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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What does a Sensory Panelist do?

  • Sensory panelists are invited to participate in various types of studies!
    • Online Surveys are sent to your email address at various points throughout the year to gauge your interest in future participation.
    • Product Evaluations are completed at our facility or in your own home depending on the study. Evaluations vary in their duration/timing and will be communicated in the evaluation invite.
    • Focus Groups are held at our facility or in your own home depending on the study. You will participate in a one to two-hour discussion about a service or product.

Q. What safety protocols are in place for research?

  • While we continuously strive to maintain a clean and sanitary testing environment, non-scented wipes will be available in the testing area of our Sensory Lab for anyone who wishes to sanitize the testing area.

Q. What are the requirements to participate?

  • Panelists will be between the ages of 18 and 64
  • Panelists should not have food allergies or medical problems that would prevent them from participating in taste panels. Panelist safety is our number one priority.
  • Panelists must be able to answer questions using a computer or mobile device.

Q. How will I be scheduled to participate?

  • Each time we conduct a sensory panel, a screener link will be sent to your email. When you click on the link you will be able to log-in to your panelist account, answer a few questions about yourself and your product usage. If you qualify for the study, you can schedule the time you would like to participate in the study. Once a study has been filled, you will not be able to schedule a time to participate.
  • Completing the screener does not automatically qualify you to participate.

Q. What if I schedule participation in a study and need to cancel or reschedule?

  • After you’ve logged in from the panelist login page HERE, click on the “Schedule” tab, and either select “Decline” or “Reschedule.” If you cannot attend at any of the open times, please select “I cannot attend any of the times shown.”

Q. When I click on the link in the email, it says “No tests available.” Can I still participate?

  • Unfortunately, you cannot participate because all the time slots have already been claimed by other panelists. Studies can fill up quickly, so we recommend you take the screener for the study as soon as possible after receiving the email notification from us to increase your chances of participating.

Q. How do I log-in to my Panelist Account?

  • To log-in to your panelist account click HERE. Enter your complete email address.
  • Please Note: Your default password is also your complete email address. If you have recently created or reset your password, please use this new password to log-in to your panelist account.

Q. How do I change/reset my password?

  • To reset your password, click on the “Lost Password” link located just below the Sign-in button on the panelist login page HERE. Next, click on “Reset My Password.”
  • A link will be sent to your email that will allow you to reset your password.
    • OR:
  • At any other time if you wish to change/reset your password, please do the following:
    • After you’ve logged in HERE - in the upper right-hand corner, click on “Account”, answer your secret question, click “Change Password.”

FOR TASTEMASTERS ONLY - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Q. Where should I go to participate? Which building?

  • Rich’s TasteMasters Program is located at Rich Products Corporation, One Robert Rich Way (corner of Niagara Street & Robert Rich Way), Buffalo, NY 14213. If you are facing the river, it is the larger building on the right-hand side.

Q. Where should I park? Where do I go when I arrive?

  • Parking spots will be reserved in our main parking lot and will be marked with an orange cone and a sign labeled either “TasteMasters” or “Focus Group.” If necessary, please move the cone forward and park in this space.
  • If for some reason you cannot find a place in our main parking lot, you may park in a parking lot located across the street on either side of our Cookie Patisserie & Bakery Store. Please use extra caution while crossing Niagara Street.
  • Please check in at the Reception/Security Desk located just inside the sliding glass doors. Photo identification is required each time you participate in an evaluation.

Q. How often will I be asked to participate in a research study?

  • The number of research studies that are run varies from year to year.
  • Often times there is a certain criteria or target demographic that applies to a study. With this, it is possible that not everyone will be invited to participate in every study - some will be invited to some studies, others will be invited to other studies.
  • When a study becomes available, a communication will be sent to your email. If you are invited, participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Q. How much do I get paid to participate?

  • Compensation varies and will depend on the complexity of the evaluation. You will always be informed of the compensation amount prior to attending. Completion of online surveys generally does not provide compensation as these surveys are often required to participate in a future paid study.
  • Participation in the TasteMasters Research Program ("Program") shall not be interpreted or construed as creating or establishing the relationship of employer and employee between Rich Products Corporation and the Program's participants or for any other purpose.

Q. I know someone interested in becoming a Rich’s TasteMaster. How can they join?

  • They can apply HERE. Choose “Click here to apply!”

Q. I would no longer like to be a TasteMaster Panelist. How do I unsubscribe?

  • After you’ve logged in from the panelist login page HERE, click “Account”, then “Unsubscribe.”
  • Additionally, there will be an unsubscribe button in all emails sent from the Rich’s TasteMaster Research.