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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  • theSeb - Saturday, December 20, 2014 - link

    Correct, whilst TH has been deteriorating slowly for some time, it became really bad after the purchase and especially more so recently with ads and links to buy placed everywhere in every article.

    I am surprised that people try to look at this with an optimistic view - just take a look at every other "review site" that Purch has purchased (hehe) .... I do not see anything good in the future for Anandtech. What a pity.
  • jb14 - Saturday, December 20, 2014 - link

    A very sad day. I hope the team manage to maintain their independence but every single similar site sellout I can think of ended in the front page car crash that is Tom's Hardware. But who knows, maybe Anandtech will be the first site to prove us all wrong!
  • Shiitaki - Saturday, December 20, 2014 - link

    Sorry to hear Anadtech was bought, but since Anand left it, not really a surprise. Toms is still doing some good work, and much better than ZDnet, CNET, etc. So I will remain positive, but I will not be surprised to see Toms and Anand merge next year sometime.
  • daniel142005 - Saturday, December 20, 2014 - link

    I check Anandtech literally daily and have for at least 2-3 years. A few coworkers do as well and we have read articles from other sites before but never trusted it until it was Anandtech. If Anand was a part of it then I trust his judgement and look forward to seeing what comes from it!

    Not much of a fan of Tom's Hardware though.. it seriously needs a new design.
  • KenPC - Sunday, December 21, 2014 - link

    Anand has built a respectable, valuable site. I hope that continues and I am not going to get upset before it is needed.
    Times and interests move on,, so hats off to Anand for building something of value, then going off to try something new and maybe better!
    The crew at Anand is great, and builds a lot of value in the site.
    But there are warning clouds out there... for example how Purch has structured Tom's site.

    Tom's has some great content, but I go there perhaps as much as 5% as often as Anand. AD's are the reason, not content. Tom's site, once in, takes a hold and wont let go.. A complete browser shutdown is needed to exit tom's site. And those full page ads that block the page content are the most annoying.

    Purch believes the more ads, the more aggressive the approach, the more cash (as shown with Tom's site). But I do believe if they are trying to increase Tom's readership (and cash flow), they need to first look in the mirror to find the problem.

    The first full page, page blocking ad on Anand, and I am gone. With an obnoxious ad-centric theme aimed to 'better monetize' the site, I am gone. So Purch, if that happens, run your cash flow calculations on my click count compared to what you get now.

    And then of course, thinking how Purch may try to gain cash flow and margin, they will be assessing whether 2 sites makes sense. I would smile from afar if they chose something catchy like 'The comprehensive T&A review site'. But consolidation, I fear, is an already done deal somewhere in the executive management plan.
  • drzzz - Monday, December 22, 2014 - link

    I have followed the site since Anand posted his first article. Anand left and now the site has been sold. I am truly sad. I sometimes follow a link to a THG article and always leave it thinking how much better AT is. Now they are in the same bed together and I really feel betrayed as someone that has supported AT from the start. I have not supported this site to see it get lumped in with the crap that THG puts out. Some of the crap THG writes is clearly paid for infomercial level articles. I so hope AT does not turn into the same cess pool. My stomach turned when I read its was numbers and dollars decision. The bottom line syndrome (must be bigger) is destroying too many great companies.

    I will be watching and reading but honestly my hopes are not that high. Too many great companies get sold and destroyed today to believe that AT will one of the exceptions.
  • ppi - Monday, December 22, 2014 - link

    What happened with the DailyTech news feed?
  • MDX - Tuesday, December 23, 2014 - link

    And the list of media not owned by a company that's owns by a company that's owns by a company that's owns by Rupert Murdoch gets even shorter...really sad to see this. Tim to remove the anandtech bookmark..
  • BoyBawang - Tuesday, December 23, 2014 - link

    So, How much is the aquisition?
  • djkroon - Tuesday, December 23, 2014 - link

    I used to visit Tom's Hardware on a daily basis. Suddenly it became more advertising and less content. I rarely visit now. I understand the need to generate revenue but it severely overshadowed the content. I hope that does not become the path of AnandTech.

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