Canonical URL: https://giftcard.news/research-trends/trucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461/ --- description: TruCentive recommends giving research participants a choice of cash, gift cards and merchandise, with rewards matched to the study and audience. title: Research Rewards: Where Merchandise Fits Alongside Cash and Gift Cards image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/research-rewards-where-merchandise-fits-alongside-cash-gift-cards-41c5ab8a5a446cb334995f21a1fd7cfe.jpg --- 1. [Home](https://giftcard.news/) 2. [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) # Research Rewards: Where Merchandise Fits Alongside Cash and Gift Cards TruCentive recommends giving research participants a choice of cash, gift cards and merchandise, with rewards matched to the study and audience. By [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) June 30, 2026 2 min read Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Research%20Rewards%3A%20Where%20Merchandise%20Fits%20Alongside%20Cash%20and%20Gift%20Cards "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Research%20Rewards%3A%20Where%20Merchandise%20Fits%20Alongside%20Cash%20and%20Gift%20Cards%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Source image for TruCentive Announces Use of Merch as Research Incentive to Improve Participant Experience](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/research-rewards-where-merchandise-fits-alongside-cash-gift-cards-source-image-trucentive-w1280.webp) Photo: Source: trucentive.com Research participants should be able to choose between cash, gift cards and merchandise, [TruCentive](https://giftcard.news/company/trucentive/) argues in guidance published on June 30, 2026\. The company says physical rewards can complement digital payments by giving participants a lasting reminder of a study, provided the items suit their needs. The company suggests that participants value choice and the ability to select a reward that fits their life and preferences. A physical item, such as merch, can create a lasting impression and serve as a memory cue, reminding participants of their experience months later. TruCentive recommends a flexible payout menu that includes cash or digital payment, gift cards, donation options, rotating merch, premium merch bundles for milestones, and exclusive items for advisory boards, panels, or long-term cohorts. This approach allows participants to choose Your free reader account ## Continue reading for free. Create your account or sign in to get unlimited access. [ Continue with LinkedIn ](https://giftcard.news/api/reader/auth/linkedin/?returnTo=%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F)[ Continue with Google ](https://giftcard.news/api/reader/auth/google/?returnTo=%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F)[ Continue with Facebook ](https://giftcard.news/api/reader/auth/facebook/?returnTo=%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F) No payment required. Newsletter signup is optional. [Already registered? Sign in](https://giftcard.news/login/?returnTo=%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F) ## Sources and documents ExpandCollapse * [Merch as a Research Incentive](https://trucentive.com/2026/06/30/merch-research-incentive-payout-options/?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news) — trucentive.com ## In this article ### Companies * [TruCentive](https://giftcard.news/company/trucentive/) Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Research%20Rewards%3A%20Where%20Merchandise%20Fits%20Alongside%20Cash%20and%20Gift%20Cards "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Research%20Rewards%3A%20Where%20Merchandise%20Fits%20Alongside%20Cash%20and%20Gift%20Cards%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fresearch-trends%2Ftrucentive-announces-use-of-merch-as-research-incentive-to-improve-parti-d25782b8d461%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Portrait of Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/suzie-elis-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) About the author ## [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) Journalist — Gift Cards & Digital Gifting Suzie Elis covers gift card products, digital gifting and distribution for Gift Card News. From reading to building ## Your next move in gift cards. Tell us what you’re building. We’ll help you explore suitable providers. [Find a provider ](https://giftcard.news/find-a-provider/) ## Related articles [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) Analysis ### [AI Can Shop for You. Can It Spend Your Gift Cards?](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/ai-can-shop-for-you-can-it-spend-your-gift-cards/) [Oliver Reed](https://giftcard.news/author/oliver-reed/) September 17, 2026 17 min [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) Analysis ### [Gift Card Fraud in the United States](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/gift-card-fraud-in-the-united-states/) [Oliver Reed](https://giftcard.news/author/oliver-reed/) September 17, 2026 66 min [Research & Trends](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/) Analysis ### [Can You Cash Out Your Gift Card? A State-by-State Guide](https://giftcard.news/research-trends/can-you-cash-out-your-gift-card-state-by-state-guide/) [Oliver Reed](https://giftcard.news/author/oliver-reed/) September 17, 2026 79 min ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://giftcard.news/#publisher","name":"Gift Card News","url":"https://giftcard.news/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://giftcard.news/brand/giftcard-news-logo.svg"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/#person","name":"Suzie Elis","url":"https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/","description":"Suzie Elis covers gift card products, digital gifting and distribution for Gift Card News.","jobTitle":"Journalist — Gift Cards & Digital Gifting","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://giftcard.news/images/suzie-elis-editorial-portrait.webp","contentUrl":"https://giftcard.news/images/suzie-elis-editorial-portrait.webp","width":256,"height":256,"caption":"Illustrated 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