Wal-Mart will quit selling sales information by the end of this year because the retailer felt releasing the data was helping competitors.
The Bentonville, AR-based company has been selling point-of-sale information to six market research firms, including A.C. Nielsen Co., Information Resources Inc., Market Decisions and Sports Trend Info. The companies have been using the information to evaluate retail and product trends for their respective industries.
Wal-Mart contacted the companies in December to alert them that it was considering halting the sale of the data.
Five of its clients have been on month-to-month contracts that will be phased out by July. Sports Trend Info has a contract that lasts through the end of 2001 and will continue to receive the information until then.
