Nielsen is accepting applicants again to join the Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel. If you are accepted as a panel member, Homescan will provide you with a hand-held scanner. Every time you or members of your household shop, you’ll use the scanner to scan the barcodes on all of your purchases.
Once a week, you’ll transmit this information to Nielsen and you’ll earn points which can be redeemed for a variety of items from the Nielsen Gift Catalog.
Wes was accepted as a panel member and is currently on the waiting list for a scanner. We think this sounds like a fun way to earn rewards and hope to get the chance to try it out. From what we’ve heard, it takes a little while to earn rewards, but once you do, they can be redeemed for some great prizes like electronics and household items. This might be another great source of ‘free money’ if you are part of the Cha-Ching Christmas Club!
If you are interested in signing up, they are taking applications for their panel right now. Go here to read more and sign up.
This usually closes quickly, so I recommend signing up while you have the chance!
Have any of you had experience with Nielsen? Any tips?
I signed up, got my scanner, then got a card in the mail that said I had to agree to be liable for $200 if anything happened to the scanner while in my home. I promptly sent the scanner and unsigned card back to them unopened. Not worth it to me.
I signed up once and had to send my scanner back because, at least when I did it, the scanner wouldn’t work with our phone line (we have phone from our cable company). Just thought that might be worth mentioning!
I actually just called to tell them I would be shipping my scanner back.
It is EXTREMELY tedious to enter your items. Instead of simply scanning each item, you have to go through a drawn out process to enter items by scanning, then inputting info about the item before you can move on. Then, on top of that, you get VERY few points. I’ve been a member since December and, after entering a ZILLION groceries, I’ve earned enough points to get a item that sells in stores for about $6. (One of those little baby toys with the platic cone and the colorful rings, which stack on the cone.)
I’d rather focus my time on working with a group that actually rewards me commesurate to the amount of effort I am putting into the program… and NCP isn’t it.