Frequently Asked Questions

The "MRA Verified" indicates that a panel provider has elected to have certain key items of their report verified. This includes information about their panel size, panel attrition, participation & participation limits, validation offerings, engagement offerings, and incentive offerings. When you see the "MRA Verified" symbol, you know that the panel provider has had MRA confirm that the bulleted techniques listed on the collapsed version of the report are in place.

Please note, MRA verification includes a confirmation that the panel provider has accurately described their performance metrics, validation & engagement technique capacities, and incentive offerings. It does not necessarily confirm the timing, administration, and application details of processes described by the provider in the expanded report for those sections. All panel providers that undergo the Review Program Verification must have these same 6 categories of information verified. MRA typically conducts this verification step through several meetings, including at least one onsite visit to the panel provider's facility.

Traditionally, purchasers of online panels need to collect numerous pieces of information from a variety of panel providers. This might be done on an individual basis or through an RFP process. However, getting this information in a standard, meaningful way is often very difficult (if even possible). The MRA Review Program was developed in order to provide standardization, comparability, and transparency to the process of purchasing online panels. In doing so, MRA included all of the important factors thought to impact data quality. Panel purchasers no longer have to guess at the right questions to ask.

Additionally, the information that panel providers input into the system goes through a communications process that makes certain that it is provided at a comparable level of specificity and detail.

Yes. New information is learned about the best way to do research every day. Overtime, the program will change to reflect new, best practices in how to perform research, new technologies and techniques, and accepted metrics that the research profession adopts.

Currently, the program is open to general access panels. However, very shortly, the program will expand to include specialty panels as well as alternative online sample sources (e.g. river sampling).

Once logged in, if you click on 'My Account' there is a question about if you are a panel provider. If the answer indicates yes then your home page will include a button to go to your panel information.

Use of MRA Verified Seal

Once an organization has undergone the MRA verification process, they are then eligible to use the “MRA Verified” Seal to note as such while referencing the verified panel. The seal may be transmitted on their website, in promotions, and in other appropriate places or communication mediums. The seal indicates that the organization has gone through the verification process with MRA, and should be represented as such, and only with respect to the panel that has been given “verified status.” Further, if an organization has elected to only include a portion of their panel offerings (e.g. USA versus International) or one specific panel out of several owned/administered panels (general access versus specialty) the organization should only represent the seal as a reference to that panel (or portion of the panel) that has been verified.

Permission for use of the seal is contingent upon the organization maintaining status as MRA Verified, and may be revoked at anytime by MRA if the organization loses that status and/or does not undergo regular re-verification. All organizations must be re-verified once every two years to ensure panel information stays current and reflects organizational, process, and performance changes.