your browser 'reload' or 'refresh' button. This will reestablish contact with our servers and most of the time this will take care of any problem you might have.

Second, check your browser settings and make sure it is enabling java and Java Scripting. Here's how to do that:

In the browser window: click on Tools. Select Internet Options.
Then click on the advanced tab of the Internet Options window.
Under Microsoft VM, Java logging enabled should be checked.

Third, if you are not running on a 4.0 version browser or better, we suggest upgrading to the latest version so that you can have all of the latest features enabled.

Fourth, try to complete the survey at a different time.

CONTACT INFORMATION

I have a question that's not answered here. How do I get an answer? How long will it take?

If you are unable to find the answer to your question here and are a Mills Advisory Panel member, please log in and use the Contact Us form to submit an inquiry to our support team. If you are not a member or are unable to log in to the members area, please email us at info@millsadvisorypanel.com. We will then do our best to respond within 24 hours.

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