The NCP Blog

Results of the NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes

Results of the NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes

It’s time to share the results of our Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes (January 29 – February 2, 2024).

Thank you to everyone who entered the sweepstakes! We hope you found it to be fun and informative!

As a reminder, to be eligible for this sweepstakes, participants had to answer all seven (7) quiz questions correctly.

Winners were randomly selected from all correct sweepstakes entries. The 10 winners will each receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card claim code by email.

And the winners are…

Congratulations to the winners!

NOTE TO THE WINNERS: An email was sent to you from NCP.

Amy D., Vandergrift, PA
Brittany J., Gary, IN
Ida K., College Point, NY
Jean M., Owen, WI
Lori A., Tarentum, PA
Lynn T., Lodi, CA
Mary B., Newark, OH
Nadine D., Pembroke Pines, FL
Rebecca R., Rockwood, TN
Susanne H. Buffalo, NY

Here are the answers to the quiz questions…

Question: According to the blog, What Does NCP Do With the Data We Collect? (April 12, 2023), in which publication does NCP share the data that panel members provide to us?
Answer: In The Know

Question: According to the blog, NCP Tips: Watch Out For Scams (June 6, 2023), on which social media site do we frequently see scam posts in buy, sell, and trade groups?
Answer: Facebook

Question: According to the blog, NCPMobile: Reporting Coupons and Sales (August 1, 2023), what are the 3 types of promotions NCP collects information about?
Answer: Coupons, store sales, and other types of sales

Question: According to the blog, How and When to Contact NCP’s Panel Support Center (August 22, 2023), what are the different ways you can contact NCP’s Panel Support Center?
Answer: All of the Above (email, phone call, and private message from NCP’s Facebook page)

Question: According to the blog, Reporting Non-Barcoded Items to NCP – (October 13, 2023), NCP does NOT collect information about what types of purchases?
Answer: Services (hair salons, nail salons, car washes, etc.)

Question: According to the blog, Tips for Scanning Large Shopping Trips with NCP (December 14, 2023), what should you keep handy when scanning your purchases?
Answer: Receipts

Question: Who writes NCP’s blogs?
Answer: Taylor Davis

If you’re not a NCP panel member and you’re interested in joining us to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog for more information.

Regards,
Taylor

More from NCP:

NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes (January 29, 2024)

Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air

NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes

NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes

Welcome to the NCP Blog Pop Quiz Sweepstakes! For this sweepstakes, you’ll answer questions about information contained in blogs related to NCP panel membership posted in 2023 (these blogs also include a video).

Sweepstakes entrants who correctly answer all the pop quiz questions will be entered into a random drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card! 10 winners will be selected!

The sweepstakes runs from Monday, January 29, 2024 (10:00 a.m. ET) to Friday, February 2, 2024 (at 5:00 p.m. ET).

Here’s how it works:

The link below will take you to the quiz. Once there, you’ll be asked questions about information contained in blogs related to NCP panel membership posted in 2023 (these blogs also include a video).

Of course, you can answer the quiz your own way, but here are some tips:

  • Read the quiz question first
  • Then click on the link to the blog to find the answer
  • Then return to the quiz question to select your answer

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE POP QUIZ.

View the Sweepstakes Official Rules.

Have fun and good luck!

Best regards,

Taylor

More From NCP:

Frequently Asked Questions: Stores

Frequently Asked Questions: Stores

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Any Way You Slice It…

Any Way You Slice It…

Let’s talk about bread! I just love it! Do you? I don’t even think there’s a type of bread that I don’t like. But, bread sometimes gets a bad rap and seems to be the first thing to go for those following a no-carb or low-carb diet/lifestyle.

The origins of bread

According to Britannica, bread has been a major food since prehistoric times. The first bread was made in Neolithic times, nearly 12,000 years ago, probably of coarsely crushed grain mixed with water, with the resulting dough laid on heated stones and baked by covering with hot ashes. The Egyptians supposedly discovered that allowing wheat doughs to ferment, thus forming gases, produced a light, expanded loaf. They also developed baking ovens.

Interesting bread sales data

According to Baking Business, in July 2023, Circana data showed that non-GMO, no preservatives, organic and lower-calorie claims led dollar sales for the bread category. Protein and low-carb claims drove the most unit growth and will likely stay in high demand as diets like keto remain popular among consumers.

The wonderful world of bread

Not only is bread delicious, it is relatively inexpensive (depends on the type) and, it fills you up! Here’s a list from Country Living Magazine of just some of the many breads available today, are any of these your favorite?

Whole Wheat
Sourdough
Rye
Pumpernickel
Pita Bread
Multigrain
Focaccia
Ciabatta
Challah
Brioche
Baguette

Any way you slice it, bread is here to stay!

Info for Panel Members

Whether you make your own bread, buy pre-packaged bread, or buy fresh bread, please remember to scan the items you purchase.

Fresh bread that doesn’t have a UPC barcode can be reported using the Non-Barcoded Items list (Baked Goods category) in the NCPMobile app. If you need additional info, check out our video about reporting non-barcoded items.

Just for laughs: Why did the slice of bread get sent home from school? It was feeling crumby.

Best regards,
Taylor

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

More From NCP:

Soup Season is Here

What’s in your Sandwich?

I Love Bagels

Soup Season is Here

Soup Season is Here

Soup Facts 

Soups Around the Country 

Your Thoughts About Soup 

Don’t forget… 

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Frequently Asked Questions: NCP Scanning

Frequently Asked Questions: NCP Scanning

James from National Consumer Panel answers some of the questions panel members frequently ask us about scanning, including:

✔ Why can’t I just scan my receipt?
✔ What if I forget to scan an item or a shopping trip?
✔ Is there anything I shouldn’t scan?
✔ Why won’t the app accept barcodes that contain letters?

Watch this video for answers to these common questions about reporting purchases!

More questions? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss future videos.

Hi, it’s James from NCP. Today I’m here to share with you some of the questions that our panel members frequently ask us about scanning and give you the answers. You never know, you just might find some information you’ve been looking for! Now, let’s get to it.

Why can’t I just scan my receipt?

Panel members frequently ask us why they can’t just scan the receipt instead of scanning each individual item. When you scan each individual item’s barcode, it provides NCP with far more details about an item than a receipt would, such as the size, flavor, weight, color, and much more. Entering individual items also tells manufacturers and retailers about your shopping preferences, which in turn shapes what they offer to consumers like you.

What if I forget to scan an item or a shopping trip?

If you forget to scan an item or two from a shopping trip, simply start a new shopping trip and scan the items, then enter the same total amount spent that you did in the original shopping trip. If you forget to scan an entire shopping trip, report the trip as as soon as you remember. You can use your receipt as a guide.

Is there anything I shouldn’t scan?

Yes, there are some instances in which you would not scan your purchases. Purchases for a business or organization you belong to, such as a school organization or nonprofit, should not be scanned. Also, don’t scan gifts you receive. Only scan gifts you buy for others as those are purchases you made. Lastly, NCP does not collect information on services such as hair salons, nail salons, car washes, automotive repair shops, and so on.

Why won’t the app accept barcodes that contain numbers and letters?

The NCP mobile app is unable to scan alpha numeric barcodes at this time. We are working on a solution to this, but in the meantime, if there’s an alpha numeric barcode label over the UPC barcode try to remove it and scan the UPC barcode underneath. If you’re unable to remove the alpha numeric barcode label, please check the non-barcoded items list for an appropriate category to report the purchase.

We hope that this breakdown of common scanning questions was helpful to you! Do you have any questions or issues that have come up for you while scanning? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for watching.

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

More Videos From NCP:

Buying in Bulk

Buying in Bulk

Bulk buying has become more popular over the years. So what exactly is bulk buying? Bulk buying refers to buying larger quantities of goods at one time. These items can include food and beverages, household/cleaning supplies, office supplies, etc. Why has buying in bulk become increasingly popular? Mostly due to its potential cost savings and convenience.

Bulk buying usually works best for people who have plenty of storage space and use what they’ve purchased at a sensible rate.

Benefits of Bulk Buying

What are the benefits of buying in bulk?

According to nerdwallet.com, here are a few of the potential benefits:

Reduced packaging waste.

Saving more on household items that you frequently use. Bulk sizes can have a higher initial cost, but the per-unit cost can be less expensive over time.

Fewer shopping trips, which may reduce your chances of impulse buying.

Having large quantities of household essentials on hand to be better prepared for emergencies.

How do you feel about buying in bulk? Do you do it? If so, what items do you buy in bulk most often? Let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

According to an article in U.S. News & World Report, here are some of the pros and cons to bulk buying, as well as which items might be the best to buy (and not to buy) in bulk.

Bulk buying pros and cons

Pro: Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper per unit.
Con: Buying in bulk is an upfront expense.

Pro: Buying in bulk means you rarely run out of that product.
Con: If you have a large quantity of something, you’re prone to overusing it.

Pro: Bulk buying is more environmentally friendly
Con: Buying in bulk requires storage space.

Pro: Buying in bulk makes it easier to handle emergencies.
Con: Buying in bulk means less variety in the products you use.

Pro: Buying in bulk means fewer trips to the store.
Con: Items bought in bulk can sit around past their expiration dates.

Products in bulk; the good and not so good

Some good items to buy in bulk might include:

Household and cleaning supplies
Rice
Dry beans
Toiletries
Canned goods
Diapers

Beverages safe to store at room temperature

Products to avoid buying in bulk might include:

Milk
Eggs
Meat (unless you’re going to freeze it)
Fresh produce
Snack foods (you run the risk of overindulging)
Coffee beans

Panel Member Information

Please remember to scan all of the items you buy in bulk quantities. These types of items are often overlooked when it comes to scanning because theyre frequently brought directly from the car to where they are going to be stored (basement, shed, garage). And, here at NCP, we know that scanning large shopping trips can pose a challenge. Please take a look at our BLOG on this topic, we think you will find it helpful!

Best regards,
Taylor

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

New Year’s Resolutions – Do you make them?

New Year’s Resolutions – Do you make them?

I used to make New Year’s resolutions, but I usually ended up never following through. So, I decided to give them up altogether. But that doesn’t mean I don’t set personal goals for myself or make lists of things I want to do, and places I want to go, throughout the year (just not at the start of each new year!).

You can set goals at any time, or not at all.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Let me know in the comment section below. What are you looking forward to in 2024?

What do you think are some of the top resolutions people set for the new year? Heres a list of the top 10 most common ones shared on goskills.com.

  • Exercise more
  • Lose weight
  • Get organized
  • Learn a new skill or hobby
  • Live life to the fullest
  • Save more money/spend less money
  • Quit smoking
  • Spend more time with family and friends
  • Travel more
  • Read more

Do any of these resolutions resonate with you?

They also shared some tips on how to prepare for setting resolutions/goals that may help you be successful in achieving them.

  • Mentally prepare for change
  • Set a goal that motivates you
  • Limit resolutions to a manageable amount
  • Build on smaller changes
  • Break up big goals into smaller goals
  • Write down your goals
  • Share your resolutions with others

NCP Panel Membership Tips/Goals For The New Year

Here are some tips/goals to help you make the most of your panel membership in the new year. As a NCP panel member, you have the unique opportunity to make your consumer voice heard and influence what you see on store shelves. And, your household represents other households just like yours across the U.S.

Consistent and accurate reporting of your shopping trips each week is the key to getting the most out of your panel membership and accumulating reward points.

Scan purchases from all types of stores. And, scan purchases made by other household members, too.

Scan every shopping trip, large or small.

Carefully chose the correct store name from your store list. If you can’t find the name of the store you shopped at, then choose the generic store type (such as food store, department store, drugstore, etc.).

If you use coupons or get special deals such as store sales or other discounts, be sure to include that information when scanning.

Scan UPC-barcoded items, and report non-barcoded items as well, using the Non-Barcoded Items list in the NCPMobile app or the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner (if you switched from using the scanner to using the app, please don’t use the booklet anymore).

Participate in NCP’s special games/promotions.

Answer all the NCP surveys you receive.

If you can’t scan for a period of time for any reason, please be sure to contact our Panel Support Center to let them know so your membership will remain in good standing.

I hope you found these tips/goals to be helpful!

If you’re not a NCP panel member and you’re interested in joining, click here to sign up or go to the Join NCP page of the blog for more information.

All the best in 2024,
Taylor

2024 in the road

More from NCP:

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

In The Know: Holiday Happenings

In The Know: Holiday Happenings

From family celebrations to gift shopping and more, the responses to our recent Holiday Happenings Survey truly captured the holiday chaos and cheer of our NCP community. Whether you’re surrounded by festive decorations or enjoying a warm cup of cocoa, we hope you enjoy the findings of our final “In The Know” of the year.

Celebrating the Winter Holidays…

December is filled with activities and celebrations! We asked panel members how they plan to celebrate the season and who they will spend it with. Here’s what they had to say:

– 31% celebrate both at home and visiting others
– 28% celebrate with immediate family only
– 20% visit family/friends
– 12% host family/friends in their home
– 9% don’t plan to celebrate

Holiday Traveling…

The holiday season is a busy time for travel, and we wondered how much traveling our panel members do this time of year.

– 63% travel by car
– 29% don’t travel
– 7% travel by air
– Less than 1% travel by train or bus

How far are people traveling?

– 33% travel less than 25 miles
– 18% travel between 25-50 miles
– 14% travel between 50-100 miles
– 35% travel 100 or more miles

Holiday Greetings and Decor…

Do you mail cards during this time of year?

– 54% mail holiday cards to family/friends
– 46% do not

We also asked this question on our Facebook page recently, check out the post to see what fellow panel members had to say!

As for decorating at the holidays, here’s what you had to say:

– 39% decorate after Thanksgiving
– 33% decorate early to mid-December
– 13% don’t decorate at all
– 10% decorate before Thanksgiving
– 6% decorate mid to late December

We also asked where you like to decorate!

– 85% favor decorating inside their home
– 15% prefer decorating outside their home

Shopping and Gift Giving…

The budget:

– 3% plan to spend nothing
– 28% will spend up to $250
– 30% will spend between $250-$500
– 16% will spend between $501-$750
– 12% will spend $751-$1000
– 11% will spend more than $1000

What type of shopping will you do?

– 74% will shop both in-store and online
– 14% will shop online only
– 13% will shop in-store only

What types of stores will you shop?

– 60% purchase most gifts from retail stores
– 27% purchase from online retailers only

The remaining will shop at boutiques, local stores, dollar stores, convenience stores, and more.

What types of gifts will you buy?

– 28% mostly purchase gift cards
– 24% purchase clothing
– 13% purchase toys
– 8% buy electronics
– 5% buy food

The remaining purchase jewelry, small appliances, ornaments, tools, etc.

That’s it for this edition of “In The Know”. Got a topic you would like to see covered at “ITK”? Let us know!

Holiday Reminders

Our Panel Support Center will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25, to allow our representatives to spend time with their families. It will also be closed the following Monday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day.

Don’t forget to continue scanning your last-minute holiday purchases, including food, gifts, and other supplies!

More From NCP:

Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!

In the Know
Holiday
Scavenger Hunt
Love is in the Air

Love is in the Air

February, the month of Valentines and love, is here! Do you do anything special for Valentine's Day? I loved picking out special cards each year for my friends, and creating mailboxes to collect them in. And, I still like to buy candy hearts at the store! If you have...

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