Nielsen Sells VideoScan Service to NPD

Nielsen has sold its VideoScan home video market point-of-sale retail tracking service to The NPD Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

VideoScan monitors DVD sales, including HD and Blu-ray sales, based on information collected from retailers. NPD will integrate the service into its product portfolio, which will include new Checkout Tracking services it is developing for digital tracking of home entertainment sales. Currently, Checkout Tracking measures US omnichannel and online sales through receipts collected via the firm's ReceiptPal app, and eCommerce data provided through an agreement with Slice Intelligence. NPD also currently offers a service called Video Watch, providing purchasing and behavior information from consumers.

Commenting on the acquisition, NPD COO Karyn Schoenbart stated: 'This is a time of great opportunity for the entertainment industry, but because technology and consumer behavior are changing so rapidly, it's easy to get left behind. Our mission is to collect the information our clients need and apply our research knowledge and industry expertise to give them a winning advantage in business decision making'.

During a handover period, Nielsen will continue to operate all aspects of the VideoScan service, including data processing and product support / servicing.

Yesterday, Nielsen sold certain assets of its Spectra consumer segmentation and targeting services to Canadian marketing services and data firm Environics Analytics.

Web sites: www.npd.com and www.nielsen.com .