Frequently Asked Questions

New Member? Start Here!

What is Topbox Circle?

Topbox Circle is an online community of influential consumers who try products and experiences for free and share their opinions with others. As a member, you will receive offers from the biggest brands and share your experience with that brand, as well as with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors and other consumers like you.

I don't do social media. Can I still be a member?

Yes you can! Many of our Missions do not require the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

However, being active on social media will give you opportunities to qualify for more Missions that do require the use of those platforms

Does being a Topbox Circle member cost money?

Never! Being a member of Topbox Circle is absolutely free, and spending money is not a requirement for any of our Missions.

I just joined! What now?

Welcome to Topbox Circle! Getting started as a member is easy:

1. Fill out your profile until it is 100% complete. This is so we can match you with products to fit your lifestyle.
2. Complete any available surveys on your Dashboard.
3. Soon you'll start receiving offers from great brands. Any offer you receive will appear on your Dashboard. We'll also notify you via email.
4. Once you're on a Mission, we will send you something to try in exchange for your honest review.

How long before I get a Mission to try something new?

That depends. It could be today. It could be two months from now. You can qualify for Missions by completing surveys, keeping your profile up-to-date and participating in community activities like discussions. Look out for invitations in your email inbox and on your dashboard!

What do I do when I receive something new to try?

When you're on a Mission, share your thoughts, opinions and experiences about what you received. Always be honest, informative, detailed, helpful and authentic when writing reviews and sharing content. By using the Topbox Circle Sharing Tools, you can let your friends and followers know about your experience, and earn points and badges for participating!

What are the points for?

You can earn points for every activity you take on Topbox Circle from filling out your profile, sharing on Missions, taking surveys and more. While points are not redeemable for any tangible rewards and have no monetary value, earning points shows us that you're an engaged sharer so we will keep rewarding you with more opportunities to potentially join in Missions, discussions, surveys and more! If you do not earn points, this will reduce your chances for future opportunities within Topbox Circle. It would be a missed opportunity if you end a Mission without earning any points - start earning them today!

I'm On A Mission!

I just accepted a new Mission, now what?

First of all, congrats on your new Mission! You're about to receive something new to try. You can start sharing your excitement right away and letting your friends know about your latest Mission. Once you have tried the product and formed your opinion, you can return to your Mission Page on topboxcircle.com to start sharing and reviewing.

Follow these steps:

1. Go to your Dashboard at topboxcircle.com
2. Find your In-Progress Missions the under 'Offers For You'
3. Click to visit your Mission Page
4. Read the instructions to learn about the product and what to do on your Mission
5. Scroll down to the Sharing Tools and share your opinion on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
6. You may see more ways to share including Pinterest, Instagram, video, blogging, retail reviews and more
7. To submit each of your posts, click the big 'Share' button at the bottom of the page
8. You will earn points for sharing - earn the maximum amount of points to complete your Mission!

How do I complete my Mission?

Your Mission will be complete once you:

• Use each of the required Sharing Tools at least once
• Earn enough points to reach the Mission Goal using a combination of required and optional tools. The points you need are stated on your Mission page.

I'm ready to write my review. How much detail should I go to into?

As detailed as possible, and don't hold back.

Always write a detailed account of your experience. Try to share a review that says more than just “I love it!” or “This is great”—vague reviews are not helpful to other consumers wanting to learn about your experience.

Do I need to say I received the product for free?

For every action you take on a Mission, you should always make it known that you have received a free product or brand experience. When you use the Sharing Tools, we’ll take care of this for you. But when sharing your opinions on other places, such as in a blog post, video or an in-person conversation, make sure that every person knows you have received something for free. You can read more about this by clicking on ‘Disclosure’ at the bottom of any page on our site.

I didn't like the product. What should I do?

At Topbox Circle, we only ever ask for honest reviews, whether it is positive or negative. If you did not like the product, we recommend that you kindly explain why, and offer your suggestions for how it can be improved. Constructive feedback is really helpful for a brand to hear!

Honesty is one of the core values of Topbox Circle!

How Do I Take A Screenshot?

Mac

1. Hold down [Command ⌘] and [Shift], then press [4].
2. Draw a rectangle around what you would like to screenshot.
3. The file will be saved to your desktop like this: "Screen Shot 2016-01-26 at 10.54.48 AM.png".

Windows

1. Hold down [Shift] and [⊞ Win], then press [S].
2. Draw a rectangle around what you would like to screenshot.
3. Snipping app will open with your captured image.
4. Save your image.

What happens if I don't complete a Mission?

You should always complete a Mission by using the required Sharing Tools at least once and earning enough points to earn the Mission badge. If you don't complete a Mission, this will affect your chances of qualifying for future Missions!

If you weren't able to complete a Mission due to circumstances outside of your control, use the contact form above and we will gladly help you out.

Technical Difficulties

Why isn't my photo loading?

We recommend that photos and screenshots meet the following requirements:

• No more than 800 pixels by 800 pixels
• Use .jpg .png .gif or .bmp format only
• Clearing your cache and cookies from your browser
• Using a different browser (Chrome, Mozilla, Safari)
• If the file is too big, it can be easily resized using Microsoft paint or any other photo editing program.

Why is the website not working?

Are you experiencing difficulties with any part of the website? Here's what you can do:

• If you are using a smartphone or tablet, please try to access the site on a laptop or desktop computer.
• On a computer, please try to complete the action using a different internet browser. We recommend Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
• If neither of these steps resolves the issue, please contact us with the following information:
• • The device and browser you are using
  • The page of the website you are on
  • A screenshot of the problem
  • A copy of the error message you see, if any
  • A full description of the issue

Accepting Missions

What's a Mission and how does it work?

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Qualify to Try Products and Services (for free!)

Members qualify for Missions, which is what we call it when we send you something new to try. Missions are designed to match your lifestyle and interests, so you'll receive experiences best suited for you. You only need to accept the Missions that interest you, so feel free to hit ’Decline’ if something doesn't feel like the right fit.

2. Share Your Feedback with Friends, Fellow Topbox Circle Members and the Companies Behind the Products

Topbox Circle is all about having your voice heard, and we give you the tools to easily share your feedback. That’s how our site is designed. In today's marketplace, brands want and need to know your opinion. Members provide valuable feedback that collectively helps drive the market.

3. Earn Points and Badges to Improve Your Community Status

We know our members are social trendsetters, and we like to give you more things to talk about. For everything you do on your Mission, you will earn points and badges. We reward good sharers with more Missions, so the more you do, the higher your chances of being selected for even more opportunities.

How do I get new Missions?

You've completed your profile, taken all available surveys and completed your Welcome Mission--so bring on the Missions!

Missions are offered to members based on the information in your profile, answers to surveys and previous Mission history. You'll start receiving offers from great brands and products that best fit your lifestyle. Any offer you receive will appear on your Dashboard and we'll also send an email when there's a new Mission for you--so make sure to add "hello@topboxcircle.com" to your address book and never miss an invite!

How often do you launch new Missions?

We do not follow a fixed schedule for launching new Missions. We could launch one new Mission in a month or we could launch ten. You will always receive an email when we want you for a new Mission that has just launched.

Why didn't I qualify?

It's disappointing when you take a survey for a new Mission and you find out you did not qualify. To qualify for a Mission, it depends on what type of person the brand wants to reach. There's no right or wrong answer to the questions in these surveys. Just answer as honestly and as best you can to determine whether you're a good fit.

While you may not be right for one Mission, you could be perfect for another! We always have new Missions coming up at Topbox Circle, so keep the faith!

Can Missions fill up?

Yes, Missions can fill up quickly depending on the number of spots available and the popularity of the product. Some Missions could have just a few hundred spots while others have many thousands--so we're careful about the number of members we invite to a Mission.

On occasions when Missions fill up very quickly, you could be taking the survey as the Mission fills. This means that when you started the survey, there were spots available but they all filled up before you made it to the end. If you receive a Mission invite, act fast to avoid disappointment. Your spot is not guaranteed until you accept that Mission!

I saw a new Mission launched but I didn't get an offer. What gives?

There are a lot of criteria to consider when deciding who to invite to a Mission:

• The type of person the brand wants to reach - based on your profile info and answers to surveys
• The number of free products we have ready to send
• Your performance on previous Missions

We'd love to have every member on every Mission but it just doesn't work that way. You can trust that when we have a new Mission that's just right for you, you will hear from us!

I qualified for a Mission but I don't want it. Now what?

That's ok--you don't need to accept every Mission you qualify for. We only want members on a Mission if they truly want to try that product and share their opinion. If you're not interested in the product this time--let someone else take the spot. Declining Missions will not affect your status. What would affect your status is if you accepted a Mission but did not participate.

Can I be on more than one Mission at a time?

Yes! There is no one-Mission-at-a-time rule and you will be offered the Missions that are relevant to you. While there is no max amount of Missions, we do "spread the wealth" so every member has a chance of getting new Missions regularly!

Shipping

How long does it take to get my Mission Kit?

Shipments can take anywhere from 2 to 5 business days after the ship date to arrive at your door, depending on what part of the country you are in. If it does not arrive within this time period, see the related article "Where's my Mission Kit??"

Where's my Mission kit?

Mission kits can take anywhere from 2 to 5 business days after the ship date to arrive at your door, depending on what part of the country you are in. If you haven’t received your free product after 5 business days, then something could be wrong.

There's nothing worse than when a member does not receive their package from us for no explicable reason. The supply of replacements that can be sent to members really depend on the Mission.

Here's what may have happened:

• Your correct address is not up-to-date and verified in your account.
• You regularly have issues with packages being delivered to your address, for example, due to security issues or living in a remote area.
• The package could be at your local post office.

If your package cannot be located, we can remove you from the Mission so you are not penalized for future Mission qualifications. Please contact us after the Mission has ended and we'll take care of this for you.

My Mission Kit arrived damaged!

Sometimes packages can get damaged in the mail. We hope this never happens to you! If your free product arrives in a condition in which you cannot use it, please report your damaged kit to us using the 'Contact' link above. In your email, please include a picture of the damaged product and a description of what happened.

In some cases, we may be able to send a replacement product. This depends on how many we have left in stock. We recommend that you continue to complete your Mission to keep your account in good standing. Please also take the final survey at the end of the Mission - there will be an option to say that your kit arrived damaged.

Miscellaneous Questions

How do I copy an Instagram post link?

On a desktop

1. Locate and click on the post in your profile
2. Click the three dots next to the "Add a comment" field
3. Select "Go To Post"
4. Copy the URL in your address bar

On an iOS device

1. Locate and select the post in your profile
2. Click the three dots at the top of the post
3. Select "Share"
4. Select "Copy Link"

On an Android device

1. Locate and select the post in your profile
2. Click the three dots at the top of the post
3. Select "Copy Link"

How do I take a screenshot?

Mac

1. Hold down [Command ⌘] and [Shift], then press [4].
2. Draw a rectangle around what you would like to screenshot.
3. The file will be saved to your desktop like this: "Screen Shot 2016-01-26 at 10.54.48 AM.png".

Windows

1. Hold down [Shift] and [⊞ Win], then press [S].
2. Draw a rectangle around what you would like to screenshot.
3. Snipping app will open with your captured image.
4. Save your image.

I live outside Canada. Can I become a Topbox Circle member?

At this time, Topbox Circle is only open to residents Canada. Who knows -- we may expand internationally in the future!

How do I close my Topbox Circle account?

We would be sad to see you go!

If you really want to close your Topbox Circle account, please email your account details to help@topboxcircle.com. Let us know your reasons for closing your account. Your feedback would be very useful in helping us provide a better experience for our members.