Linkshare with $425 exit

Filed in archive Venture Capital on September 8, 2005

Linkshare pioneer in affiliate marketing has been bought by Japan based Rakuten according to ClickZ:

"In Japan, Rakuten runs top-ranked sites for online shopping, travel, golf reservations, community and greeting cards. The acquisition, Rakuten's largest yet, is expected to close next month. This is the Tokyo-based company's first expansion in the United States, though the company hinted that it expects to make more.

"LinkShare's performance-based marketing expertise across affiliate, search, and e-mail capabilities provides Rakuten with an excellent first step to launch our U.S. operations and continue our international expansion," Hiroshi Mikitani, Rakuten's chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "We can leverage LinkShare's client relationships and technology advantages worldwide, so that LinkShare will be able to achieve significant growth in the future."

LinkShare has more than 500 clients including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express, Avon Products and Dell. LinkShare will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten, and its senior management team will remain with the company."