Join the Nielsen Consumer Panel and you could earn CASH & PRIZES! I wouldn’t suggest you plan on survey companies like this bringing in a part time income, but it surely can bring in some extra spending money and it can make a dent in your Christmas gift budget.
Panel members that are accepted with Nielsen Homescan will be sent a small hand-held scanner. You’re asked to scan all the bar codes of everything you purchase. Weekly they ask you to send them the information from your scanner and in turn you’ll earn points which you can redeem for prizes.
They call the Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel a “mini-USA”, meaning that you are a part of a select group representing the average purchases of Americans nationwide. The point of it all is make sure we’re getting the products we want! Manufacturers and retailers will look at the information you send to them to decide what products to make and sell to consumers all across the country.
Please note: TFF Readers have submitted mixed reviews, some rave about this company and their success with the program while others have found it to be too time consuming.
Nina Dyba via Facebook December 15, 2011 at 12:36 pm
I never heard from them when I signed up…do you know how they contact you?
The Frugal Find via Facebook December 15, 2011 at 1:41 pm
You’ll get an email when/if you’re accepted.
Katie Anderson Wilson via Facebook December 19, 2011 at 3:48 pm
I started doing this about a month ago and it is fun! It helps too that the kids like to help scan everything and it becomes a contest:)
Casey Campbell via Facebook February 28, 2012 at 11:20 am
I was just notified that my scanner is on its way! Only took 6 weeks from sign up!!!!
Jess April 26, 2012 at 11:49 pm
I signed up and got the scanner, and it’s going right back. The most points you can possibly earn in a year is about 30,000, which is only if you’ve been a member for several years. It starts at about half that. A $50 gift card is about 38,000 points and a vacuum cleaner is about 150,000 points. So, go into it knowing that you’ll be compensated less than a dollar per week. To me, it’s just not worth it. If it took 30 seconds a week I might consider it, but I don’t see how this can possibly take any less than about 20 minutes a week if you’re a light shopper and fast scanner since you’re supposed to record absolutely everything, including gas purchases, fast food purchases, and deals and coupons you take advantage of.
Teresa Stull-Reagan via Facebook April 30, 2012 at 11:32 am
I highly recommend it, just got my 2nd survey and $35.
Karen May 11, 2012 at 11:13 am
Been a scanner for almost 2 years? and finally sending it back. Racked up enough points for a $50 itunes gift card (34,000 points)… but its a lot of work and not worth the effort in my opinion (the rewards arent that great either!). The last thing you want to think about when you get home with a trunkload of groceries to make sure you scan all of it and remember what coupons you used and the bill total. The additional booklet required to scan produce, meat is a pain., too You’re lucky if you can get it done in less than an hour. you only get ~225 points a week for the weekly transmission (so taht alone is only 12,000 points a year). Teh surveys are quick and easy, but you need to be an active scanner for the contests and prizes… I have never won the contest nor prizes.
I wouldn’t recommend it.
Valerie Biggs-Hernandez via Facebook May 11, 2012 at 11:16 am
I’ve done a few and nothing comes of it. Im confused how these work lol