All of us are fond of something or the other. It could be food or drink, cosmetics, sportswear, or just about anything ordinary people like you and I would buy.
But do you know that everything that we buy in the store- I mean just about everything except fresh produce- goes through a lot of testing before it reaches the shelves?
Yes, that’s right. Companies that make food, clothing, sports goods, cosmetics, and most other items want people to like us to taste or try their products before they hit the market.
That’s because they don’t want to mass-produce something that people won’t like and buy. After all, it could mean losses worth millions of Dollars.
What’s Product Testing?
This brings us to the question of how and where do these companies test their products? The answer is simple. They hand over such products either to market research companies or directly to people like us.
In return, we’re expected to write our honest review. These reviews help the company to make better stuff that people would love. Our opinion counts because we’re part of their larger customer base.
If you’re among those people who’re interested in product testing, I will encourage you to become a product tester with any of these 20 superb websites that I will be writing about. These websites offer the best product testing jobs near you.
20 Best Product Tester Jobs
These jobs are available across the USA. In most cases, they won’t pay you any money, or they could give you some small amount of cash or a gift voucher as an appreciation of your efforts.
That’s because they consider the sample to be sufficient to pay for the small task. In fact, some of these samples can be very pricey too.
Therefore, here’s my curated list of the 20 best product testing jobs near you.
1. McCormick Corporation
McCormick Corporation is a large manufacturer of processed foods in the USA. They have a wide range of food products. That’s the reason they conduct product testing drives every week.
Once you signup on their website, you will receive their free samples by mail at your doorstep. These samples will also come with a questionnaire that you need to write and send back with your review.
2. Mayo Clinic
I’m sure almost everyone in America knows about the Mayo Clinic. In fact, it’s a world-famous healthcare service in the USA.
One of their services is the diet for the obese and overweight people as well as those requiring special meals due to any medical condition.
Mayo Clinic has several expert dieticians and nutritionists for this purpose who churn out delicious meals.
And they want you to taste and test these meals too. You can easily enroll as a product tester with Mayo Clinic too.
3. General Mills
One of the biggest producers of food and food products in the USA that you can’t simply miss is General Mills.
They have some of the famous American brands such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Haagen-Daaz, and others. A large part of their fame comes from the fact that most General Mills products are of superior quality.
They test these products before they enter the market and ensure that only the best goes on sale. They, too have product tester jobs for which you can enroll through their website.
4. Contract Testing
Unlike food companies, Contract Testing is a market survey organization that specializes in food. They have a lot of customers ranging from food companies to restaurants.
To work as a product tester, visit the Contract Testing website, check their terms and conditions and apply. Once your application is successful, you will get food samples at home.
They also occasionally invite you for food testing at restaurants and other places. This job actually needs good skills in food testing and reviews.
5. Product Testing USA
And if you would enjoy testing multiple products and writing their reviews, signup with this excellent website, Product Testing USA to become a product reviewer.
This is said to be one of the largest market research companies of its kind that specializes in getting various products tested and reviewed by actual users. They send you a lot of products at home or office.
These include foods, health supplements, lingerie and innerwear, baby stuff, cosmetics, and lots more. You can select what you wish to test while registering.
6. Reebok
Yes, you read that correctly. The world-famous brand of sports goods and sportswear, Reebok, also has a superb product testing program.
However, to qualify, you should be doing at least some physical activity or playing a sport regularly, at least on a novice level.
Once Reebok accepts your application for product testing on their website, you will get emails whenever they have something for you.
The product they want you to test will be given from a Reebok brand store or their dealership. The product is yours to keep if you write an honest review.
7. Nike
Also, for sports and fitness lovers, the large multinational brand Nike also has an amazing product testing program, ‘Voice of the Athlete.’ As you would know, Nike ranks among the topmost brands in the world under that category.
Their products are known for their excellence and state-of-the-art craftsmanship. Upon successfully registering for their product testing program, Nike will alert you when there’re any assignments. Usually, Nike gives you free goods for testing through their brand store or, sometimes, by mail.
8. Boots
Boots Healthcare is a multinational pharmaceuticals corporation. They’re based in the UK but have extensive operations in America, where they also own-brand stores in most states. Boots doesn’t really give you prescription medicines to test.
Instead, they give you Over-the-Counter products such as gels and lotions for common use that don’t need prescriptions. These are either their own products or the ones they sell through their large chain of stores in the USA.
You can signup as a product tester from this link and work from home.
9. Mega Liquor Warehouse
Do you know anything about whiskies, brandies, wines, and beers? If so, you could enjoy a free drink or two from Mega Liquor Warehouse.
To become a liquor tester, you should be at least 18 years old and have some experience in the field. Furthermore, you should have an accident-free driving record, at least for Driving Under Influence and related charges.
Mega Liquor Store doesn’t offer home deliveries. Instead, they’ll invite you to a nearby restaurant or bar, or pub to test their offerings.
10. L’Oreal USA
L’Oreal is a brand of shampoo and other hair care products from France, as the name automatically suggests. They are one of the largest names in the industry since they operate in most countries around the world.
L’Oreal USA also operates a product testing program. This program is mainly for women, though men can also signup through their website.
Here, you can get products such as shampoo, hair dye, and other such stuff for testing. You can also get a free product for writing and sending an honest review.
11. Snuggle Bear Den
For those who don’t know, Snuggle Bear is a brand of fabric softeners that are commonly used at homes for laundry. In the sense that their products make your clothes softer to wear while giving them a nice scent.
Snuggle Bear gives away a bottle or a few sachets of their fabric softeners for free. You can register on their website to test their products. They will send you coupons to collect Snuggle Bear products from your nearest store for free.
12. Johnson & Johnson
Who hasn’t heard about Johnson & Johnson? They make all sorts of products, from Covid-19 vaccines to baby soap. This large American multinational company has a program known as ‘Friends and Neighbors.
To enroll in this product testing program, you can visit their website and register. They will send you a variety of products, mainly for babies and newborn kids.
This makes the program ideal for new parents or would-be-moms and dads. These samples you receive are quality tested and hence, harmless for babies.
13. Brillo Detergents
Brillo Manufacturing Co ranks among one of the oldest corporations in the USA. They’re famous for their washing soaps, detergents, and cleaners.
They have a product testing program that you could join to get some samples of the various things they make. In fact, Brillo welcomes product testers.
All you need to do is visit their website and enroll as a product tester. They either mail these products or give you online coupons that can be printed and taken to specific stores for your free samples.
14. Crowdtap
Crowdtap.com is a market research company. They have some of the biggest brands in their portfolio, such as Mcdonalds’. Folgers and others.
They generally require influencers and micro-influencers for promoting their various products on behalf of clients.
If you have a large social media following or have enough contacts and friends to work as an influencer, you can enroll with them. They will give you lots of free samples for your social circle to try and your personal use too.
15. GHK
The abbreviation GHK is for Good Housekeeping, another big brand in the USA. Over the decades, GHK has been famous for its superb products and services. One of them is food.
Usually, GHK invites product testers with a taste for fine food to taste their latest creations. You will be invited to a restaurant or someplace for this tasting session.
To enroll, visit their website and complete their online survey. Upon successfully completing this survey, you get admission to their product testing program.
16. Mom’s Meet
Mom’s Meet is an online product testing community that mainly specializes in food. They take their name from the custom that it’s usually the mom that prepares meals for the family.
This is an ideal community for women to join as product testers. Once you enroll, they will give you free samples of food and sometimes other products. You can also get invitations to their product testing events in your area.
17. Smiley360
Another wonderful online product testing community that you could consider joining is Smiley360. Registration is through their website and takes only a few minutes.
Upon successful registration, you will get invites to try various free products. You can select what you wish to test and send your application.
These products are usually delivered to your home or office. They also have online and offline programs, where you can get free samples for testing or just for the keeps.
18. Zing Stevia
Zing is a Stevia-based natural sweetener that is used extensively in the USA by people suffering from diabetes or those who wish to lower their sugar intake.
They have a nice product testing program for consumers. You can request them online to send a few sample packs of Zing Stevia sweeteners. In return, they expect a full review from you in the format that comes with your free samples.
19. Vocalpoint
When you join Vocalpoint, you will be surprised at the number of free products that you can test. They give you all sorts of stuff, from alcohol to food, baby requirements to household needs for testing.
Occasionally, you can also get invites for product testing events in your area. Sometimes, Vocalpoint asks you to host events for testing products, and they will bear the cost of the party.
This is a superb online product testing community to join if you have the time and space for hosting events.
20. The Velvet Rope Club
The Velvet Rope Club is exclusively for women. It is a product testing community hosted by the famous magazine Marie Claire. Once you become a member, you will get a few free copies of the magazine.
You’ve to read and review the content of these magazines and submit your reviews. These reviews decide their editorial policies. You will also be invited to contribute an article for their Marie Claire magazine, either the print or online edition.
In Conclusion
Before concluding, I’ll add that product testing is not really a full-time job or profession. You can’t make money from product testing.
Instead, product testing is a hobby and passion for most people because your opinions influence companies that make goods for the people.
It’s a nice hobby that can also help you save some money and try newer stuff before it hits the market.