The NielsenIQ Homescan Consumer Panel is one way for Canadian shoppers to earn rewards for purchases they make while participating in market research and influencing which products make it to the store.
This article covers everything you must know about NielsenIQ Homescan, including its earning opportunities, redemption methods, and how you can join this platform’s panel.
Nielsen Homescan Summary
NielsenIQ Homescan Canada
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Ease of Use
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Redemption Options
Overall
Summary
Nielsen Homescan lets you earn money by scanning the products you purchase, answering surveys, and through cash incentives. You can redeem your points as merchandise, such as gift cards and appliances, once you’ve earned enough points. Nielsen Homescan’s parent company “Nielsen” has been around for over 90 years and is regarded as one of the leading market research companies in the world. To provide answers on consumer spending behaviour to brands, retailers and marketers, this platform tracks consumer behaviour for over 250,000 households in 25 countries.
Pros
- Free market research panel
- Earn points for gift cards
- Legit company
Cons
- Takes commitment to scan weekly
- Limited ways to earn
How To Join NielsenIQ Homescan Panel and Earn Points
To become a member of the NielsenIQ Homescan Consumer Panel and start earning rewards, you will need to:
1. Visit NielsenIQ Homescan Canada here and complete the online form. They place you on a list and contact you directly when you can get started. The time it takes to hear back from them varies. For those residing in the U.S., you can join the National Consumer Panel.
2. Once you are selected, you will receive a mobile app or handheld scanner, which you use to scan the barcodes on products you buy every week. You also receive a starting bonus of 1,000 points.
3. After scanning, the scanner automatically transmits the data collected to NielsenIQ Homescan. You can also transmit manually. You will see a success message once your transmission is complete.
4. You receive reward points for each weekly transmission.
Other Ways To Earn With NielsenIQ Homescan
In addition to earning points for scanning the barcodes of items you buy weekly, you can also earn additional points for participating in surveys and other special studies. The more (and the longer) you participate, the more points you earn, plus annual bonuses.
Monthly Cash Incentive: When my wife joined, she was offered a cash incentive of a $15 Visa Prepaid Card every month for one year, which is an extra $180 in addition to the regular points. I am unsure if this offer is always the same for all new participants.
How To Redeem Your NielsenIQ Homescan Rewards
To redeem your accumulated points, you need to visit the “Rewards” section of their website to view the Homescan Gift catalogue.
Points are redeemable for merchandise, including gift cards (iTunes, Cineplex, Indigo), outdoor gear, kitchen appliances, electronics, jewellery, and more. After ordering your gift, it should arrive within 4-6 weeks.
The monthly cash incentive (if applicable) is sent through postal mail every month.
NielsenIQ Homescan Panel’s Legitimacy
A question I always ask myself regarding online surveys and other side gigs is: “Is this a scam?”
Based on first-hand experience (via my wife), NielsenIQ Homescan is not a scam.
You do earn rewards and can definitely redeem them once you reach the threshold for your preferred gift item.
Is NielsenIQ Homescan Worth Your Time?
It depends on what your “free” time is worth and if you enjoy scanning your purchases and building rewards over time.
What can you expect in rewards?
For example, for a starting panellist in Canada, each weekly transmission gets you 150 points (plus the initial 1,000 bonus points). There are anniversary points of 1,500 or 5,000 points in your 5th year and 10,000 points when you reach your 10th anniversary.
Additionally, if you are dedicated to your scanning, they reward you with bonus points of up to 3,000 per year. And there are points for completing surveys.
On redemption, 1,000 points are worth roughly $1.25 to $1.50. That’s not a lot of money. For my wife, who received a $15 gift card every month, the rewards are better… for about an hour of her time every month.
Is the program worth your time? Again, it depends. It does not take too much of your time per week. At the end of the day, it will depend on what time you have to spare and if you enjoy participating in this type of market research.
NielsenIQ Homescan Review: Conclusion
NielsenIQ Homescan Canada is one of many market research panels out there. Other paid survey sites you can use to earn some passive income include:
Best Survey Sites
Best overall
Survey Junkie: Offers daily surveys, and you can cash out starting at $10.
Flexible Platform
Swagbucks: Get paid to answer surveys, play games, watch video ads, and more.
Good minimum Pay
Pinecone Research: Pays $3 to $5 per survey. Available in Canada and the U.S.
Short Surveys
Branded Surveys: Start with free points and offers lots of online paid surveys.
great for Rewards
Ipsos i-Say: Operated by a global market research company, Ipsos.
Multiple Countries
PrizeRebel: Available in multiple countries. Get paid with gift cards and PayPal cash.
Versatile Platform
LifePoints: Pays members to complete surveys and complete other tasks online.
In addition to surveys, you should also check out these awesome cash back apps – KOHO and Caddle – whenever you go shopping.
If you want to join the NielsenIQ Homescan Panel, Click here.
