Retail Data Analytics: Sam’s Club MADRID™

Advancements in data and analytics are changing the supply chain industry as we know it. From integrations with various data sources to innovations in machine learning and artificial intelligence, the world of data is coming up with faster and more accurate insights that benefit every step of the supply chain – from manufacturer to shopper. With these innovations in data science, we are also seeing industry shifts in the way data is gathered and accessed.

In 2018, Sam’s Club announced a new data platform in partnership with Nielsen and 1010data called MADRID™. The acronym stands for Member Analysis, Data Reporting & Insights Domain. On June 1, 2018, MADRID™ replaced the main capabilities of the popular tool DSS in RetailLink with access to Sam’s Club data. MADRID™ could be the first sign of a mass move towards retailer-controlled data platforms providing analytics for their suppliers. Here’s everything you need to know about MADRID™ and the pricing structure that comes with this new platform. 

Data access comes at a price

When suppliers get access to more than just raw data, they can improve their efficiencies which, in turn, improve efficiencies for Sam’s Club. With MADRID™ they can get descriptive analytics on their sales and inventory and free up the time of analysts to focus on diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. It offers the mutual benefit of providing a single version of the truth to both the supplier and the retailer representatives who interact with the data. If they are both looking at the same platform, it saves time and potential confusion during communication.

However, the paywall creates a potentially hindering result for suppliers that cannot afford any additional resources on data. For small suppliers or for private label manufacturers, the hefty price tag for MADRID™ may be a deterrent. The alternative to MADRID™ would be to pull information manually from ItemLink. This could prove to be too time-consuming for an average supplier to justify.

Related Reading: 4 Steps to Selecting An Analytics Provider For Your Business

What suppliers can expect to pay for MADRID™

The packages of MADRID™ vary greatly in scope and in price. Here is a basic overview of the different tiers:

Basic Weekly and Basic Daily – $5K to $25K annually

The Basic Weekly and Basic Daily packages offer a basic view of the sales of a supplier’s product for two users within the organization. There are no downloads, and users can save two reports at the $25K level. Additionally, at the $25K level, you also get basic access to inventory information.

Bronze Package – $60K annually

With the Bronze package, suppliers will get basic information on sales and inventory of their products, and access to the supplier scorecard. Customers get two users, up to five saved reports, and the data is refreshed daily.

Silver Package – $125K annually

The Silver package starts to get into more robust analytics compared to the lower tiers. Users can download reports to Excel, save up to ten reports, and have up to four users. Additionally, these sales and inventory reports include more drilled down data that can be manipulated to see success metrics. Also, suppliers will get information regarding any promotion that they may be running in Sam’s Club. This allows for more insights into their category.

Gold and Platinum Packages – $250K and up annually

The Gold and Platinum packages offer more than what the supplier had access to in RetailLink’s DSS. With this option, suppliers can see insights on sales and inventory, easily manipulate fields and download data, as well as get insights into the consumer basket information. The Platinum package offers full basket analyses, additional category insights, and additional product insights over the Gold package. These packages range from $250K for the Gold package up to an undisclosed amount for the Platinum Enterprise package.

Setting up MADRID

In order to get set up with MADRID, you will need to speak with your Nielsen representative. If you do not have one yet, you can fill out the form on Nielsen’s MADRID information page and a representative will get back with you.

For many suppliers, the higher-tier packages are out of the question because of the price tag. Alternatively, the organizations that do a lot of business in Sam’s, and can afford these high ticket tiers, will receive great insights on products, members, and their category that they may not have had previous access to. For smaller suppliers, the limited information partnered with the high price may not make sense for their business. The alternative manual data pulls from ItemLink may also be out of the question. Looking to outside analytics providers with insights about sales performance and inventory could be a viable option for smaller suppliers.