ShopandScan Side Income Review: Too Much Effort for Too Little Reward
ShopandScan is a market research programme that asks you to share what you bought in your weekly shopping in return for rewards. But what does it actually involve and is it worth the effort?
ShopandScan review
A good way to make money… in theory. Unfortunately, the amount of effort you need to put in does not match the rewards. There are better ways to get paid for shopping.
Pros
- Earn money back on your shopping
- Good choice of gift card options
Cons
- Takes some time to do
- Can’t withdraw earnings as cash
- Can only be completed from a Windows computer
Reviewed by Household Money SavingShopandScan
One thing we can be sure of, the cost of our weekly shop never goes down. And that’s why I’m always looking for ways to save money. Cashback and receipt scanning apps go some way to help reduce the cost, but I’m always on the lookout for more.
And then, I saw an advert on Facebook for ShopandScan. Now, I’m usually one to avoid social media ads, but this one grabbed my attention. So, I decided to give it a go and see how much I could make.
What is ShopandScan?
ShopandScan is a market research panel run by Kantar, one of the biggest consumer data companies in the world. Members are asked to record their household shopping so Kantar can track buying habits and trends.
This isn’t cashback in the traditional sense. You’re not getting discounts at the till. You’re being paid for your data.
Is ShopandScan safe?
Yes. Kantar is a legitimate and well-established research firm. Shopping data is anonymised and combined with other users’ submissions, so individual purchases aren’t personally identifiable. Your personal details are kept separate from the data you submit.
If you’re comfortable sharing shopping habits for research purposes, there’s nothing sketchy here.
ShopandScan only works on Windows.
No Mac. No phone. No tablet. If you don’t have a Windows PC or laptop, you’re out.
You also need an invitation number. ShopandScan is technically invite-only, although clicking through certain Facebook ads usually auto-adds one. If you can’t find a code, it’s pot luck.
Once you apply, you’ll fill in a questionnaire about your household, shopping habits and home setup. If you’re accepted, you’ll receive a welcome pack in the post, including a barcode scanner and a fairly chunky instruction booklet.
You then install the ShopandScan software on your computer, plug in the scanner, and you’re ready to start.
Time to start scanning
Time to start scanning
At first glance, it looks like hard work. The booklet is packed with barcodes and instructions, and it can feel overwhelming.
In practice, each shop works like this:
You scan
• Who did the shopping
• Which shop you visited
• How much you spent
• Every individual item purchased
• Any multibuy or special offers
• Fresh items using generic produce barcodes
Once a week, you connect the scanner to your computer and upload the data.
Does it take a long time?
It depends on your shop size.
A small top-up shop might take a couple of minutes. A full weekly shop can easily take 10 minutes or more, especially at the beginning. You do get faster with practice, but you never escape the fact that every item has to be scanned.
That’s the real downside. You can’t half-do it.
What shops does ShopandScan work with?
Almost all of them.
Major supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose are covered. Smaller retailers are too, including butchers, greengrocers and even milk deliveries. The barcode book includes generic codes for non-standard shops.
Coverage isn’t the problem. Time is.
How much can you earn?
Here’s the blunt truth.
You get
• 10,000 points after your first successful submission (£10)
• 1,100 points per week for regular scanning (£1.10)
• An extra 500 points if you upload a receipt photo (£0.50)
Points are worth £1 per 1,000.
That means you’ll earn £1.60 per week, or about £83 per year, assuming you never miss a submission.
Rewards are paid as gift cards for retailers like Amazon, Argos, Currys, Adidas and Nike. There’s no cash option.
Also worth reading
Need extra cash? Why not check out these great ways to make money online?
What do other people think?
On Trustpilot, ShopandScan scores a respectable 4.2 out of 5.
Positive reviews often mention
• Easy points accumulation once you’re in the routine
• Reliable voucher payouts
Negative reviews usually focus on
• Accounts being suspended without warning
• Slow or poor customer service
• The time commitment not being worth it
That lines up pretty closely with my experience.
My ShopandScan review verdict
I don’t hate ShopandScan. It does what it says it will do. But that doesn’t mean it’s good value for your time.
Spending 10 minutes scanning a full weekly shop, every single week, just to earn £1.60 doesn’t excite me. Especially when receipt-scanning apps can earn similar money with nothing more than a quick photo.
If you’re retired, extremely patient, or already enjoy tracking everything you buy, it might suit you. For everyone else, there are easier ways to make money from shopping without turning it into a chore.
It’s not for me — and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’ve already exhausted the simpler options.
FAQs
How do you find a ShopandScan invitation number?
I have only found a number through social media ads. I suggest that you visit the ShopandScan website and then scroll through Facebook. If you have cookies enabled and ShopandScan is recruiting, an ad may eventually show for you. If not, you can apply through this website https://www.volunteer4panels.com/
It is second nature for me to scan purchases now. You also boost your points with questionnaires and Food diaries so the yearly return is always higher than the reviewer states. I shop at Sainsbury’s and can combine my rewards with nectar points to shop at Argos. I’ve recently purchased a Shark vacuum cleaner this way. Over the years I’ve had Ring security Cameras an electric Shower and many other items. If you can state you don’t need the money then lucky you, but if you have a tight budget it’s very welcome