IMPROVING RESPONSE TO WEB AND MIXED-MODE SURVEYS

We conducted two experiments designed to evaluate several strategies for improving response to Web and Web/mail mixed-mode surveys. Our goal was to determine the best ways to maximize Web response rates in a highly Internet-literate population with full Internet access. We find that providing a simultaneous choice of response modes does not improve response rates (compared to only providing a mail response option). However, offering the different response modes sequentially, in which Web is offered first and a mail follow-up option is used in the final contact, improves Web response rates and is overall equivalent to using only mail. We also show that utilizing a combination of both postal and email contacts and delivering a token cash incentive in advance are both useful methods for improving Web response rates. These experiments illustrate that although different implementation strategies are viable, the most effective strategy is the combined use of multiple responseinducing techniques.