---
name: sales-pickfu
description: "PickFu (pickfu.com) platform help — instant consumer split-testing and market research: run a poll (head-to-head, ranked, star/emoji rating, open-ended, click or five-second test) past an on-demand panel of 15M+ verified respondents targeted by 90+ demographic traits, and get quantified preference plus written rationale in minutes. Unlike UI-only message-testing peers it exposes a real REST API, an MCP server, and a CLI. Use when setting up a PickFu poll or writing unbiased non-leading questions, split-testing a logo/ad/Amazon listing/book cover/app icon/business name/copy, targeting a consumer audience by demographics, reading vote percentages plus verbatim comments, budgeting credits or a poll cost, wiring the PickFu API, MCP, or CLI into an automation, or fixing shallow or off-target respondent answers. Do NOT use for the validate-before-building method or comparing research tools (use /sales-idea-validation), or B2B-panel message/positioning testing (use /sales-wynter)."
argument-hint: "[describe what you need help with in PickFu]"
license: MIT
version: 1.0.1
tags: [sales, market-research, platform]
github: "https://github.com/pickfu"
---

# PickFu Platform Help

PickFu (pickfu.com) is an **instant consumer split-testing and market-research** platform. You
create a **poll** — head-to-head A/B/C, ranked, star/emoji rating, open-ended, click test,
five-second test, single/multi-select, or Likert — pick a **consumer audience** from a panel of
**15M+ verified respondents** (90+ demographic targeting traits, 15+ countries), and get back
**quantified preference (vote %)** plus a **written explanation from every respondent** — usually
in **minutes**. Common jobs: testing logos, ads, Amazon/app-store listings, book covers, app
icons, business/domain names, packaging, pricing, and copy.

Its niche vs the rest of the research/validation cluster:
- **Consumer panel, fast + self-serve.** The mirror image of Wynter (`/sales-wynter`): PickFu's
  panel is **broad consumer**, Wynter's is **B2B professionals**. For hard-to-reach B2B targeting,
  Wynter is the better instrument; for consumer creative/message testing at speed, PickFu.
- **Creative/message split-testing, not usability or idea validation.** PickFu tells you which
  *option wins and why* with real people — not whether a built product is usable
  (`/sales-lyssna`, `/sales-uxtweak`) and not build-or-not (`/sales-idea-validation`).
- **A real developer surface.** Unlike UI-only peers (Wynter, Articos), PickFu ships a **REST
  API**, an **MCP server**, and a **CLI** (`@pickfu/cli`) — so polls can be created, watched, and
  read programmatically.

**Two things to say almost every time:**
- **A poll measures preference (stated), not demand.** "Option B won / people said they'd buy" is
  what a reader *prefers when asked*, **not** a purchase. Keep the winning option + verbatim comments;
  take the willingness-to-pay / conversion go/no-go to a **real behavior test** via `/sales-idea-validation`.
- **Results live or die by question wording.** A leading or vague question ("Isn't this logo
  great?") produces misleading results. Write **neutral, goal-based** questions — PickFu collects
  the "why" automatically, so ask the real question, not "do you like this?".

## Step 1 — Gather context

If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated platform knowledge.

Ask only what you can't infer:

1. **What do you want from PickFu?**
   - A) **Set up a poll** — pick a question type (head-to-head / ranked / rating / open-ended /
     click / five-second) and write neutral questions
   - B) **Target an audience** — build a consumer panel by demographics/traits (or general
     population)
   - C) **Read results** — vote %, average scores, verbatim comments, AI Insights/Highlights
   - D) **Budget** — credits, PAYG vs PickFu+, what a poll costs
   - E) **Automate** — REST API / MCP server / CLI / Zapier
   - F) **Choose** — PickFu vs Wynter (B2B) / synthetic simulators / usability tools
2. **Consumer audience, or B2B/professional?** If B2B, PickFu's consumer panel may be thin —
   consider `/sales-wynter`.

Skip-ahead: if the user wants the **validate-before-building method** or a **cross-tool
comparison**, that's a `/sales-idea-validation` question — route in Step 2.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

| If the user's question is about… | Route to |
|---|---|
| The **validate-before-building method**, or comparing research/validation tools across the market | `/sales-idea-validation {question}` |
| **B2B message/positioning testing** on a professional panel (seniority/industry/company size) | `/sales-wynter {question}` |
| Running a **real behavior** demand test (smoke-test page, waitlist, pre-sale) after a poll | `/sales-idea-validation` or `/sales-funnel` `{question}` |
| **Usability / prototype / IA testing** on a *built* product or design (not preference testing) | `/sales-lyssna` or `/sales-uxtweak` `{question}` |
| **Synthetic-audience** message simulation (AI personas instead of a real panel) | `/sales-societies` `{question}` |
| Analyzing **existing** survey/VoC data into themes (post-collection) | `/sales-customer-feedback` or `/sales-trill` `{question}` |

When routing, give the exact command: "This is a {domain} question — run: `/sales-idea-validation {original question}`"

Otherwise, answer PickFu-specific questions using Step 3.

## Step 3 — PickFu reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full reference — the question-type / automation
table, best-effort credit pricing and plan gates, the Survey → Question → Response data model,
audience targeting, and how to read vote % vs comments. **Read
`references/pickfu-api-reference.md`** for the developer surface — REST endpoints (base
`https://api.pickfu.com/v1`), the MCP server (`https://mcp.pickfu.com/mcp`), and the CLI.

Answer using only the relevant section — don't dump the full reference.

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

- **Say the caveat: a poll is preference, not demand.** Whatever the user asks, make explicit that
  a poll winner (or people saying "I'd buy this") means the option **wins with a real reader when
  asked** — a genuine, useful signal — but it is **stated preference, not observed demand or a
  purchase**. Point the user to the **verbatim comments** (the "why", objections, confusion) as the
  real value rather than trusting the top-line %, then take the willingness-to-pay / conversion
  go/no-go to a **real behavior test** (smoke test, pre-sale) via `/sales-idea-validation`.
- **Insist on neutral, goal-based questions.** Tell the user to write **non-leading** questions and
  let PickFu collect the "why" automatically — never "do you like this?" or "isn't X better?".
  Framing bias is the #1 cause of misleading PickFu results. Use **targeting traits** to match the
  real buyer, and if answers are shallow/off-target, that's a **question/audience-design** fix —
  **rate responses** (thumbs up/down) so the panel improves and low-quality respondents are flagged.
- **Size a poll in credits and call pricing best-effort.** Billing is **pay-as-you-go from ~$1 per
  response** with a **minimum poll around $15**; cost scales with **sample size (15–500) ×
  targeting specificity × question count**. In API/credit terms note **1 credit = $2 USD** (differs
  from Wynter's $1). PickFu+ (subscription) and prepaid credit bundles add discounts. Give a
  directional figure but present every number as **best-effort** and point to **pickfu.com/pricing**
  and the in-app cost calculator to confirm.
- **For automation, use the API/MCP/CLI — and poll for completion (there is no webhook).** PickFu
  has a real **REST API** (base `https://api.pickfu.com/v1`, `Authorization: Bearer sk_...`, **100
  req/min**), an **MCP server** (`https://mcp.pickfu.com/mcp`, OAuth or Bearer), and a **CLI**
  (`@pickfu/cli`). **Create a poll with `POST /surveys`** (then `POST /surveys/{id}/publish`) and
  read results from **`GET /surveys/{id}/responses`**. There is **no completion webhook** — detect a
  finished poll by polling `GET /surveys/{id}` (watch `numResponses`/`status`) or `pickfu survey
  watch <id>`. **Never auto-retry POST** (it can duplicate a poll). API/MCP/CLI access is **plan-gated** (PickFu+/Team/Enterprise) —
  confirm on the account's Settings > API Keys page; don't assume it's on the free tier.
- **Match consumer vs B2B to the panel.** PickFu's panel is **broad consumer** — for **B2B /
  professional** targeting (seniority, industry, company size) route to `/sales-wynter` instead;
  verify the target audience builds out to your sample size before spending credits.

If you discover a gotcha or tip not in `references/learnings.md`, append it there with today's date.

## Gotchas

*Best-effort from research (2026-07) — PickFu's pricing (per-response cost, min poll, PickFu+ tiers,
credit = $2), panel size/composition, question-type lineup, plan gates, and API surface change;
verify at pickfu.com and pickfu.com/pricing.*

- **Preference ≠ demand.** A poll winner or "I'd buy this" is what a *reader prefers when asked*,
  not a purchase. The verbatim comments (the "why") are the value — take the go/no-go to a real
  behavior test.
- **Leading questions poison results.** Vague or leading wording ("do you like this?", "isn't X
  better?") is the top cause of misleading PickFu data. Write neutral, goal-based questions; PickFu
  collects the "why" automatically.
- **Priced per response, not per seat; cost escalates with targeting.** PAYG from ~$1/response, min
  poll ~$15; cost scales with sample size × targeting × question count. **1 credit = $2 USD** (not
  $1 like Wynter). Size it in the in-app calculator; treat all figures as best-effort.
- **Consumer-skewed panel.** For hard-to-reach **B2B/professional** audiences the panel may be thin
  — use `/sales-wynter`. Verify the audience builds out to your sample size before committing.
- **No completion webhook — poll for it.** The API has no webhook; detect a finished poll via `GET
  /surveys/{id}` or `pickfu survey watch`. **Never auto-retry POST /surveys** (duplicates the poll).
- **API/MCP/CLI is plan-gated.** Programmatic access requires a paid tier (PickFu+/Team/Enterprise)
  — confirm on Settings > API Keys; the free/PAYG UI account may not have it.
- **Respondent quality varies — rate to improve it.** Some panelists give shallow answers; **rate
  responses** (helpful / not helpful) so poor responders are flagged and future polls improve. This
  is a question/audience-design lever, not a dead panel.

## Related skills

- `/sales-wynter` — The **B2B-panel** message-testing counterpart (LinkedIn-verified professionals, scores + quotes, UI-only/no API). Pick PickFu for consumer creative/message testing with an API; pick Wynter for hard-to-reach B2B positioning. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-wynter -a claude-code`
- `/sales-pollthepeople` — The **direct real-panel consumer** competitor (same job: vote % + written rationale in minutes) with **ChatGPT-native analysis** and a **cheaper subscription entry** (free Lite tier), but **UI-only/no API** and a smaller US-default 500k panel. Pick PickFu for automation (API/MCP/CLI) or a 15M+ international panel; Poll the People for a cheap US-consumer entry with built-in AI summaries. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-pollthepeople -a claude-code`
- `/sales-idea-validation` — The tool-agnostic validate-before-building method + the full research/validator tool landscape (use to decide build-or-not; a poll "win" is preference, not demand). Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-idea-validation -a claude-code`
- `/sales-societies` — Artificial Societies, the **synthetic-audience** counterpart (simulate how a message lands with AI personas before spending on a real panel); its message/creative-tester cousin is **`/sales-evelance`** (AI personas score copy/creative/product on 12 psychology metrics) — both are fast, cheap synthetic pre-flights to triage options before deciding with PickFu's real consumer panel. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-societies -a claude-code`
- `/sales-lyssna` — Self-serve **usability/IA testing** on a *built* artifact (five-second/first-click/preference, card sort, tree test) — the right tool when the question is "is my product usable", not "which option wins". Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-lyssna -a claude-code`
- `/sales-customer-feedback` — Real-customer NPS/CSAT/VoC strategy across tools (use to analyze *existing* feedback; PickFu proactively tests new creative). Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-customer-feedback -a claude-code`
- `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do -a claude-code`

## Examples

### Example 1: "Which of my three Amazon main images should I run — this one scored best on PickFu, ship it?"
**User says**: "I ran a head-to-head of three product main images on PickFu and image B won 58% with great comments. Good enough to make it my live listing and expect more sales?"
**Skill does**: Credits the result as a **real** signal — actual consumers preferred B and told you
*why*, far better than guessing. Then draws the line: that's **preference, not demand** — a
preferred image is not a proven conversion lift. Directs the user to the **verbatim comments** (what
they noticed, what confused them, the words they used) as the real payload, suggests using those to
sharpen the image, and to confirm the lift with a **real behavior test** (A/B the live listing / a
smoke test) via `/sales-idea-validation`. Notes per-response pricing is best-effort.

### Example 2: "How do I create a poll and pull the results into my own dashboard via the PickFu API?" (developer/automation)
**User says**: "I want to script PickFu — create a head-to-head poll, wait for it to finish, and POST the vote % and comments into our internal dashboard. What's the endpoint and how do I know when it's done?"
**Skill does**: Gives the real surface — `POST https://api.pickfu.com/v1/surveys` with
`Authorization: Bearer sk_...` to create (shows the `questions` array with `type: head_to_head`),
then explains there is **no completion webhook**, so **poll** `GET /surveys/{id}` (watch
`numResponses`/`status`) or use `pickfu survey watch <id>` / the MCP `get_survey_responses` tool,
and read results from `GET /surveys/{id}/responses`. Flags the **100 req/min** limit, **never
auto-retry POST**, and that API access is **plan-gated** (confirm at Settings > API Keys). Points to
`references/pickfu-api-reference.md` for the full JSON shapes.

### Example 3: "My PickFu results feel random / the comments are shallow — is the panel bad?"
**User says**: "Half my respondents just say 'looks good' and the votes swing every time I run it. Is PickFu's panel junk?"
**Skill does**: Explains it's usually a **question/audience-design** problem, not a dead panel:
vague or **leading questions** invite low-effort answers, and a too-broad audience adds noise.
Prescribes **neutral, goal-based questions** (let PickFu collect the "why"), tighter **targeting
traits** to match the real buyer, a larger **sample size** for stability, and **rating responses**
(thumbs up/down) so poor responders are flagged and the panel improves. Notes that for B2B targets
the consumer panel may be thin — consider `/sales-wynter`.

## Troubleshooting

### "Where's the PickFu webhook to fire when a poll finishes?"
**Symptom**: You're looking for a webhook to trigger a pipeline when a poll completes.
**Cause**: PickFu's REST API has **no completion webhook** — completion is detected by polling.
**Solution**: Poll `GET /surveys/{id}` and watch `numResponses`/`status` (or `status: completed`), or use `pickfu survey watch <survey-id>` in the CLI / the MCP `get_survey_responses` tool. Then read `GET /surveys/{id}/responses`. Respect the **100 req/min** limit and back off on `429`. Note API access is plan-gated — confirm at Settings > API Keys.

### "My PickFu poll results swing or feel shallow — is the panel bad?"
**Symptom**: Votes change between runs, or respondents give one-line generic answers.
**Cause**: Usually a **question/audience-design** problem — vague/leading questions and too-broad targeting, not a dead panel.
**Solution**: Write **neutral, goal-based** questions (PickFu collects the "why" automatically), tighten **targeting traits** to the real buyer, increase **sample size** for stability, and **rate responses** so poor responders are flagged. For B2B targets, the consumer panel may be thin — consider `/sales-wynter`.

### "Why is my PickFu poll so expensive / why did the cost jump?"
**Symptom**: The poll total is higher than expected, especially with tight targeting or many questions.
**Cause**: PickFu is **pay-as-you-go from ~$1/response** (min poll ~$15); cost scales with **sample size × targeting specificity × question count**, and in credit terms **1 credit = $2 USD**.
**Solution**: Use the **in-app cost calculator** before launching, trim to the questions that matter, right-size the sample, and if you run many polls compare PAYG against **PickFu+** / prepaid credit bundles. Treat all figures as **best-effort** — confirm at pickfu.com/pricing.