Michael Gunther on what goes into creating an outstanding data product which truly solves clients’ challenges, in conversation with Thani Shamsi
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Michael Gunther CFA, VP and Head of Insights at Consumer Edge, has spent his career at the intersection of finance and data. A native New Yorker, he’s worked on both the sell side and buy side in family offices, hedge funds, and equity research before joining Consumer Edge in 2015. What drew him to the company was its deep-rooted commitment to data-driven insights, a sharp contrast to traditional Wall Street’s more qualitative approach. “It’s actual data that you can create analysis from that was more real,” he explains. At Consumer Edge, he works with a diverse client base ranging from hedge fund managers to corporate strategists, bridging finance and data in a way that’s both innovative and impactful.
Consumer Edge specializes in data products that track consumer purchase behaviors, delivering critical insights to merchants, retailers, and investors. “Through our Transact data product, we track over 10,000 brands in the US alone across industries—specialty mall retail, online merchants, beauty, restaurants, travel, leisure—really anything a credit or debit card can touch,” Gunther explains. Companies use this data to gain real-time competitive insights, understand their own customer base, and track spending patterns beyond their own brand. “Even if a company knows a ton about its own customers, they don’t necessarily know what those customers are doing outside of their own brand,” he points out. By analyzing customer churn, businesses can pinpoint where they’re losing customers and why, helping them refine their marketing strategies.
One of the most valuable aspects of Consumer Edge’s transaction data is its ability to provide near real-time visibility into customer behavior. Retailers, for example, can compare their performance to competitors, identifying trends and opportunities faster than ever before. “It’s not just about knowing how much customers are spending on your brand, but understanding what else they’re spending on,” Gunther says. “That additional layer of insight is where the true competitive advantage lies.” This type of granular, real-time data is particularly crucial in today’s fast-moving market, where businesses must adapt quickly to changing consumer habits.
One of Consumer Edge’s standout data products is Basketview, a consumer purchase data product that offers both row-level and aggregated insights. “It combines different data sources to give a really nice view of what’s happening across the consumer spending landscape,” Gunther explains. This includes physical receipts, direct account connectors (such as Amazon purchases), email receipts, and POS data from convenience stores. By blending these sources, Basketview creates a comprehensive picture of retail spending, providing valuable insights into pricing trends, brand performance, and category-level changes. One of its most notable features is its speed: “We are by far the fastest, meaning the lowest lag between when the purchase occurred and when we’re delivering data to clients. It’s just four days, much faster than other players in the market.”
Basketview was developed in direct response to client demand. “We always start with what we’re hearing from clients,” Gunther emphasizes. “If we see a critical mass of clients asking for insight into a particular area, and we know it’s going to be valuable to them, that’s where we start.” Consumer Edge has a structured feedback process that informs product development. Client-facing teams collect and categorize feedback, which is then assessed by product developers and company leadership. “It’s a collaborative effort because where we focus our time matters—it has to align with market demand,” he notes.
The development of Basketview was not without its challenges. “It’s an incredibly complex dataset,” Gunther admits. “Imagine receipt-level data with individual products—items show up differently depending on where they’re purchased, so we have to normalize and clean all that information.” Consumer Edge’s expertise in data science, cleaning, and panelization adds significant value. “At its raw level, without our additional analytics, the data might be difficult to interpret. Our clients depend on us to make it actionable.”
Beyond Basketview, Consumer Edge recently launched Click, a blended web traffic and transaction data product spanning 59 countries. “It provides visibility into areas not well covered by traditional consumer data sets,” Gunther explains. Click offers insights into B2B companies and businesses that rely on ACH payments or non-direct spend, such as booking platforms and financial services. The product also introduces a unique metric called ‘addressable spend,’ estimating potential revenue based on web traffic behavior. “We looked at traffic and addressable spend data for Hims.com after their Super Bowl ad, and we saw a huge spike in visits, but more importantly, a significant increase in addressable spend. That’s the kind of insight that’s invaluable to competitors and investors alike.”
The blending of datasets is a key theme in Consumer Edge’s approach. “Blending different data sets creates a much more robust view of the consumer,” Gunther explains. “It allows us to see trends that wouldn’t be visible if we only looked at a single data source.” This approach has become increasingly important as businesses seek more holistic insights into customer behavior. Whether it’s combining web traffic data with transaction data, or integrating retail spending with demographic insights, the goal is always to create a fuller, more actionable picture.
Looking ahead, Consumer Edge aims to expand its geographical coverage, introduce new data types, and continue refining its products to provide an even more holistic consumer view. “Blending different data sets is increasingly important,” Gunther states. “It allows us to create unique, robust insights that no one else can offer.” With its deep expertise and commitment to data-driven decision-making, Consumer Edge remains at the forefront of consumer analytics, helping businesses and investors stay ahead in an ever-evolving market.
The future of data productization, according to Gunther, will rely heavily on AI. “AI is helping us make our data more insightful, more accurate, and more efficient,” he says. “It’s playing a big role in product development, helping our clients derive the most impactful insights.” While he couldn’t share specific details, Gunther hinted that Consumer Edge is working on several new AI-driven initiatives that will further enhance their offerings. “There’s a lot more to come,” he says. “We’re really excited about the future of consumer data.”
As Consumer Edge continues to push the boundaries of data productization, one thing remains clear: the company’s commitment to delivering timely, high-quality insights that help businesses and investors make smarter decisions. “We’re trusted in this space, and we want to continue being the go-to source for understanding consumer behavior,” Gunther concludes. With a strong foundation and a forward-thinking approach, Consumer Edge is poised to remain a leader in the rapidly evolving world of consumer analytics, largely due to its commitment to creating actionable, insightful data products for its clients. It’s this customer-led approach to data productization which sets good data providers apart from outstanding ones.
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Michael Gunther is the Vice President and Head of Insights at Consumer Edge, a data-driven insights company specializing in global consumer behavior. In this role, he leads a team of analysts who interpret diverse data sources—including global credit card transactions and e-receipt data—to guide businesses and investors in making strategic, data-driven decisions. Prior to joining Consumer Edge, Michael held senior analyst positions in financial analysis and equity research at firms such as Sterne Agee CRT and Guggenheim Partners.
Web: consumeredge.com
LinkedIn: Michael Gunther CFA
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