Table 2.

Summary cost figures (Australian $) for the different survey modes

Component	Postal survey personalised	Postal survey generic	Internet survey personalised	Internet survey generic	Telephone survey*
Rental of data extract and data manipulation	$2,148	-	$3,817	-	$684
Printing and packaging survey form, letters, postcards	$4,625	$3,317	$2,494	$2,326	$509
Postage	$3,071	$683	$5,100	$966	$510
Web database programming**	$1,373	$1,373	$1,373	$1,373	$2,747
Salary costs for mail handling and data entry of postal surveys***	$3,012	$1,483	-	-	-
Telephone interviews	-	-	-	-	$10,249
Total costs	$14,229	$6,856	$12,784	$4,665	$14,699
Number of contact attempts	5,500	4,000	10,000	7,000	1,000
Number of valid surveys obtained	575	299	289	101	273
Cost per valid survey	$24.75	$22.93	$44.24	$46.19	$53.84

^* Costs have been calculated for 1,000 telephone numbers and introductory letters.

^** Web database programming and hosting costs have been distributed equally across postal, internet, and telephone survey modes.

^*** Costs do not include salaries for senior researchers supervising staff.