What the survey covers
PCMag's 2026 Readers' Choice survey is live, and the publication is asking readers to rate the retailers, vendors, and online marketplaces they actually use for tech purchases. The annual questionnaire covers everything from big box electronics chains and carrier stores to direct-to-consumer brands, marketplace sellers, and subscription services.
The form walks readers through recent buying experiences, focusing on factors that matter when the price of a laptop or a phone is rarely the only thing on the line. Respondents are asked about pricing, return policies, customer support, in-store experience, online checkout friction, and the way a retailer handles problems after the sale. The survey also tracks where shoppers actually bought specific categories of gear, from desktops and laptops to headphones, smart home devices, and cellular service.
How entries and prizes work
PCMag runs the survey through Ziff Davis, and the full set of official rules spells out the entry mechanics, eligibility, and prize structure. A $250 Amazon gift card is being given away to one randomly selected entrant who completes the survey, with the entry period running from May 8, 2026 through August 30, 2026. Winners are drawn on or about September 15, 2026.
Entries are open to legal residents of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia who are not recent Ziff Davis sweepstakes winners, employees, or members of an employee's household. The fine print, including the arbitration clause and class action waiver, is unusually thorough, which is part of why Ziff Davis tends to run its surveys this way rather than through a third-party panel.
Why the results matter
Readers' Choice awards look different from editorial reviews. They are based on what real buyers actually experienced across thousands of transactions, not on a single reviewer's week with a product. For tech retailers, that means the rankings are a direct read on trust, after-sale support, and whether pricing claims match what shows up at the register.
For shoppers, the survey is a chance to flag the retailers that earned their loyalty, and to drag the ones that did not. The findings tend to surface patterns that do not always show up in glossy best-of lists, especially around return handling, customer service hold times, and how retailers behave when something goes wrong a month after the warranty expires.
If you have bought tech in the past year, this is a quick way to put a vote in. The survey takes a few minutes, and the results land later in the year, broken out by category and by retailer, with enough granularity for an actual shopping decision.