Neilsen Home Scanner has opened up applications again for new panelist.
What is Neilsen Home Scanner?
You will be provided with a hand held scanner. When you shop, you’ll use the scanner to scan the barcodes on all of your purchase. Once a week you send your purchase information to the National Consumer panel.
How are you rewarded?
You will earn points that you can trade in for prizes such as electronics equipment, jewelry, toys, and more! You can also earn entries into sweepstakes as well as providing your opinion.
How to Get Started?
Just fill out the online registration form to get started.
I would love to hear your experience about this because it didn’t work out for me when I tried it a few years ago
I’ve been scanning about 8 months now. At first it was a hassle remembering to do it, but now it’s second nature. Most of the prices come up for the stores that I use except for Walmart, I always have to enter their prices. It does take a long time to get enough points for anything worthwhile. I’ll keep doing it for a while. I’m going to win one of those big prizes!
I did this a few years ago and some of the other comments stated, it is too time consuming. Prices were not coming up, so I had to enter them manually. I had to remember the coupons used for each item so I could enter that amount. I remember also there was some sort of lengthly download time or something. Nevertheless, I quit after 3 or 4 shopping trips.
I signed up and recieved the scanner- However I never opened it because while waiting for the arrival of my scanner I researched reviews and such- I found alot of the same comments like above posters stated- Not worth the points! Too much time and not enough reward to make worth while- So, I returned my which was pleasantly easy- I just reversed the address/shipping slip without having to even open the box and I dropped it off at the post office! No charge:)
I did this about 4 years ago, it was so time consuming and not worth my time. Unfortunately their database had none of the prices so everything had to be entered and every coupon had to be entered. It would take hours to keep up and the prize book wasn’t so great…..
This is what you do when you buy products and use your scanner:
Who went shopping? Who was with you? What store did you buy at? Did you use double or trible coupons? Scan the item. How many did you buy? What did you pay? Did you have any deals (store sale, store coupons, coupons, etc), if you check that you used coupons how much was the coupons? Scan next item, repeat the above until all items from that store scanned. After all items scanned, how much did you spend, how did you pay, do you have another trip (items from another store) to scan, if so repeat: who went shopping…….
I’ve been scanning 6 months, I have gotten 2 free items worth a total of about $1.00. I have under 10,000 points, I need a minimum of 12,000 points to get an item I can buy at the store for $5.00. It takes me approximately 15 to 30 minutes to scan my items, depending on how much I buy.
Had to go double check my signup date, I’ve been on the “waiting list” since 7/28/09. Based on the feedback here, am glad to still be waiting. ;) What they say in no way indicates extra hassle for coupons, this is good to know. Here’s what I have from them: “If selected to participate on this elite panel, you will be sent a small, handheld scanner (provided by Nielsen at no cost to you) to scan the UPC barcodes on all of your household’s purchases. Then, once a week, via the scanner, you’ll send your purchase information to us. That’s it!”
I also was on the “waiting list” for a few months and then received the scanner. I’m not convinced there is an actual waiting list — just my opinion, but I think they want you to think people really love to do this. I had the scanner for just a few days when I realized how time consuming it was — especially since I use lots of coupons. The prizes take a lot of points to win — and they are nothing special. I figured at least I could earn a gift certificate every month or so (there are no gift certificates for prizes), but it looked like it would take a whole year of scanning just to win some measly prize like a football. I would not recommend it.
I did this about 8 months ago and gave up after only a month. While the stores were in the scanner, none of the prices came up. So I had to enter the prices manually and then enter coupon amounts. It was just too time comsuming.
I’ve been on the waiting list for them since January of this year! They send me a survey on occasion but that’s about it..Still waiting..
I just got this message! :) National Consumer Panel Thanks You!
Thank you for registering with the National Consumer Panel.
Your household will be placed on our waiting list, and we will send you a scanner as soon as a spot on the National Consumer Panel becomes available for a household like yours. We look forward to your participation!
Have been on the waiting list forever, they send occasional surveys but say they don’t have any available scanners in my area. Completing surveys doesn’t earn anything when on the waiting list.
I just registered and this is the end result:
“Thank you for registering with the National Consumer Panel.
Your household will be placed on our waiting list, and we will send you a scanner as soon as a spot on the National Consumer Panel becomes available for a household like yours. We look forward to your participation! ”
So we’ll see what happens :)
Great find Briana. I tried to apply before but it was closed. Hopefully they accept my wife this time around :)
I tried this years ago, but had to enter in the coupon information for each product. At the time I used a coupon for almost every single grocery item I bought. I was spending too much time inputting all of this information that it became overwhelming. Can anyone tell me that the system has changed? Is it easier than it used to be?