How to Take the Consumer Reports Quarterly Questionnaire
How does Consumer Reports know which products are the most reliable? With results from our exclusive surveys, made possible by CR members. Here’s how to participate—and help millions of other consumers shop smarter.
In Consumer Reports’ labs, we design tests that identify which products are the best at what they do. But to find out which ones are also the most reliable and make customers the happiest, we rely on the hundreds of thousands of members who fill out our Quarterly Questionnaire.
The survey turns your ownership experiences into vital knowledge that helps millions of CR members. The findings show us things like which brands make the most reliable new cars and the best mattresses for different types of sleepers. The results also help push manufacturers and entire industries to do better.
The Quarterly Questionnaire is comprehensive, with detailed questions that ensure accurate results. That’s why we’ve designed the survey to be as convenient as possible. As you tell us about the products you own—what you like, what you don’t like, what failed, what has lasted—you can save your progress and finish later.
Once submitted, your responses will have a big affect. In addition to helping millions of consumers choose quality products and motivating manufacturers to improve their goods, the Quarterly Questionnaire’s results help our independent experts design tests that reflect real-world use. Your responses are essential to our mission as an ad-free, independent, not-for-profit organization that fights for truth and fairness in the marketplace.
How Our Surveys Work
The Quarterly Questionnaire opens to the public every three months. To participate, the only requirement is that you become a Consumer Reports member. About two weeks after you sign up, if the survey is open, you’ll see a notification at the top of your browser when you go to CR.org. People who are already Consumer Reports members can use this link or watch for the same notification. We also announce it in our regular newsletters.
In the survey, you’ll tell us about your experiences with products you own—how often you use them, problems you’ve encountered, and how much repairs cost. It also asks about the reliability of the products and your satisfaction with them, two vital measures.
In most cases, the Quarterly Questionnaire asks about products that Consumer Reports has independently purchased and tested in our labs. We include the responses from our members in our reviews to create comprehensive, exclusive ratings for items like refrigerators, lawn mowers, mattresses, and vacuum cleaners.
The questionnaire also allows us to review services, something that can’t be tested in a lab. The results are used to create exclusive ratings for things like car repair shops, cell phone carriers, appliance stores, and internet service providers.
CRQQ Schedule for 2025
Spring: Car reliability, kitchen appliances, snow blowers.
Survey closes June 4, 2025
Summer: Car satisfaction, smartphones, TVs, cruise lines, and more.
Survey runs from July 19 through Sept. 3, 2025
Fall: Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), wireless carriers, washing machines and dryers, lawn mowers, tires and tire retailers, and more.
Survey runs from Oct. 18 through Dec. 3, 2025
How Consumer Reports Uses the Survey Results
Our Quarterly Questionnaire draws on the experiences of hundreds of thousands of members across multiple product categories. Here’s how your responses inform our essential guides:
Cars
Reliability and owner satisfaction data from our members contributes to each new car’s Overall Score. The score also takes into account our expert analysis of safety features and each vehicle’s performance in the tests we conduct at the Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. Our member surveys show us which makes and models have the most and least problems, and which cars are most likely to have the happiest owners. Other publications test cars, but only Consumer Reports has intel from our members in the reviews. The result is a complete tool kit for anyone shopping for their next new or used car.
Home
The devices that fill our homes make life easier—but only as long as we can depend on them. That’s why we use the results from our surveys on reliability and satisfaction in our ratings for essential home products—kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, outdoor power equipment, and more. As with cars, survey data helps determine each product’s Overall Score, enabling us to deliver insightful and dependable ratings for some of the most expensive products that both renters and homeowners may need to purchase.
Tech
Personal electronics come and go from the market so quickly that it’s hard to know which ones will be reliable over time. That’s why it’s vital for tech shoppers to have a deep understanding of what works at both the brand and model level. Our members report on the reliability and satisfaction of laptops, desktops, smartphones, printers, headphones, and TVs. Thanks to this information, our ratings and rankings for each category are comprehensive and focused on the consumer experience.
Services
Along with reviewing physical products, Consumer Reports publishes buying guides and ratings for a range of services, such as home insurance, cell phone carriers, car repair shops, and tire retailers. Our survey results help us craft ratings that show customers what they’re truly signing up for. The findings can be surprising. For example, among cell phone carriers and insurance providers, some of the most heavily marketed names sit low in our ratings, while some lesser-known companies can be found at the top. When members share their experiences in the Quarterly Questionnaire, they’re helping other consumers make smart decisions. They’re also motivating lower-rated companies to improve their offerings.
How to Participate in the Next CRQQ
Simply become a Consumer Reports member! There’s about a two-week delay before new members can participate.