NBCU-Funded Sugar Publishing To Acquire ShopStyle.com
Blog network Sugar Publishing has agreed to acquire ShopStyle.com. No amount disclosed for what the companies call a “social shopping website” but I am told the deal is all equity. Los Altos, CA-based ShopStyle will be a wholly owned subsidiary and continue to operate independently under its current name with its founder Andy Moss as GM. Sugar will use ShopStyle’s commerce technology to integrate shopping across the network.
NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) invested in Sugar’s second round this past June and now owns a small stake; as part of that deal, iVillage took over the network’s display ad sales and was able to roll up its 4.5 million monthly uniques. Between growth and the acquisition of ShopStyle, Sugar says that number is now above 5 million. With the acquisition, Sugar Publishing will change its name to Sugar Inc. “to reflect its growing reach and expansion.”
Good for them, good to know that content sites are acuqiring ecommerce sites to increase the offering to advertiers. Have we heard of ecommerce sites acquiring content sites yet. Where does this leave style hive, she finds, daily candy, herfablife.com etc. Will they be acquired next.