Upset about my experience right now with National Consumer Panel
@shaggin (74987)
United States
February 15, 2019 9:01pm CST
In February 2008 I signed up for a site called Homescan. Since then it had changed its name to National Consumer Panel.
Every time I go shopping I scan my purchases and submit the cost of each item and the total price spent. At the end of the week I connect it to the telephone line and transmit the data to them. I earn points for doing this.
In the beginning the point were less. The longer you stay with the panel the more points you earn per transmission. I get 325 points each week now that I transmit my shopping trips. It takes $21,000 points to get a $25 Amazon e-giftcard.
My scanner hasn't been working right for quite awhile but I just dealt with it. Two weeks back it froze up and would not shut off and I could do nothing with it.
I called them and the girl said she was mailing me a return label and a new scanner in the same package and for me to write the code number and broken on the inside and outside of the box I return it in.
A few days later the mailing label came and I packaged it up and a few days later dropped it off at fed-ex when I was near a location (none are near my home).
She said I would be covered until the 14th so I wouldn't be penalized for not transmitting scans while the new scanner was arriving.
Today I called them and asked when my scanner is coming. She said they received the one ai mailed yesterday and since I forgot to write broken on the box they deactivated my account assuming I was just returning it and didn't want it anymore. Even though I did put the information inside the box!
I won't lose my points which is a relief. She said she will try to see if she can get me a replacement scanner sent out. She said if I don't get a scanner within two weeks to call back.
Seeing that the first girl I talked to originally told me the scanner and mailer would be in the same package that is where I get upset. Thats their mistake. I do admit I forgot to write Broken on the outside of the box but it shouldn't have mattered so much since I should have gotten the scanner before that anyway.
17 people like this
19 responses
@noni1959 (13048)
• United States
16 Feb 19
My mom did CP when I was little and then when I was in my 20's I did it as well. Back then you had to write all the UPC numbers on a sheet they provided and you earned points from each monthly form you sent in and could choose prizes. Over the years it changed into the scanner and called NCP. I had the same issues as you. It would not transmit or even scan and after the third issue and send back I stopped. I miss the old way. I won't do it any more. It's not worth the hassle.
2 people like this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@noni1959 how neat that they have been around so long. I had no idea. I think scanning would be easier then writing it all down. If I had to start all over I wouldn't do it so hopefully when they reinstate my account they keep me at the point level I have built up to over the years.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@noni1959 I can definitely see how both ways have pros and cons.
The old way would waste more paper and they would have to pay for all the postage. It would take longer to write it all in and sometimes it could get lost in the mail. But you could do it without having to have a telephone line and you wouldn't have to worry about a scanner not working correctly.
They do have an app that can be downloaded and used to scan and transmit data. That is what they prefer people to do now but I don't want to take up any more room in my phone for apps when I do have a phone line Is can submit data through.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@sallypup this is the first one I ever had trouble with a scanner. The other scanners all worked good thankfully. Sounds like your first try with them you got a dud and that ruined it for you. It can be a lot of work. I have cashed out quite a few times over the years but it takes forever. The first thing I got I remember was in 2010 a Red Flyer bike for my son. I got something else big like that but can't recall what. I was glad when they started allowing e-gift cards. I cashed out for 3 of those I believe or more.
1 person likes this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
18 Feb 19
Thats ridiculous that they did that to you, someone couldn't have contacted you and asked about the scanner you returned?? Better yet, the first girl you talked too didn't make any comments about your problem in the records. I hope they get it straightened out for you
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
18 Feb 19
@cintol the first girl clearly told me that I would be credited for not being able to scan up until the 14th. She said by that the new scanner and the return mailer would arrive together. The return mailer came but I kept waiting for the scanner to arrive. Good thing I called about it or eventually I would have lost my points. I'm at 12,000 points and it took a long time for that to build up I would be really upset to lose them and not get to cash out for a reward. Hopefully this second girl I talked to gets things straightened out.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@Happy2BeMe thank you. I feel being so loyal to scanning and sending then my purchases all these years it would be very upsetting for my account to stay deactivated.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@Happy2BeMe I know seems like they would have contacted me first or looked in my account to see why I was sending it back. I assume they didn't open the box or they would have seen the paper that said it was broken.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
16 Feb 19
@shaggin it is a shame that they deactivated knowing you were loyal for so many years
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
18 Feb 19
sometimes you just wonder why these people don't do their darn jobs. 
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
18 Feb 19
@bunnybon7 I was upset but maybe the girl was new and forgot to package up the scanner with the label. I make mistakes so I am sure this girl could have too. I just hope the second girl I talked to gets things straightened out.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
18 Feb 19
@shaggin hoping too she does her job
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
16 Feb 19
Little do they know how upsetting it is when they do not do what they have promised.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@allknowing exactly! I am hoping this girl does what she said unlike the first girl who was supposed to send me the scanner. It was Friday when I called so it likely won’t be taken care of for a few days.
1 person likes this
@ricki_911 (21625)
• Toronto, Ontario
16 Feb 19
I use to do this company and found the customer service was bad. I gave up because they always came up with excuses and why my points were right.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@ricki_911 I never really thought to keep track of it sites credit me as they should. I should probably keep track but I bet so many don’t credit when they should I’d have none left to do.
@Courtlynn (67089)
• United States
16 Feb 19
Yikes. Sorry they didnt send you a new one already. Hope that one is quick to arrive.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@Courtlynn I kind of feel like I'm being blamed when it is their mistake not sending me one along with the mailing label. I hope it gets cleared up quickly. I assume since it was a Friday afternoon when I called that it won't be really looked into until next week.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
20 Feb 19
@Courtlynn I just got an email from them asking how I enjoyed my time as a panel member. My account still has not been reactivated which even if they haven't sent my replacement scanner out yet should have been taken care of. The office was supposed to be open but it wasn't when I called so I emailed them about all the issues I am having and that they haven't taken care of properly. I am so annoyed.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67089)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@shaggin it does seem that way, sadly.
Probably. Ugh.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
16 Feb 19
I did not like that program and it seemed too much work for what it was worth at the time.It is a Nielsen program, and Pinecone is a Nielsen program and I just signed up for Digital voice, a Nielsen Program. I do not get pinecone surveys any more, for quite sometime. I hope digital voice is better.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@GardenGerty I do get surveys through Pinecone Research still luckily. I don't think I have been with them for a full year though. It seems like in the beginning I was offered a lot more surveys then I am now. It really is a lot of work for the little amount earned. If I had to start now at the low point level that I started out with I would not go back to scanning for them.
@snowy22315 (208917)
• United States
16 Feb 19
I used to do that at one time. It didn't seem to be worth the trouble. I didn't get any major benefit from it..and the scanning and so forth was a hassle.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@snowy22315 yes it really is a bit time consuming to scan things all the time. Short small grocery trip aren't to bad but the huge ones I do once a month or so take forever. It's a little better the past 6 months to a year when shopping at Walmart. They don't require me to type in the price of each item after scanning items I bought there now so it saves a lot of time.
@RasmaSandra (98005)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Feb 19
Well I hope your scanner arrives in good order and quickly.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@RasmaSandra me too! I'm worried it won't come and when I call back there will be another excuse.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@andriaperry to time consuming really. I started it years ago and if I had to start all over now at the lower points I wouldn't bother.
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 19
@NjChicaa it really isn't complicated just time consuming. I feel like after all these years finally earning a higher point balance I don't want to lose that and have to start all over or something. I'd quit before going back to the lower points again.
1 person likes this
