The National Consumer Panel (NCP) is a market research company formed in 2010 from a joint venture between NielsenIQ and Circana, two top players in consumer insights. Here’s a breakdown of what NCP does:

Purpose:

  • Gathers consumer data: NCP recruits and rewards a representative sample of U.S. consumers. Members use a mobile app or barcode reader to scan their purchases and provide additional details about their shopping experiences.
  • Provides insights to companies: This data helps companies understand consumer behavior, trends, and preferences. This information is crucial for developing and marketing products effectively.

Benefits for members:

  • Earn rewards: By participating in surveys and scanning purchases, members earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, and other rewards.
  • Influence products: Your data contributes to market research that shapes the development and marketing of products you may use.
  • Contribute to knowledge: Participating helps researchers understand consumer behavior, benefiting the broader business and academic communities.

Joining NCP:

  • Membership is free and open to residents of the contiguous United States.
  • You can join by visiting their website: https://join.ncponline.com/.
  • There are different participation options, like scanning purchases or taking surveys, allowing you to choose what fits your preferences.

Things to consider:

  • Participating requires using a mobile app or barcode reader to scan your purchases, which may involve sharing some personal information.
  • Review their privacy policy carefully to understand how your data is collected and used.
  • While participation is free, remember that it’s essentially market research, and the primary benefit is contributing to data collection in exchange for rewards.