Heads up! Neilsen Consumer Panel has opened up applicant spots again. And, they usually dont stay open for that long.
If you are accepted, they will send you a home scanner. You will be required to scan all of the barcodes of items you purchase. Then, once a week you will send them the information from the scanner online. In exchange, you will earn points for your work that you can redeem to enter sweepstakes, contests and earn prizes.
If you are looking to earn free products, and have the time to do it, I would definitely apply! My readers have been split down the middle whether it was worth the time to do it or not. Some have LOVED it and others thought it was too time consuming. But since they dont accept everyone, you might as well apply and then if you are accepted try it out. If you dont like it, you can always return the scanner and not do it anymore!
If you have a Landline, click here to apply.
If you only have a cellphone, click here to apply.
Let us know if you get accepted!
MElissa
I filled out the form, but they said they weren’t accepting people from my area (Salt Lake). 🙁
Erica
I also applied and was told there are no spots for my area in Pleasant Grove.
Rebecca Jeppson
No Spots in Logan Area……
Julie
no spots in washington area either
Monica
No spots in Hooper 🙁
Dianna T
None in Richfield UT either…
Erin
Not here in Redding CA either 🙁
Susan
I filled out the form, but they said they werent accepting people from my area (Plymouth Meeting, PA)
Sheri
No spots in Brigham City area either!!
Mandy
Whew, thank goodness that disaster is over. I sent back my unit last week. It was a complete waste of my time, let me explain the reasons why it’s neither convenient nor worthwhile. 1) It takes hundreds of thousands of points to accumulate to get a prize. You only get a hundred or so per transmittal or survey. So, you won’t be getting a prize anytime soon, sorry! 2) It’s apparently against the rules to scan while you shop, so you have to scan once you get home….with your 200+ grocery items (many of which are frozen), you simply don’t have the energy. Oh, and I’m not just talking a simple scan. For example, with Wal-mart, you have to enter quantities, price paid, whether or not you used a coupon, was the coupon doubled, the coupon value…FOR EVERY SINGLE ITEM! Then at the end you had to give the total and how you paid (credit, debit, cash, ect.) Why don’t I just enter my debit card number while I’m at it?! It would literally take me 15-20 minutes every shopping trip, just to do the scanning part.
After 6 months I finally gave up. I kindly called customer service to see about returning their equipment. The representative was highly rude and was not interested in any of my concerns. She said they had heard everything in the book and practically hung up on me. So, yes, it was more trouble than it’s worth.
Good luck!
marcy
Just want to say ditto to your post. I am sending mine back this week. I have been doing it for a little over 1 year now and finally got enough points to redeem for 10 music downloads. Woo hoo……are you kidding me?? Totally not worth it!!
Laura
No spots in Northern Mississippi either.
UtahJenny
I have to ditto Mandy – I just sent mine back, too. I wasn’t doing it for the prizes, but more just to have my voice heard, get my opinions out there, and I wanted that awesome scanner to complete my “Flo” (the Progressive Girl) Halloween costume!
Anyhow – if you shop with coupons (which most people around here do) … it is so complicated and time consuming and just not worth your while. I did it for several months until I just couldn’t do one more purchase. You are even supposed to scan that large soda you get from McDonalds or Wendy’s – really, they want you to account for every single penny you spend.
My opinion was better left to my own household in the end … along with my time and energy. And after 6 months of transmitting … I had enough points for … NOTHING! I appreciate the idea of consumer panels, but this one was overly complicated with little to no reward for those putting their time and energy into this panel.
Good luck to ya’ll – there should be a spot opening up in Utah now!
Diane
I have been doing this for just over a year. At first I was really excited about it and I even got a couple of free gifts, like a reusable shopping bag. After a whole year though, I’ve only earned enough points to receive their cheapest gifts which are equivalent to about $20 value. It is very time consuming and quite a hassle. You do earn more points for your participation the longer you are a member, but about $20 a year just isn’t that rewarding. It will honestly take years to earn a decent reward. And like others have mentioned, that means an about 15-20 minutes of your time for scanning every time you shop. There are many other opportunities to earn prizes out there that are a lot easier and a lot faster than this, but I have devoted so much time that I feel split between continuing so I don’t feel like I’ve completely wasted all the time I’ve put into it or just walking away completely. Apply cautiously.
Kellit
I just sent mine back too – for all the previous comments. I was so excited, but it was so time consuming when you put in every purchase including gas, eating out, clothing – everything, not to mention always hassling my husband for his purchases. I figured the item I was looking at in the rewards catalog could be purchased for around $40 dollars and it would take me about 2 years to get there and for that I’d rather pay $40 or not have the item. another thing if I called with questions or concerns I did feel like the operators were pretty short- I agree with Diane, “apply cautiously.
Lisa
I did this for awhile and hated it for all of the reasons mentioned above. I can’t imagine there are any readers who “LOVE” doing this as Melea mentioned. At least not after being involved for a couple weeks, but if there are you should speak up and be heard for F2D readers.
I forgot to submit my purchases for a couple of weeks during the holidays because I was so busy, they sent me a very nasty letter indicating it was my “first warning.” That was the final straw.
Camille
I actually don’t mind scanning my items as I put them away. And since I do most of my shopping at Smiths, I don’t have to put in as much information, because prices aren’t needed. I think it takes me about 5 minutes to scan after each shopping trip. Then I plug the scanner into my computer and send the info off. The surveys they send are usually very short and easy to complete. It can take a lot of time to accumulate points, but if you’re consistent, you are able to earn more and more points each time you scan. They also send me little freebies in the mail. I will continue to be on their panel and hope enough people drop out so I can have a good chance at winning the grand prix sweepstakes 🙂 Someone has to win, right? 🙂
Susan
I have a unit that I am sending back, it is TOOOOOOOO much work, as I buy a lot of produce and not many pre-made items, and I shop at several stores, so it was so time consuming that I just would rather do something else with my time. Love the idea, though, but they require too much for what you get back.
Heather
It takes me a good 45 minutes to scan after a shopping trip. I usually do really big shops, not lots of little ones. Sometimes I’ll get lucky and not have to enter the prices, but for the most part I do. And trying to recall coupon amounts? Seriously, use your time more wisely than this. This is not fun and not worthwhile in the least. My problem- I think my husband threw out the box it came in, so it will probably be very difficult and pricey to return. So I keep doing it…………….DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME!
Mandy
When I returned mine last week they offered to send me a box. I’ve also heard rumors of when you return it they send you a $30 check. That will be the saving grace — I hope!
Denise
I have been doing this for the past 7 years. (Poor college students with no kids don’t purchase much so it was faster way back then when I first started). My husband is finally used to it, it used to really bug him in the beginning. Since I shop mostly at grocery stores (Smiths), I usually don’t have to enter prices. We never eat out, shop at convenience stores/gas stations, and it is seldom that I purchase clothes.
In about 1 month I will have finally earned enough points for the iPod Touch. (I have redeemed points for other small things along the way or I would have had it already). But, I am excited that I can get a really nice expensive item and I won’t have to pay for it out of my pocket. The longer you are a member the more points you earn each week.
So, for those people who shop 3 or 4 times a week at 5 or 6 stores and have multiple people in the household making purchases it could be a huge pain. For those who shop once a week at one or two stores it is not that bad. We lived with my mom for 4 months after graduation, and it was awful. I couldn’t keep up with her and all her trips. The more you do it the faster you get at working the scanner, so that it doesn’t take so long. My kids think it is fun (ages 3 &6), but it is faster without their help.
When you go on vacation, or experience medical things, etc. and will be unable to transmit for a few weeks, you just scan a bar-code on a piece of paper and transmit it before you go, and you still get the points. So vacations are not a problem.
I don’t love it, I don’t hate it, it has just become a routine, and it is something I do. I has caused me to review my receipts and realize how much I actually purchased, how much I spent and how much I saved.