Do you do the Nielsen Homescan program?

Question

I was wondering the benefits of joining, and if you are happy to do it.... Also what kind of rewards you have received! Thanks!

Answer 1

Don't waste your time---I did it, now they have their lawyers wanting the box back, said they would send me a return label, have not received it yet. They never even activated me, so no matter what I did they said I didn't do it at all.

As far as Im concerned they can rot---come get their dang box, or whatever. still sitting here waiting for the label, I will be danged if I will pay to ship it back!

Answer 2

I haven't done Homescan but I do something similar with another company called Shopper's hotline. They don't have any trinkets just after you rack up so many points you can redeem them for a gift card. The people here say Homescan sucks but I seen a forum were some of the people say its okay but I can't give any info as I haven't tried but I'm tempted just to see.

Answer 3

It takes a LOT of time...and the rewards are a joke! Cracker Jack box toys are worth more.

Plus I had the same experience as another answerer. I broke my shoulder ( made it kinda hard to scan things!!!)

They threatened me with collections over that stupid scanner too.

Answer 4

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.  :)  (Confidentiality agreement, you know...)

I signed-up, got the package of stuff (including bar-code scanner)...

...then I read the details...

...and mailed the box back to Nielsen.

It takes a lot of time -- regardless of how "quick and easy" they say it is -- and the rewards are skimpy, at best.  Frankly, you're providing them with extremely valuable data, which they sell for a tidy profit, to manufacturers and retailers.  And they compensate you with trinkets.  You have to scan the barcode off of every item you buy, and transmit that data to them weekly.  Don't forget to scan the barcodes from *everything* including that candy bar that you got from the vending machine at the bowling alley, and that book you bought from Amazon.com.

And in return...after doing this religiously every week...I calculated that after six months, I'd earn enough points to buy something I'd always wanted from their awards catalog: A throwaway book light.  Not like the nice "itty bitty book light" they sell at Barnes & Noble -- no, the junky piece of trash they give away as promotional goodies at trade-show booths.

Some people love that sort of thing.  I don't: I refuse to work for a fraction of minimum wage.  Again, the data you provide to them is very valuable; so if they want it, they'll have to pay me better than they currently do.  (It's bad enough that they already get a goldmine of information from me, for free, every time I use my "frequent shopper" card at the grocery store...)

Answer 5

My experience was the same as Pinball's with this addition:  when I was sick for several months and not scanning, they started calling like a collection agency.  When I didn't return their calls immediately (within the first month), they sent a collections attorney after me!  You don't want to know what I was tempted to do with the d**n scanner before I returned it to them.

Run, don't walk in the opposite direction!