Zogby Poll: What's with the WalMart question?

Zogby online poll | July 28, 2010 | ChocChipCookie

[ChocChipCookie]

Every once in a while I get an email inviting me to take an online Zogby poll. These are always focused on politics, but there is one question that drives me crazy:

How often do you shop at Wal-Mart?
A. Every week
B. A few times a month
C. A couple times a year
D. Never
E. Other
F. Not sure
G. Refused

So I shop at Walmart every once in a while, but this question is confusing. If I shop there every week, isn't that the same as "a few times a month"? And, "A couple of times a year" means twice, maybe three times. There is no answer between, "a few times a month" and just a couple of times a year.

Is Zogby trying to mess with me or do they have morons writing their questions, OR! is there some sort of ulterior purpose behind this question and the choices given??

[ChocChipCookie]

This makes me crazy. Maybe next time I'll mark Refused. "Other" is even worse because of its imprecision.

[Mears]

Answer “Not sure”-—will drive them nuts. :-)

[Bean Counter]

[Nonstatist]

If I shop there every week, isn't that the same as "a few times a month"?

No.

[NHResident]

Excellent cartoon.

Zogby polls are generally very poorly structured (i.e. questions are written with lots of built-in bias.)

[Ditter]

I get Zogby’s polls and I usually do them. There are several questions that are always there that confuse me but I think I have them figured out. the Walmart question is one, the Nascar question and the born again question. I NEVER shop a Walmart and I NEVER watch Nascar, I am, on the other had a protestant Christian. The Bible says you must be “born again” to be saved so of course I consider myself born again. But Zogby lumps together born again, fundamentalist and I think non denominational with Christian. I think he is trying to make those of us who fit that description out to be a religious fringe group so I always answer that one refused.

[presently no screen name]

Drive them nuts by saying every week!! Send it about 10!

When they ask is Barry a Marxist - ping me!

[Brookhaven]

They are trying to determine if you are being truthfull when answering the questions about party affiliation and being a conservative or liberal.

A number of studies have show that Wal-Mart shoppers tend to be more conservative, and conversely that ultra-liberals almost never shop at Wal-Mart.

This question helps weed out the lefty plants. You know, the people that start off saying they are “life-long Republicans” but were so turned off by Bush they are now big Obama supporters.

[philled]

I've been doing the Zogby online polls for some time. I believe that many of their questions are poorly written and sometimes the entire survey seems to be constructed to support a pre-determined outcome. I usually refuse the Walmart question. And the questions "Do you consider myself a NASCAR fan" and "Do you consider yourself a member of the 'Investor Class'?"

Then again, if it the poll concerns Obambi or its policies, I usually answer that I voted for him, rate him exceptionally poorly, and give myself Democrat demograpics. How do they know I'm not a young, single, ethnic mother making less than $20K that has no military family and has never owned a gun?

[Ditter]

LOL! I often wish I had started out telling them I was a liberal democrat so I could change my mind about obozo but I think they have me pegged by now.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

How do they know I'm not a young, single, ethnic mother making less than $20K that has no military family and has never owned a gun?

Because, as a double blind check, they track you on Free Republic!

[Grams A]

I quit doing other surveys and only do theirs because I decided that for the most part they do ask questions about more relevant issues. I shopped at Wal-Mart once ten years ago and never gone back, avid NASCAR fan and do invest. I am also very conservative. These answers have been consistent from the beginning so I would hope their stats would eventually come around to reflect that not all conservatives are identical.