Nielsen Launches Redesigned Convenience Store Data Service
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – Nielsen announced today that it has completed a redesign of its Convenience Channel Service and this improved c-store industry data is now available to existing customers and prospects. The enhancements made improve frequency, quality and granularity for analytics and insights.
Nielsen invested two years of research, design and technology upgrades in order to offer the most complete view of the convenience store industry. This view features a market-leading 19,200 convenience stores (up from 12,000), three years of back data and an unparalleled set of causal data to explain the impact of promotions, displays and signage in and around convenience stores.
The data also promises to be more reflective of the actual convenience industry landscape, in which independent stores represent 60 percent of the total convenience store universe and half the volume. To improve reporting granularity and frequency, Nielsen provided more than 1,000 independent stores with scanning capability and added 7,500 additional census stores for increased store-level analytics and stability.
"Our new, enhanced Convenience Channel Service provides the most complete view of the convenience marketplace available today. The new service builds on what was already the industry's best representation of important independent stores, all-scan quality, and an unparalleled set of expanded causal facts," said John Lewis, president and CEO, Consumer North America, Nielsen. "The enhancements will help clients integrate reporting and lay the foundation for advanced analytics."
Steve Matthesen, who heads up manufacturer client relationships for Nielsen and is its lead representative for the c-store channel, told CSNews Online that convenience stores are one of the hardest channels to measure accurately. "We're really excited about this. We think these enhancements respond to a real pain point for manufacturers seeking more accurate data and insights," he added.
An additional benefit to manufacturers will be an expanded causal fact service, which will help Nielsen clients unlock merchandising opportunities in the convenience marketplace. A total of 2,500 causal stores with weekly granularity will provide a new level of insight. This more granular view of display and signage activity by location and type was developed in partnership with key convenience store manufacturers and retailers to give marketers valuable insight into how location, signage type and display arrangement impacts sales.
Matthesen also noted that the expanded causal fact service will "open up new insights and thought leadership" to the industry. Both Convenience Store News and NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, utilize Nielsen data as the foundation for much of their research studies.
This launch is the latest in a series of Nielsen innovations to improve both coverage and analytics to drive value for manufacturers. Nielsen recently completed a Market Enhancement update -- successfully incorporating Walmart and Sam's Club data, along with other dollar, club and military stores -- to give clients the truest view of market share available.