Purch Acquires AnandTech, Dominates Tech Expert and Enthusiast Market
Leading content and commerce company adds respected mobile, computing, and IT reviews site to its brand portfolio
NEW YORK, NY (December 17, 2014) – Purch today announced the acquisition of AnandTech.com, a leader in mobile, computing and IT analysis and reviews. Purch’s industry-leading combination of high-quality content and integrated commerce experiences makes complex buying decisions easy for more than 100 million consumers and professionals monthly. With the acquisition of AnandTech, Purch furthers its mission to simplify purchase decisions for in-market tech consumers by adding one of the most popular computer components, hardware, and mobile reviews sites to a brand portfolio that already includes category heavyweight, Tom’s Hardware.
AnandTech has been at the forefront of the technological evolution, providing groundbreaking reviews and trend coverage of cutting-edge mobile and computing products since Anand Shimpi, one of the tech industry’s most authoritative and respected figures, founded it in 1997 at age 14.
“AnandTech has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years, but we were nearing what’s possible as an independent company,” said Ryan Smith, editor-in-chief, AnandTech. “The challenge has always been that there are very few players in the publishing space these days who value deep, high-quality content. We wanted a partner that understood our values, had a sound business model to ensure AnandTech’s legacy would continue for years to come, and would allow us to grow and expand our readership without compromising the quality that made us who were are today. Purch provides all of these things. I am beyond excited about what we’ll be able to do with their support.”
“The addition of AnandTech to a brand portfolio that includes Tom’s Hardware, Tom’s Guide, and Top Ten Reviews unquestionably establishes Purch as the dominant provider of in-depth, quality technology content, serving technology buyers who want to ensure the value of their potential investments,” said Greg Mason, CEO, Purch. “Technology manufacturers, too, can be assured that their messages will reach any serious buyer. The two editorial teams represent the finest, most expert group of content talent in the technology space. ”
“AnandTech represents much of my life’s work over the past 18 years,” said Anand Shimpi, founder, AnandTech. “I am happy to see it end up with a partner committed to taking good care of the brand and its readers. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Purch offers brands and advertisers unmatched reach to tens of millions of discerning in-market tech consumers and professionals each month. These tech “enthusiasts” look to the kind of detailed research, benchmark testing, and advice from category experts during their buying process for which Tom’s Hardware and AnandTech are known. Readers trust that advice because it is backed by nearly two decades of testing every mobile and PC component imaginable, and is supported by unprecedented input and guidance from the biggest, passionate community of like-minded enthusiasts.
Purch’s acquisition of AnandTech is the company’s most recent move in a series of strategic acquisitions and partnerships aimed at furthering its mission to ease complex buying decisions for shoppers and deliver branding and performance results to advertisers. In 2013, the company acquired the renowned “Tom’s” brand of tech media sites and, earlier this year, purchased BuyerZone, the leading online marketplace for SMB buyers and sellers. Purch’s ability to trigger buying decisions in an array of product categories is evidenced by the more than 7,000 marketers and sellers that come to Purch to connect with ready-to-buy consumers. Each year, Purch’s content-commerce combination drives more than one billion dollars in commerce transactions.
In addition to the acquisition, Purch is now the number one technology publisher in the U.S., [1] with a global readership of more than 100 million monthly unique visitors.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
To find out more about Purch, visit www.purch.com or follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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About Purch
Purch is a portfolio of digital brands and services that helps make complex buying decisions easy for 100 million consumers monthly. Its respected sites such as Top Ten Reviews, Tom’s Guide, Tom’s Hardware, and Live Science natively integrate commerce and content in more than 1000 product categories so consumers can make better choices before, during, and after an important purchase.
The company helps marketers achieve their branding and performance objectives in a high-quality, brand-safe context. Its sites connect in-market shoppers with more than 7,000 marketers and sellers, driving industry-leading conversion rates and $1 billion in commerce transactions annually.
Purch is a high-growth, privately held company with more than 350 employees and offices across the U.S. and Europe.
For more information on Purch, visit www.purch.com or follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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[1] Source: comScore U.S. Media Metrix, Tech-News category ranking by unique visitors, PC audience, September 2014
345 Comments
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damianrobertjones - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link
Tom's didn't even review the SUrface Pro 3!Dribble - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link
Anandtech hasn't reviewed the nexus 9!JohnMD1022 - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link
Quite frankly, I thought Anandtech sliiped in the past few years.I grew quite tired of cell phone articles.
JonnyDough - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link
I did too, but they did have some really good articles still. Tom's on the other hand started selling sex appeal at Xmas, among other things. While I like sex, I have porn for that. Tech articles should be about tech. Most of their "news" revolves around trying to lure readers with boisterous headlines that are exaggerated.melgross - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link
Ads pay for the content. Unless you'd rather pay some upfront fee that would need to be rather large.Arstechnica has a $75 a year fee for those of us willing to pay that for no Ads, and the ability to get more focussed content, as well as downloadable pdf's of articles. I do that, and it wouldn't hurt here either. People don't have to pay. It's a choice.
Marthisdil - Friday, December 19, 2014 - link
Neither of them show up with any ads for me....adblock plus ftwdesignerfx - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link
I'd think Anand leaving may have had to do with Purch.MrCommunistGen - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link
Not sure if I agree. Quote from the article:"Before his departure, Anand spent almost a year meeting with all of the big names in the publishing space, both traditional and new media players"
DanNeely - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link
It's unlikely his departure was an abrupt thing even if Apple's veil of secrecy precluded announcing it in advance. If he decided to try selling the site because Apple offered him a job, or if Apple made an offer because they heard he was trying to sell the site is a separate question; but doubt they're unrelated.LauRoman - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link
Not when you think about what Tom's has become.