Who is National Consumer Panel?

For over 27 years NCP has been gathering panelist opinions and shopping data to help manufacturers and retailers make informed decisions on what products to develop, improve or sell in the market. The panel is made up of people just like you, a diverse cross-section of consumers from all over the country.

 

What is a Consumer Panel?

For a business, having insight into consumer spending directly from the consumer is so valuable! Understanding how a household’s shopping habits affects stores’ and brands’ marketing decisions. That is where you come in. As a consumer panel, you provide your families’ unique information that allows manufacturers and retailers to understand how shoppers buy and use the most appropriate tactics to grow sales.

How it Works

You provide data on your shopping experiences. NCP will analyze this data as well as information from surveys you take. That data is shared with manufacturers and retailers, who use it to make important marketing decisions about the brands they make/sell. Your data influences future shopping experiences for you and other consumers across the U.S.

Step 1. As a panel member, you will be given a handheld scanner or access to the NCPMobile App.

Step 2.  You will use the scanner or NCPMobile App to scan the barcodes on all the products you or others in your household purchased during a shopping trip. You will also provide us with:

• Information on non-barcoded items that you purchased, such as fruits and vegetables, meats, baked goods, gas and prescriptions.
• Information about your shopping trips, like the store you went to, items purchased online, whether you used a club/shopper card and the prices of the items you purchased.

Step 3. At least once a week, you will send us all of the shopping data you recorded through automatic or manual data transmissions.

Why Participate?

Reward yourself for sharing your opinions with NCP. Joining their  panel gives you the forum to tell brands what you think based on what you buy so they can improve the shopping experience for everyone. Plus, you earn rewards!Earn Rewards! Every time you successfully transmit your shopping data (step three above) you earn reward points you can use toward merchandise in their gift catalog.

Does it Cost Anything to Join? 

No. Panel membership is completely free and completely voluntary. You do not have to pay us anything, and if you are chosen to join the panel, you can cancel at any time.

What Happens After You Sign Up?

Once you complete the signup process, NCP will review your information. If there is an opening on the panel for a household that matches your demographic profile, they will contact you to let you know you’ve been selected. You will then be asked a few questions about the technology you have available in your home, so they can determine which model of scanner to send you. If you qualify for a scanner, it will be sent through FedEx (they will notify you via email when it ships). Once you receive the scanner, you can begin recording your shopping information!

Alternatively, you may qualify for the NCPMobile App instead. If so, you will receive an email invitation to download a version of the app that works with your device.

How Long is The Process to Be Reviewed/Approved?

It depends on how many openings they have for a household with your demographic profile. We have to maintain specific levels on the panel so you could get selected right away, or you could be on the waiting list for a few months. The majority of households that sign up are selected within a month.

Do You Get Paid?

You do not receive payment for participating on the panel, but you do earn rewards! You will earn points for each week that you participate, which can be redeemed for a variety of merchandise. You will also earn entries in many sweepstakes for cash prizes and pre-paid gift cards. Visit their Rewards page for an overview of the rewards they offer.

Do They Share Your Personal Information?

No. Your personal information is only used to manage your membership account. All personal information is kept confidential by NCP. The only information they share with clients is the shopping data the panel members share with NCP. They will never see your name, address, or contact information. They also do not collect or ask for social security or credit card numbers. You can view their privacy policy by clicking the link at the bottom of their page.