Reliable sources for sales data

[Johnny Awesome]

The only consistently reliable sources for sales data are:

NPD (US)
Media Create/Famitsu (Japan)
UK Charts (UK)

Everything else is a fabrication, often with huge fan bias.

It would really help the tone of the debate on these forums if people weren't using unreliable data sources like VGChartz to make their points.

 

[Limanima]

Hum...
November NPD numbers and November VGChatrz number were very similar in hardware at least.
I can't say the same for software...

 

[Laa-Yosh]

VGChartz usually goes back and corrects their "reports" whenever NPD data gets released. For example, right now they report the X360 sales in the US for december to be just a bit under 1,2 million. Wait and see what happens next week when we get the real numbers...

 

[StefanS]

The only consistently reliable sources for sales data are:

NPD (US)
Media Create/Famitsu (Japan)
UK Charts (UK)

You forgot GfK which tracks most of Europe, Australia and NZ now. Unfortunately, they seldom release their data publically. So their numbers are few and far between.

 

[dobwal]

I think vgchartz is acceptable for looking at post NPD, Media Create and Fam data. They correct their data to fall in line with the those companies.

Its their forward looking data pre-NPD, Media Create and Fam that can't be considered reliable. Also, their European numbers should be taken with a grain of salt.

They are a big repository for past data, so they are a good resource if you know how to use them.

I also use the PCV console forum as they keep a running tabs on sales data on several fronts. However, I not sure how accurate their data is outside of US monthly numbers. But their monthly US numbers runs all the way back to the launch of the xbox and GC.

http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/folder.php?fid=23

 

[Johnny Awesome]

Their European numbers should be taken with MANY grains of salt IMO.

 

[PellePlutt]

I'd say "fabrication" is a bit too strong a word, at least for VGChartz. AFAIK, he gets data from a couple of stores and then extrapolates from that. It's obviously much less reliable than NPD and such which have huge sample sizes (>50%?), but they both seem to use the same basic method..

Granted, his data would be much more usable if he could stick to a reasonable number of significant digits..

 

[Limanima]

VGChartz usually goes back and corrects their "reports" whenever NPD data gets released. For example, right now they report the X360 sales in the US for december to be just a bit under 1,2 million. Wait and see what happens next week when we get the real numbers...

In that case, were is the problem on using VGChartz as source?
They correct the numbers, so it is reliable...

 

[Zassk]

In that case, were is the problem on using VGChartz as source?
They correct the numbers, so it is reliable...

Historical numbers may be fairly reliable, but numbers from the past 4 weeks should be considered fiction.

 

[Archgamer]

From my understanding NPD doesn't track Wallmart and Toys'r us.

 

[Zassk]

From my understanding NPD doesn't track Wallmart and Toys'r us.

They make informed estimates for those retailers (i.e. both of those retailers have been tracked by NPD in previous years, so they have historical data to draw upon, rather than just guessing).

The NPD numbers are estimates of the entire retail market, not just the portions that they actively track.

 

[Archgamer]

They make informed estimates for those retailers (i.e. both of those retailers have been tracked by NPD in previous years, so they have historical data to draw upon, rather than just guessing).

The NPD numbers are estimates of the entire retail market, not just the portions that they actively track.

Wow! Any reason why NPD doesn't track Wallmart and Toys'r us now? What about the mom and pop stores? I doubt it though.

 

[Rangers]

Wow! Any reason why NPD doesn't track Wallmart and Toys'r us now? What about the mom and pop stores? I doubt it though.

Toys r Us is a relatively small and declining part of the market anyway so dont worry about it.

Also at the same time they lost TRU they added amazon.com and some other sources. In time they stated these may actually increase their overall coverage, as the latter grow in importance and the former diminishes.

Also for Wal Mart, in addition to the historical data, they poll 20k-30k Wal Mart constumers to get an idea of those sales.

 

[Zassk]

In short, it is the retailer's whim as to whether they opt-in or opt-out of NPD tracking. NPD has little leverage in the matter.

Two weeks ago, a very good interview with a former NPD employee was posted at vgc. I suggest you read it for insight into the great lengths to which NPD goes to get reliable figures. Your specific question is addressed in the interview.

http://www.vgchartz.com/news/news.php?id=740