Sample Answer for Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online surveys. (4 marks)

The main advantage of online surveys is that they can be completed and processed quickly: the respondent keys in the data, which is then fed straight back for immediate analysis. Survey costs are lower because there is no need for printing, postage and keying in. Online surveys are often fun to complete because they may be interactive. They can also be accessed 24/7 and completed at the convenience of the respondent. In addition, online surveys make it easy to give feedback to the respondents, as results can be emailed to them. However, there are disadvantages. With an online survey, the sample of respondents may not be representative. This is because online surveys are only presented to internet users. The views of others may not be taken into account, even though they may be potential customers.