View Full Version : How accurate are VG Chartz numbers?
G-Boobie
01-15-2009, 01:44 AM
I stumbled across a website yesterday called VG Chartz. (http://www.vgchartz.com/) I'm usually the last one to know about something on the internet, so I'm sure many of youse guys are already aware of its existence.
How reliable and accurate are the numbers it's reporting? I mean, there are groups of individuals who get paid handsomely to furnish this kind of data every month. It seems odd that a website would be publishing accurate data for nothing but ad revenue and a cut of sales linked to their site through Amazon.
There's also the issue of the 'Z' at the end of the URL. That immediately rings alarm bells.
j_factor
01-15-2009, 03:41 AM
As long as you're talking about current stuff, they're okay. They report NPD figures as well anyway, so it doesn't really matter how accurate their own numbers are. Just don't try using their database for anything pre-2005ish, because the numbers are wonky.
G-Boobie
01-15-2009, 04:06 AM
As long as you're talking about current stuff, they're okay. They report NPD figures as well anyway, so it doesn't really matter how accurate their own numbers are. Just don't try using their database for anything pre-2005ish, because the numbers are wonky.
Very good, thank you sir.
crazyjackcsa
01-15-2009, 07:39 AM
I've been looking for a good website for sales for a long time and it's the best I've been able to find, however, when you realize that WAL-MART doesn't release sales records at all, you wonder how accurate the NPD or anybody else is.
Lerxstnj
01-15-2009, 08:33 AM
It's a pretty good site for cataloging your collection also.
They're not to be trusted. Check this piece out: http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/06/analysis_what_vgchartz_does_and.php#more
heybtbm
01-15-2009, 09:54 AM
How much is it to "subscribe" to NPD again? I remember someone here quoted something ridiculous...like >$1000 a month.
G-Boobie
01-15-2009, 02:29 PM
They're not to be trusted. Check this piece out: http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/06/analysis_what_vgchartz_does_and.php#more
Excellent: thanks for the heads up RCM!
Excellent: thanks for the heads up RCM!
No problem, and for the record it's not just the piece I linked to that colored my opinion. Several folks in the industry, including my colleagues, have zero respect for VG Chartz and their so-called methods. Hell, I believe NeoGaf actually censors "VGChartz.com."
Trebuken
01-15-2009, 05:18 PM
This is about the only source of FREELY available data. Some of the older (but not too old) should be accurate, since they apparrently retroactive repair some of their data to go along with NPD and other reports.
It's what it is. I would not cite it as a source.
Also, while Walmart may not report its sales I think they often know how many units were shipped to Walmart...
boatofcar
01-15-2009, 07:36 PM
I make it a rule to not trust anything that comes from a source with a "z" at the end of it's name where an "s" should be.