AnandTech Sold – Purch Now Owns Tom’s Hardware and AnandTech

After a fabulous 17-year run by Anand Shimpi it brings mixed feelings to announce that AnandTech has been sold to Purch for an undisclosed sum. AnandTech is obviously a competitor to Legit Reviews, but the hardware industry is small and we’ve had the pleasure of knowing Anand and his team for the past twelve years. Those that have been following who owns what might know the Purch name as they also own Tom’s Hardware. AnandTech and Toms Hardware remain editorially independent, but are no longer competitors. That is going to take some getting used to and it means the list of independently owned websites continues to decline. Legit Reviews is like AnandTech in the sense that it been profitable since its inception and remains to be one of the few sites online today that is fully independent and not tied to any corporations. Legit Reviews sees being independently owned as being a draw to independent reviews and we hope our readers do as well. We have full editorial freedom and at the end of the day we think that shows. Anandtech’s Editor-In-Chief is now Ryan Smith and has been since Anand stepped down from the site for Apple earlier this year.

You can read the full press release below.

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. Purchs 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, Toms 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 industrys 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 whats 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 AnandTechs 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 well be able to do with their support.

The addition of AnandTech to a brand portfolio that includes Toms Hardware, Toms 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 lifes 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 wouldnt 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 Toms 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.

Purchs acquisition of AnandTech is the companys 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 Toms brand of tech media sites and, earlier this year, purchased BuyerZone, the leading online marketplace for SMB buyers and sellers. Purchs 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, Purchs 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, andFacebook.

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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, Toms Guide, Toms Hardware, andLive 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.

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

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, andFacebook.