I was selected to become a Nielsen family.

I did fill out a short surveyby mail from them about a month ago.

It was kinda weird - this lady just knocked on my door today with a big wrapped present and a dozen long stem roses and said congratulations, can i come in . . .

It was just weird, I let her in and she explained about Nielsen and I was just selected at random and stuff but it just seems strange to me.

Does anyone know anything about Nielsen. I googled them and they seem normal but it just seems strange.

She wants to come back on Thursday and sign me up and she said she would give $100 cash and I don't even have to claim it to IRS becuase it's a gift.

She wants to put boxes on all my TV's to record what we "the typical family watch" - it just seems weird but she keeps telling me that we get lots of gifts for doing this and they have a catalog for the kids to pick gifts from -- it just seems to good to be true - like it's a high tech scam of some sort --

Nielsen is located in Florida so it's just weird and very stange - - I'm in California and her business card is from Florida.

Maybe her little TV boxes are secret cameras or something . . . what do you think -- is it some kind of scam???

Anyway the roses are beautiful and the gifts was a really nice set of three matching vases --- I know everyone just wanted to what the gift was . . .

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Mommy to three wonderful boys, Justin (11), Nicholas (9) and Scottie (8)

my neighbor used to do this and she said they mailed the little boxes to her and she got some gifts for doing it but it wasnt anything great. she said she didnt get paid any money for it but she hasnt done it in since her hubby ( the big t.v watcher in their home) passed away. she said she had to pay to ship the box back to them.

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·´`·.(*·.¸(`·.¸ ¸.·´)¸.·*).·´`·
«·´¨*·.¸¸. Jo ¸¸.·*¨`·»
«·´`·.(¸.·´(¸.·* *·.¸)`·.¸).·´`·»


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I agreed over the phone to do this a few years ago, but then the packet they sent me to fill out was pretty intense. I ended up deciding it wasn't worth it and pitched the whole thing.

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I was once asked to participate but when I said that we only really watched cable TV (mostly HGTV and TLC), they said "oh, then nevermind". LOL

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

We got a tee shirt for doing this about 20 years ago.
Dunno, at this point, if it was worth it or not.

We did this many years ago. They had a technican come to the house and install some type of meter on our /TV's. There was a transmitter in the basement that was hooked to our phone system. It "called" a number in the wee hours of the morning.

I thought it was a big waste of time. I also had one of those hand held scanners for everything that we bought. It was the biggest pain in the butt. That was an entirely different thing, not associated with the TV ratings. Got points for transmitting the results from the scanner. I sent the scanner back after a couple of years.

Does Nielsen sell their results? If so, you are helping them gain information that they are making millions off of, in order for them to have a profit. IRI does the same thing (monitoring the movement of items we buy in the supermarkets). They make a killing selling the data to manufacturers and third party brokers.

I have always wondered if Nielsen did the same with their collected data, or if it was a free data collection service.

If they didn't contact you in advance I would be leery. I would try to contact Nielson directly to make sure the lady is ligitimately from Nielson.

It just sounds strange to me that someone would show up unannounced with flowers and a gift and then tell you they would give you $100 that you didn't have to report to the IRS. Sounds like they are trying to 'schmooze' you into agreeting to something without having all the details.

Something doesn't sound right -- I would investigate further before allowing these people back into your house.

Sarah..........mom to Jason & Devin

I used to be on the Nielsen Homescan Panel until last year. I was on that for about 9 years. They were 'GREAT' until last year and I missed several weeks of transmitting (my mom was in hospital sick, I had a sick child here and there and a baby born so I just got too busy really). They canceled me off the panel w/out even alerting me, then sent me a letter from an attorney threatening me that if I didn't send their equipment back immediately I would be sued. Wow, it was nasty too. I had no intention of keeping their equipment and I sent it back immediately when I found out my membership had ended ('funny' that they claimed they contacted me over and over but I never received anything--my address and email were the same for over 5 years and 'somehow' the attorney letters got here...hmmm). I got a few other nasty letters and when I would call them, they were now hateful at the call center. I will NEVER be involved with them again, under any circumstance. That was stressful. So not worth the cheap $20 popcorn maker I got or the $50 deep fryer. I think I had finally saved enough points for one other $70 prize over the years and that was about all. It takes FOREVER to get points! They are making a nice penny off of your home's opinions too, don't let them kid you.

The t.v. thing might be a little different, but I have never heard of them coming to your house like that either. I would call Nielsen immediately and confirm that. It could be a scam or someone trying to scope the layout of your home, etc. Never know these days. If Nielsen didn't send them, call the police immediately!

Nielsentv1

Nielsen has different samples doing different things, thus the different replies listed above.

Yes, Nielsen operations are out of Florida.

Be careful! If you are a part of the LA PeopleMeter sample.

They will install a lot of equipment on your TVs.

You will not be able to move your tvs.

It will take most of the day to install.

They will ask you a lot of demographic questions. Some of which is info you should not be giving out in this age of ID theft. They will tell you how safe it is......yeah right.

They will make frequent visits to fix the equipment. It will always take longer than planned.

They will make frequent calls to your home to check the equipment and ask more questions that you should not answer.

If you do not use the equipment correct........more calls/appoinments.

You will have to press buttons to watch tv. Lights on your tv will blink at you all the time. If you don't push them correct, they will call you/set another appointment.

There will be a computer hooked to each of your tvs that will use about 3-5 dollars a month in electricity.......they won't tell you that, but it's true.

How much money they give you is based on your race, ethnicity, etc

Tell them you are Black & Hispanic, even if you are not. The $$ will roll in faster.

Don't get sucked into the whole "TV Ratings" thing. Nielsen is a marketing company that is about making money. A LOT of money. They give you a little & make A LOT. Every time you turn on your tv, answer a question, they make money.

Whatever $$$ they are offering you, don't be afraid to ask for double/triple that amount. Again, don't get sucked into the ratings idea. All you are is a demographic that is packaged and sold and turned into a mountain of money.. Be sure to get your share up front.

WHAT YOU WATCH ON TV DOES NOT MATTER TO NIELSEN. PROGRAMING ON TV WILL NOT CHANGE WITH YOUR PARTICIPATION. IT'S ALL ABOUT ADVERTISING AND MONEY.