Question: How can I get access to real-time data on consumer behavior and purchasing habits at major retailers like Amazon and Walmart?

Bloomberg Second Measure offers an analytics service based on transaction data that can provide daily updates on consumer behavior. It processes raw transaction data through merchant resolution, enrichment and normalization processes to ensure the data is accurate and trustworthy. The service can be used to track sales, customer acquisition and retention rates across retail, grocery and other industries.

Another good option is Particl, an automated competitor intelligence service for retailers. It offers sales and pricing data in real time, competitor tracking for more than 10,000 competitors, and trend analysis. Particl lets retailers see the whole market, launch products at the right time and evaluate product mixes.

For a wider range of consumer insights, check out Verisk Marketing Solutions. The service combines proprietary identity and behavioral data assets to offer real-time consumer insights. Among its features are real-time in-market shopping signals, identity scoring and attribute enrichment that can help businesses better segment customers and generate leads.

If you want to know what people are buying, Cardlytics could be a good choice. Through partnerships with big banks, Cardlytics can offer insights into consumer spending. Among its features are native ads that appear in banks' digital channels and detailed purchase intelligence analysis so businesses can assess results and drive omni-channel sales.