PRIZES TIME: Insight Annual Round-up 2013: Join our panel, let us know what you’ve enjoyed this year or what you’d like us to do next year - chances to win! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The time has come for the insight team at MNHQ to do our annual round up of the year, to plead for those of you not yet on our panel to sign up and to thank you all for taking part in some amazing projects this year!

(In case you don't know insight covers surveys, product events, product tests and sponsored threads on MN, as well as bloggers reviews, and reviewers recruitment)

Let us know what you think on this thread and you could win another prize!

We've got the following to give away....

~ A George Foreman entertaining 10 portion grill & griddle worth £69.99

~ £100 to spend on Method products for a shiny and squeaky clean-up in your home

~ Four sharing packs of Magnum chocolates worth £24 each.

All details are here: www.mumsnet.com/surveys/insight-annual-roundup-2013

In 2013 we have given away over £38,000 worth of prizes in the form of vouchers, books, beauty products, hampers and technology.

You have tested over £75,000 worth of products - including thoroughly testing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, busting bugs with Lyclear and getting 'touched-up' clean with Mr Muscle!
We've gone all creative with food and leftovers with some amazing creations for Cadbury Pebbles, cooked once/ eaten twice with Colman's and even tried out pans for Tesco and Fissler

We've given hundreds of you a sneak preview of top kids movies: Cloudy2 and Despicable Me 2

On cars - MNers have been busy trying out the Toyota Verso, Toyota Auris hybrid and Toyota RAV4 - check out the videos here

And you've been sharing tips, experiences and comments on sponsored threads on everything from garden make-overs for B&Q, summer feet prep for Clarks, gluten free baking with Mrs Crimble to hot drinks for Tassimo

What have you enjoyed taking part in this year? Or appreciated reading about? What would you like us to product test next year?

Most of the product tests are on site but we also do a lot of projects with our lovely research panel, as well as often giving them the heads up about the latest things and chances to win on site. If you are not yet on our panel please see this link for more info or to sign up. You can select how often you get emailed and you can leave at any time if it's not for you.

So to win one of the lovely prizes please do one of the following:
~ Post on this thread about what you've enjoyed doing insight-wise this year or what you've appreciated reading about
~ Post on the thread any suggestions for product tests etc you'd like to see next year (no promises but we can try!)
~ Join the panel

Lastly - it's with much sadness that we report KatieBMumsnet is sadly off to pastures new at the end of the year .

Thanks as ever for your time and feedback - all very much welcome

AnnMumsnet, TheOtherHelenMumsnet, KatieBMumsnet (sob), AngelieMumsnet and MichelleMumsnet
x

I've really enjoyed the product tests I've been part of this year. Thank-you ! We're still using the (refilled) Method washing liquid which we'd never have discovered otherwise.
I'd like more tests of household appliances. Also, maybe a test of reusable nappies by people who currently use disposables? I'd like to know whether people (like me) who are interested but maybe not sure if they are committed enough would end up using them longer term... Even if I wasn't selected I'd be interested how other testers found them.

I can only remember doing the Fissler one this year.

I like ones that all the family can join in with and give their opinions about - the boys still talk about MN every time they're on the Wii!

More regional events would be good. It is very difficult for a good proportion of MN members to get to London, especially at relatively short notice.

I'm quite happy to fill in as many surveys are relevant to me, but i'm speculating that you often have trouble getting enough responses judging by how many repeat email requests i get to do some of them. How about introducing some kind of reward system for completing them? Points make prizes!

DH is really pleased that BT now seem to be offering a product based on his rant that I included on a family friendly survey.

I liked testing the rapeseed oil.

Would be good to see some foody tests, rather than sauces etc. And more appliances.

Haven't tested anything this year. Think I'm too fussy ethical. More Eco products please.

Loved the surveys and the trials of cleaning stuff. Won a George Forman grill and a selection of books - both very welcome. We really enjoy testing things as a family and my older children (11/13) would like to test some things and give feedback as well. Would also be open to giving opinions on a range of things - expensive chocolates, holidays, booze. I am really enjoying this part of the site. Thanks.

Have been pleased to have the support of the special needs section once again this year. Tried and failed (sob) to product test a few things this year. Perhaps 2014 will be our turn though.

Gosh I've just remembered that I also tested Palmers Rosehip Oil which was absolutely lovely and I've been buying it ever since.

I have been lucky this year, liked the Method and Mr Muscle, have rediscovered Cif, but think carefully before you tick the box to say you can film a trial. I spent an afternoon being bossed about by ds filming me while I pranced about cleaning my oven. The family found it all very entertaining and I fell into a vat of gin. Very clean oven though. The thing which surprised me was the level of support, phone calls from MN towers with advice on how to shot a video no less. All very interesting and fun, oh and a hamper from Cif too.

Also won family cinema tickets, an Amazon voucher for a Talk Talk survey, enjoyed the Rapeseed oil which we still use and the Flora one I must comment on.

The highlight was being chosen to test out the Freestat box though, still can't quite believe that one, just brilliant and I never thought that I would fit a demographic.

Maybe the review time for things like the box should continue for longer especially at Christmas time when it rather comes into it's own with recording etc. We only had to review it twice and it does take time to get to know a products foibles.

Like reading reviews, found the steam mop reviews helpful and enjoyed the B&Q ones.

I think there is a wide range of things although as others have said maybe a bit more for teens and yes to testing out an icey tek and camping stuff.

Good luck in your new job KatieB.

I wasn't lucky enough to be picked for any product trials but I did win £200 Asda vouchers which more than made up for it! Yay Mumsnet!

Oh whoops, I take it back, I was tasked to trial BT parental controls: blinkin' PITA!

Hi MN,

This year has been challenging for us as a household, but MN certainly gave me some fabulous highlights... A £300 B&Q voucher for unloved rooms and an iPad which I'm posting from now to name my biggest! thank you sooooooooo much!

I have also been lucky enough to have been sent a flora buttery voucher, and an Alfie book. I was also chosen for the Cadburys Pebbles challenge, but I didn't get round to using them DH and DS enjoyed munching them in the end!

Whenever I am chosen, I never take it for granted, and I feel a valued member of this community. I love that DH is quietly stunned at the generosity of these product tests and competitions.

I have enjoyed watching the George Foreman videos, and seeing the way that other MNers used their B&Q vouchers, both in the house and in the garden.

What would I like to see next year? Er, I have no preference really! Maybe something for older children (10yr-old-going-on-15yr-old DS here lol ) or something for DH to try (without sounding sexist or winding up our feminist crew )

KatieBMumsnet, I am sorry to see you go - I loved seeing each of your emails come through, and I shall miss them greatly! Good luck in your new position

Wishing all MNers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year

Hello!

We've loved being part of the insight panel this year. Especially creating dinosaurs with Cadburys Pebbles and going to Table Table.

Thanks MN!

I'd certainly like to participate in product tests in the new year - electronics, especially phones or cameras, would be especially good, but anything really!

I'm much more aware of the MN surveys than of the product tests. Often I find myself on the 'non-testers' side of feedback forums. If all the test aren't currently mentioned in the email newsletter roundups, it would be great if they could be!

I have so enjoyed this year on Mumsnet!

I was lucky enough to try the Samsung S4 Active and enjoyed the challenges that were part of that, but also the chat on the thread, helping each other out with things.

Also really enjoyed the Method test (I'm a convert), the Rosehip oil and currently testing the Flora. My peanut butter never arrived though, but hey-ho. I consider myself very lucky this year, thank you!

As for next year, I'd like to test out more products for the DCs - maybe clothes, footwear. Chocolate would be lovely too!

enjoyed taking part and anwsering survays
getting to know and understand the site a little more.
not won anything yet but not giving up hope yet. :)

1. I really enjoyed doing the Kelo-Cote test, although DH wanted to know why I was taking photos of myself in my knickers! I would like to say I enjoyed doing the Cof cream video but actually I was terrified. I did enjoy visiting Mothercare in Edmonton with the DC though and we had a lovely family meal at Table Table, thankyou.

1. I would be very interested in testing an underwater hotel as they seem to be topical :o I missed out on the Toyota tests and would have loved to do those.

Bye KatieB, thankyou and best of luck.

I enjoy reading the threads, but am a bit lazy about signing up to take part. New year's resolution for me.

During the year I consider myself very lucky to have been selected for several product trials, my favourite being the Tesco F & F clothing one. I have also had crisps, stock cubes, cleaning materials, headlice treatment, and I was lucky enough to win £100 M & S voucher just before last Christmas and a pair of Clarks sandals during the year.

I would like to see more tests for washing liquid, toiletries and food items. The school uniform one was brilliant, but a little rushed as we had about 2 weeks before the end of the summer term to buy the uniform and test it. A more sensible trial would be to buy it ready for September and see how it lasts, with having to answer surveys maybe every 3 months or for the first few months, to see how it really lasts.

I don't apply for things like test driving cars, or film screenings as they are never near to me. The cruise ship one sounded great, but too far for me to travel. I love the ones with coffee machines, steam mops etc, but have never been selected for one of those sadly.

I wasn't selected for any Organix trials but appreciated being able to give feedback and hear about the new range.

I'd like to see trials of items that are mentioned in the "good housekeeping" section, so things like ecloths (are they different to the cloths in pound shops?) Lakeland products would be good too.

In general, I would like to see product trials of the items that I tend to replace with an identical product in my supermarket trolley. Breakfast cereal, cleaning stuff (especially, method, ecover or astonish). The holy grail would be finding a toddler cup that didn't leak and lunchbox or lunch bbag that is a size that suits.

This year I got to trial:

Rapeseed oil which was great, I will be repurchasing when mine runs out.

Cif, again great and I used it up in no time so will also buy again. The Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner was good too.

I would love to trial any style and beauty or household items, I love trying things before I buy! I always read the reviews by people that were lucky enough to get picked for all these things but would always love to be the one trying them

I didn't get selected for anything but I enjoyed being part of the panel. Found the discussions interesting and it opened my eyes to products I wouldn't otherwise have known about. I enjoyed the surveys, especially ones where dcs could get involved (book covers etc) and would love to see more food and cleaning products tests (both glutton and saddo?). It's been fun so far!

I was chosen to go and see the preview of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs with my kids. We were really looking forward to it but in the end somethign came up and the kids weren't able to go. It was upsetting but it was nice to know it was easy to cancel as there were lots of people on a waiting list.

I love taking part in any kind of research as you know it means a lot to the companies involved to hear the opinions of your average consumer. It's nice to know your opinion matters!

I've loved testing everything I've been selected for, think my favourite (well the DSs) was the ELC toys

Would love to test either more toys, food/drink or considering we're looking to move to a wreck of a house any household things! Anything from pans to fridges would be amazing!

Am already a panel member

I took part in the cleaning fluid trial, enjoyed it (got something free, what's not to like) it was interesting to hear others opinions of the same product.

I really really really wanted to take part in the b&q gift voucher one. I loved looking at the before and afters and wished I could've done that too - please do a similar one!! It was great to see how far the gift voucher went and what people chose to do with it.

I've been selected for a number of the smaller product tests throughout the year. It feels a little like winning a competition when I'm selected! I enjoy testing products thoroughly and giving constructive feedback, in the hope that the manufacturers find it useful.

I particularly liked the tests which we could do as a whole family. We enjoyed being creative with Cadburys Pebbles, sampling Flora Buttery and (admittedly it was the year before) we also enjoyed taste testing the various Appletizer flavours.

I was a bit disappointed not to have been chosen for any of the B&Q projects - I applied for every single one and we really could have done something amazing if we'd been selected. I was also mildly disappointed not to have been chosen for one of the Toyota car tests, when we met the criteria perfectly and live less than five miles from one of the listed dealerships. But I guess there were lots of other people that applied for both, so a lot of people were always going to be disappointed!

Already on the panel, but will need to add DC2 once they arrive next year!