The difference is the sample size.
NPD collects close to 60% of the market.
VGC collects ...... less than 10%, I believe.
They do it through the same methods. NPD has a much larger network with paying customers, VGC is freely available from ioi who has contacts in the industry.
Threads of Interest:
The Movie Thread: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=6880
The Crow Eating Thread: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?start=0&id=3886
The Betting Thread: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?start=0&id=7104
Custom GIFs Thread: http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=18963
The Greatest Game Ever Conceived On Any Platform
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