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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  • random2 - Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - link

    I quit close to a decade a go when they were bought out by Bestofmedia in 2007, and started running popups, and popovers.
  • JonnyDough - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link

    I too no longer have a Tom's account. I still surf it a bit, but I'm not nearly as actively involved. They turned Nazi and you can't disagree with anything there now.
  • cuex - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    I don't see any ads in Anandtech and Toms Hardware. Ops, I forgot that I have adblock plus.
  • Stonedofmoo - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link

    lol, thanks for that tip. Not a plugin I'd heard of before. Makes viewing Tomshardware much smoother without irritating full screen adverts I have to get rid of.
  • gw74 - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link

    yes it's so irritating that they have to find a way to monetise a service you are getting for free. douche.
  • gw74 - Thursday, December 18, 2014 - link

    so not only are you reading Anandtech's journalism for free, you are blocking their ability to pay themselves for no reason and gleefully boasting about it. congratulations.
  • JonnyDough - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link

    It's not as if we were going to click on their ads anyway...
  • AnnihilatorX - Friday, December 19, 2014 - link

    I have whitelisted both Anandtech and Ars technica because the ads are so modest I don't mind and it helps them. If you adblock the ads, the site makes no money (it's not about whether you never click ads), which is bad for them. So whitelisting adblock for sites you like is a mean to support their business.
  • JonnyDough - Sunday, December 28, 2014 - link

    The get paid per page hit, not whether or not you download the picture.
  • fluxtatic - Wednesday, December 17, 2014 - link

    I hope what AT takes away from Tom's is what not to do. I can't even really put my finger on why, but I despise Tom's Hardware.

    Thus far, after the departure of the man himself, I haven't seen much difference in the quality of AT (and that's a good thing), so I'm willing to keep an open mind as to what will happen now. I understand the reasoning behind it, but just the same, it's a little sad to lose such a kickass voice existing independently.

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