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Will One More Dollar Help? The Effect of Sequential Incentives on Survey Participation and Costs in a Concurrent Mixed-Mode Survey

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Title: Will One More Dollar Help? The Effect of Sequential Incentives on Survey Participation and Costs in a Concurrent Mixed-Mode Survey
Language: English
Authors: Kristen Olson (ORCID 0000-0002-8004-0226), Amanda Ganshert (ORCID 0009-0007-8458-0653), Mia Bourek
Source: Field Methods. 2026 38(2):95-114.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Incentives, Response Rates (Questionnaires), Costs, Reaction Time, Online Surveys, Mail Surveys
Geographic Terms: Nebraska
DOI: 10.1177/1525822X251348086
ISSN: 1525-822X
1552-3969
Abstract: Prepaid monetary incentives increase response rates in surveys. Whether offering a second monetary incentive to nonrespondents in web-and-mail surveys increases response rates and improves sample composition is relatively unexplored. This article examines an experiment in a general population probability survey in which nonrespondents were randomly assigned to receive $0, $1, $2, or $5 in a later mailing after receiving an initial $1 in the first mailing. Response rates increased for the sequential incentive conditions, but at a decreasing rate. There was no consistent difference in sample composition across the sequential incentive levels, although younger and more mobile adults were more likely to participate with sequential incentives. Costs per completion were similar for the $1 and $2 conditions ($51 and $54, respectively), but about $83 per complete for the $5 condition. Survey practitioners may consider using a $1 or $2 sequential incentive to increase response rates at a reasonable cost.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502853
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Will One More Dollar Help? The Effect of Sequential Incentives on Survey Participation and Costs in a Concurrent Mixed-Mode Survey
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kristen+Olson%22">Kristen Olson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8004-0226">0000-0002-8004-0226</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amanda+Ganshert%22">Amanda Ganshert</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8458-0653">0009-0007-8458-0653</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mia+Bourek%22">Mia Bourek</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Field+Methods%22"><i>Field Methods</i></searchLink>. 2026 38(2):95-114.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Incentives%22">Incentives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Response+Rates+%28Questionnaires%29%22">Response Rates (Questionnaires)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Costs%22">Costs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reaction+Time%22">Reaction Time</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+Surveys%22">Online Surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mail+Surveys%22">Mail Surveys</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/1525822X251348086
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  Data: Prepaid monetary incentives increase response rates in surveys. Whether offering a second monetary incentive to nonrespondents in web-and-mail surveys increases response rates and improves sample composition is relatively unexplored. This article examines an experiment in a general population probability survey in which nonrespondents were randomly assigned to receive $0, $1, $2, or $5 in a later mailing after receiving an initial $1 in the first mailing. Response rates increased for the sequential incentive conditions, but at a decreasing rate. There was no consistent difference in sample composition across the sequential incentive levels, although younger and more mobile adults were more likely to participate with sequential incentives. Costs per completion were similar for the $1 and $2 conditions ($51 and $54, respectively), but about $83 per complete for the $5 condition. Survey practitioners may consider using a $1 or $2 sequential incentive to increase response rates at a reasonable cost.
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      – SubjectFull: Response Rates (Questionnaires)
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      – SubjectFull: Costs
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      – SubjectFull: Reaction Time
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      – SubjectFull: Online Surveys
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      – SubjectFull: Mail Surveys
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      – SubjectFull: Nebraska
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Will One More Dollar Help? The Effect of Sequential Incentives on Survey Participation and Costs in a Concurrent Mixed-Mode Survey
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              Y: 2026
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