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.

[1] Source: comScore U.S. Media Metrix, Tech-News category ranking by unique visitors, PC audience, September 2014

AnandTech Acquired By Purch
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  • pugster - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    I don't know about this. I recall about the whole zdnet acquiring pc magazine and cnet a while back and it seems that the materials from both companies seems to be the same. Let's ope that it won't happen to Anandtech/THG also.
  • Impulses - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    PC magazine went into the crapper much earlier when they went online only tho, and Cnet... Well, it's Cnet, TV reviews are the only thing I've found marginally useful there.

    It's usually not hard to follow what's going on if you read bylines tho, PC Mag used to have some good writers. AT still does, if they were to leave I'd hope they find good homes elsewhere.

    Doesn't seem like we're anywhere near that tho...
  • Gothmoth - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    bad.... bad... very bad.

    i loved that anandtech was independend.... kind of.
    now it´s to become just another shitty ad infested website.

    i have seen it so mayn times before.... :(
  • t3xd0gg - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    Yeah if you goto Toms the main banner add is for friggin malware www.driverupdate.net wtf?
  • JarredWalton - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    I see Gigabyte ads, though obviously that changes depending on user history and such.
  • maecenas - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    You always have the adblock option if you don't like the ads. As long as the content creation isn't interfered with, there's no problem.
  • Malih - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    agreed, seen it so many times before, read so many of this kind of articles before on other sites, I wish AnandTech could be an exception, but I'm not convinced
  • ClockHound - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    Another era passes into history...independent reviews fading into corp-speak. Oh, well, it was great while it lasted. Thanks for all the fish!
  • lopri - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    A good news. Having an appearance of bias never helps when you are in position of making judgments. I congratulate the new start and hope for the site's prosperity.
  • wiz329 - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    Please don't turn it into anything like TH. When they were bought out, things went south quickly. As a loyal reader for a number of years, I would hate to see that happen here.

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