Tested by Texans
Texas Voices. Honest Feedback.
Tested by Texans is a Texas Financial Report community program that gives Texans opportunities to try selected products, services, and experiences — and share their honest opinions.
The idea is simple: instead of relying on one person’s experience to tell everyone what works, we want a wider range of Texans to have a chance to participate.
When opportunities become available, members of the Texas Financial Report email community may be invited to try a product, service, experience, app, local business, financial tool, hotel, household item, beauty product, or other offering — and tell us how it worked for them.
Why Tested by Texans Exists
Online reviews can be difficult to evaluate when one person is testing or promoting many different products and services within a short period of time. That can make it harder for consumers to understand what actually worked, what made a difference, and how useful the recommendation really is.
Tested by Texans was created to widen the circle.
Instead of one person testing everything, we want Texans with different households, budgets, lifestyles, needs, preferences, and experiences to participate too.
That makes the program more engaging, more useful, and more representative of the people Texas Financial Report serves.
More Texans. More experiences. More perspectives.
Texas Can Make a Difference
A product or service may not perform exactly the same everywhere.
Texas has its own conditions: intense heat, humidity, hard water in many communities, long driving distances, high cooling costs, large suburban areas, rural communities, rapidly growing cities, and a huge range of lifestyles.
A moisturizer that performs beautifully in a cooler climate may feel completely different during a Houston summer.
A home service that is affordable in one state may be priced differently in Texas.
A financial product may have features that are more or less useful depending on Texas laws, taxes, insurance markets, costs, or local conditions.
Restaurants, hotels, service providers, apps, household products, and other everyday purchases can also produce different experiences depending on where and how they are used.
That is why we believe Texas-specific feedback matters.
How It Works
When a testing opportunity becomes available, we may invite eligible members of the Texas Financial Report email community to participate.
Depending on the opportunity, you may be asked to:
- — Answer a few screening questions
- — Try a product or service
- — Use it for a specified period of time
- — Complete a survey or questionnaire
- — Rate different parts of your experience
- — Share written feedback
- — Submit photos or other feedback when requested
- — Tell us what you liked, disliked, or would change
The exact process will vary depending on the product, service, or experience being tested.
Do I Need to Give My Address When I Join?
No.
You do not need to provide your home address or detailed personal information simply to join the Texas Financial Report email community.
If you are invited to a specific testing opportunity, we may first ask a few questions to determine whether you are a good fit.
If you are selected, we may then request information needed for that particular opportunity, such as a shipping address or other relevant details.
We prefer to collect information when it is actually needed, rather than asking everyone for unnecessary personal information upfront.
Please see our Privacy Policy for information about how personal information is handled.
Is Everything Free?
Not necessarily.
Some opportunities may include products or services provided at no cost to selected participants.
Others may involve free samples, complimentary services, discounts, free trials, promotional access, hotel stays or experiences, product testing, or other benefits.
Every opportunity is different, and the terms will be explained before you decide whether to participate.
Joining Tested by Texans does not guarantee that you will receive free products, services, hotel stays, samples, or testing opportunities.
Availability depends on the campaigns we have and the eligibility requirements for each one.
Will Everyone Be Selected?
No.
Some opportunities may have limited quantities or specific eligibility requirements.
A company may be looking for people in a particular city, age range, household type, or consumer group.
For example, an opportunity might be designed for parents, homeowners, renters, drivers, pet owners, beauty or skincare users, small-business owners, travelers, people who use a particular type of financial product, or residents of a specific Texas city or region. If you’re not selected for one opportunity, you may still be a good fit for future ones.
What Happens After I Join?
Tested by Texans is part of the Texas Financial Report email community. You do not need to join a separate mailing list.
Members may receive Texas money news, savings ideas, deals and useful offers, invitations to Tested by Texans opportunities, short surveys, requests for feedback, and updates about products or services we think Texans may find useful.
When a new testing opportunity becomes available, we may email members with details and a short screening questionnaire. Your answers help us determine whether the opportunity is a good fit for you.
Do I Have to Leave a Positive Review?
No.
We want your honest opinion.
If you love something, tell us why.
If you dislike it, tell us why.
If it works well but has flaws, tell us that too.
Receiving a free product, service, discount, or experience does not require you to praise it.
The purpose of Tested by Texans is to collect useful, honest feedback.
Do I Need to Disclose If I Share My Experience Publicly?
Yes, when a material connection exists.
If you post publicly about a product, service, or experience that you received for free, at a discount, or through a sponsored Tested by Texans opportunity, you should clearly disclose that connection when required.
For example, depending on the circumstances, an appropriate disclosure might say:
“I received this product for free through Texas Financial Report’s Tested by Texans program.”
or
“Gifted by [Brand].”
A clear #ad disclosure may also be appropriate in some sponsored situations.
The disclosure should be easy for people to notice and understand. It should not be hidden where readers are unlikely to see it.
This applies whether your opinion is positive, negative, or mixed. The disclosure explains how you received the product or experience, not what you thought about it.
We may remind participants about disclosure requirements when relevant, but participants are responsible for making appropriate disclosures when they post publicly.
What If a Brand Sponsors the Test?
Some opportunities may be provided or sponsored by brands, businesses, or other partners.
Texas Financial Report may sometimes receive compensation, products, services, promotional access, or other benefits related to a campaign.
When appropriate, those relationships will be disclosed.
A sponsorship or business relationship does not guarantee positive coverage or positive participant feedback.
Companies participating in Tested by Texans should expect honest responses.
What Companies Can Learn
For businesses, Tested by Texans can provide something valuable: feedback from consumers in a specific market.
Depending on the campaign, participants may provide insight into:
- — What they liked
- — What they disliked
- — What was confusing
- — Whether the product solved the intended problem
- — Whether the price felt reasonable
- — How they actually used the product
- — What could be improved
- — Whether they would buy it themselves
- — Whether they would recommend it to someone else
A company may learn more from a range of consumer experiences than from a single promotional review.
Will My Feedback Be Published?
Sometimes.
Depending on the campaign, we may ask permission to publish comments, ratings, photos, quotes, or other feedback on Texas Financial Report, social media, or related materials.
How feedback may be used will be explained when appropriate.
We do not want participants to be surprised about where their feedback appears.
What We Expect From Participants
If you accept a testing opportunity, we ask that you:
- — Actually use the product or service
- — Follow reasonable testing instructions
- — Submit requested feedback by the deadline
- — Be honest about your experience
- — Let us know if you are unable to complete the test
People who repeatedly accept opportunities without completing them may receive fewer invitations in the future.
Our Goal
Tested by Texans is not about creating another stream of advertisements disguised as reviews.
It is about giving consumers more voices to listen to.
It is about seeing how products and services perform for Texans in everyday life.
And it is about sharing opportunities with the community.
Join Tested by Texans
Want a chance to participate?
Join the Texas Financial Report email community.
You’ll receive Texas money news, deals, savings opportunities, and occasional invitations to try products and services and share your opinion.
Participation opportunities, products, services, samples, discounts, complimentary experiences, or other benefits are not guaranteed. Eligibility and availability vary by campaign. Individual testing opportunities may have additional eligibility requirements, disclosures, terms, or conditions.
