Comments on: WhitePages.com To Buy Snapvine for Around $20 Million http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/ Startup and Technology News Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:51:04 -0800 hourly 1 By: 2008 Year End Acquisitions Post » The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2586462 2008 Year End Acquisitions Post » The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:38:40 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2586462 [...] is a VOIP/Widget startup. Press Release | TechCrunch | [...] [...] is a VOIP/Widget startup. Press Release | TechCrunch | [...]

]]> By: dRaddissoclab http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2508851 dRaddissoclab Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:47:25 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2508851 Good day! <a href="http://www.citeulike.org/profile/apekoff" rel="nofollow">michigan breast augmentation</a> Good day! michigan breast augmentation

]]> By: Complete List of Q2 2008 Web / Internet / Tech Acquisitions » The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2410439 Complete List of Q2 2008 Web / Internet / Tech Acquisitions » The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:47:20 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2410439 [...] is a VOIP/Widget startup. Press Release | TechCrunch | [...] [...] is a VOIP/Widget startup. Press Release | TechCrunch | [...]

]]> By: The Praized Blog » Blog Archive » Communication is at the Heart of Social http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2366844 The Praized Blog » Blog Archive » Communication is at the Heart of Social Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:59:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2366844 [...] to Techcrunch, “they’ll integrate Snapvine into search results, letting people claim their information [...] [...] to Techcrunch, “they’ll integrate Snapvine into search results, letting people claim their information [...]

]]> By: Chris http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2359100 Chris Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:44:03 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2359100 Good question Shanthala - I am familiar with what they are doing at whitepages.com and they have taken the "freak-out" concern seriously. this is precisely why they bought snapvine - whitepages.com becomes the message broker while protecting the privacy of the message recipient. I think this has the potential to be very powerful. Chris Good question Shanthala – I am familiar with what they are doing at whitepages.com and they have taken the “freak-out” concern seriously. this is precisely why they bought snapvine – whitepages.com becomes the message broker while protecting the privacy of the message recipient. I think this has the potential to be very powerful.

Chris

]]> By: Shanthala Balagopal http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2357586 Shanthala Balagopal Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:34:17 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2357586 Hey Mike, How do you think people will react to adding their online places to their Whitepages listings? Would they freak out? Shanthala Hey Mike,

How do you think people will react to adding their online places to their Whitepages listings?

Would they freak out?

Shanthala

]]> By: WhitePages.com purchases Snapvine, will provide free voicemail | money news blog http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350723 WhitePages.com purchases Snapvine, will provide free voicemail | money news blog Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:25:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350723 [...] [via TechCrunch] [...] [...] [via TechCrunch] [...]

]]> By: Johnson http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350502 Johnson Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:42:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350502 Glad the issue is fixed, I still find the site to look like someone puked ads all over it, but just my opinion. As for whitepages.com's other advertisers, I looked on comscore and hitwise and it says (correctly or not I don't know) that almost 2/3rd of their downstream traffic goes to USSearch. If this is true, you're either not admitting your numbers (hey you're private you don't have to) or you're ripping off your other advertisers. Regardless - I think the overall directory whitepages space is dead. More people are shifting to only cell phone, whitepages.com does not have these numbers in any reliable way thus the need for their site is going to dry up. I think there are some interesting sites out there playing in this space like Wink, Spock, etc. Whitepages.com - not one of them. There's a reason why the Snapvine guys took cash and no stock! They probably agree with me! If you believe in a company and the direction it is going, wouldn't you take stock? Glad the issue is fixed, I still find the site to look like someone puked ads all over it, but just my opinion.

As for whitepages.com’s other advertisers, I looked on comscore and hitwise and it says (correctly or not I don’t know) that almost 2/3rd of their downstream traffic goes to USSearch. If this is true, you’re either not admitting your numbers (hey you’re private you don’t have to) or you’re ripping off your other advertisers.

Regardless – I think the overall directory whitepages space is dead. More people are shifting to only cell phone, whitepages.com does not have these numbers in any reliable way thus the need for their site is going to dry up. I think there are some interesting sites out there playing in this space like Wink, Spock, etc. Whitepages.com – not one of them.

There’s a reason why the Snapvine guys took cash and no stock! They probably agree with me! If you believe in a company and the direction it is going, wouldn’t you take stock?

]]> By: Eric Meixner http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350428 Eric Meixner Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:16:52 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350428 Yep, Whitepages.com had a malware issue last summer with two European advertisers. We are very grateful to the spyware sucks web site for helping us find the offenders. We have instituted processes that have helped us (knock on wood) keep spyware ads off of our sites since then. As for the USSearch issue: Our advertising revenue is diversified across hundreds of clients each month and no one client is a "... super big chunk" of our revenue. Eric Meixner Sr. Manager of Ad Operations Whitepages.com, Inc. Yep,
Whitepages.com had a malware issue last summer with two European advertisers. We are very grateful to the spyware sucks web site for helping us find the offenders. We have instituted processes that have helped us (knock on wood) keep spyware ads off of our sites since then.

As for the USSearch issue: Our advertising revenue is diversified across hundreds of clients each month and no one client is a “… super big chunk” of our revenue.

Eric Meixner
Sr. Manager of Ad Operations
Whitepages.com, Inc.

]]> By: NoWay Jose http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350405 NoWay Jose Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:59:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350405 The "bad and often documented rep" URL points to a single case and has the following comment: Thank you very much for your help in finding our nasty malware highjacker. We have pulled this ad immediately. Whitepages.com does not knowingly run these types of advertisers. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue has caused everyone. Eric Meixner Manager of Ad Operations Whitepages.com, Inc. So that seems like a red herring (at best) and I don't see anything else online about these guys and malware. The “bad and often documented rep” URL points to a single case and has the following comment:

Thank you very much for your help in finding our nasty malware highjacker. We have pulled this ad immediately. Whitepages.com does not knowingly run these types of advertisers. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue has caused everyone.

Eric Meixner
Manager of Ad Operations
Whitepages.com, Inc.

So that seems like a red herring (at best) and I don’t see anything else online about these guys and malware.

]]> By: Johnson http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350346 Johnson Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:21:24 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350346 First, congrats to the guys at Snapvine, but I agree with Peter Urban (post 5) great job on taking cash. Whitepages.com has a bad and often documented rep for being pretty slimey with spyware. See: http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2007/08/22/1129296.aspx I have a hard time believing in this company or their model. Everytime you go to their site you get spammed with ads. Also, most of their traffic seems to go to USSearch, which would mean to me that must be a super big chunck of their revenue. I point this out becase techcrunch highlighted Intelius' business model and USSearch's is the exact same. So if Intelius is forced to change their model so will USSearch which will flow down to Whitepages.com. Lastly, if you look at the metrics that InfoSpace sold their directory services company to Idearc for, Whitepages does not make for an exciting IPO. Congrats on the sales, bigger contrats on the cash! First, congrats to the guys at Snapvine, but I agree with Peter Urban (post 5) great job on taking cash.

Whitepages.com has a bad and often documented rep for being pretty slimey with spyware. See: http://msmvps.c...22/1129296.aspx
I have a hard time believing in this company or their model. Everytime you go to their site you get spammed with ads.

Also, most of their traffic seems to go to USSearch, which would mean to me that must be a super big chunck of their revenue. I point this out becase techcrunch highlighted Intelius’ business model and USSearch’s is the exact same. So if Intelius is forced to change their model so will USSearch which will flow down to Whitepages.com.

Lastly, if you look at the metrics that InfoSpace sold their directory services company to Idearc for, Whitepages does not make for an exciting IPO.

Congrats on the sales, bigger contrats on the cash!

]]> By: Schutzler http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350199 Schutzler Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:12:52 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350199 I know both founders and both companies quite well. Imho, this is a smart merger. The Snapvine team will fit well with the team at Whitepages.com The Snapvine technical competence in VoIP, SMS, Mobile, etc is of particularly great value to Whitepages. And it’s an excellent opportunity for Alex and Joe to combine their assets & talents into creating more consumer value than either company could alone. I know both founders and both companies quite well. Imho, this is a smart merger. The Snapvine team will fit well with the team at Whitepages.com The Snapvine technical competence in VoIP, SMS, Mobile, etc is of particularly great value to Whitepages. And it’s an excellent opportunity for Alex and Joe to combine their assets & talents into creating more consumer value than either company could alone.

]]> By: Crazy http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2350042 Crazy Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:37:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2350042 Wow. That company was a sinking ship. It looks like they got very lucky to get bought for less than half of what they "thought" they were worth. I bet they had some board and investor pressure to take what money they could and run fast. Wow. That company was a sinking ship. It looks like they got very lucky to get bought for less than half of what they “thought” they were worth. I bet they had some board and investor pressure to take what money they could and run fast.

]]> By: David Geller http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349848 David Geller Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:01:58 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349848 Congratulations to Joe and his team and Snapvine. Congratulations to Joe and his team and Snapvine.

]]> By: Luca http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349557 Luca Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:46:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349557 Mmm... Our service Sitofono (www.sitofono.com) delivers high quality click to call and voicemail to directories (among those the italian Yellow and White pages, the 4th biggest worldwide) at an annual cost that is a very, very, very tiny percentage of what they paid. I hope they have a clear idea on how to quickly get their ROI. Mmm… Our service Sitofono (www.sitofono.com) delivers high quality click to call and voicemail to directories (among those the italian Yellow and White pages, the 4th biggest worldwide) at an annual cost that is a very, very, very tiny percentage of what they paid. I hope they have a clear idea on how to quickly get their ROI.

]]> By: Neville http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349547 Neville Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:40:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349547 At a $50 million valuation, the investors did not almost double their money. 12/50 is just under 25% (in other words, investing 12 million dollars into a company valued at 50 million will only get you 25% of the company). 25% of $20M is $5M. This doesn't take into account preferred vs. common stock, but still. At a $50 million valuation, the investors did not almost double their money. 12/50 is just under 25% (in other words, investing 12 million dollars into a company valued at 50 million will only get you 25% of the company). 25% of $20M is $5M. This doesn’t take into account preferred vs. common stock, but still.

]]> By: Rex Williams http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349501 Rex Williams Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:12:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349501 if the company wasn't going anywhere, $20 million is a lot of money and the investors almost doubled their money. seems like a successful outcome to me. if the company wasn’t going anywhere, $20 million is a lot of money and the investors almost doubled their money. seems like a successful outcome to me.

]]> By: Al http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349441 Al Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:43:32 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349441 I'm interested to know how they were valued at $50mil? I’m interested to know how they were valued at $50mil?

]]> By: Peter Urban http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349425 Peter Urban Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:33:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349425 Congratulations. The snapvine guys are smart to go with cash deal. Congratulations. The snapvine guys are smart to go with cash deal.

]]> By: Pete http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349364 Pete Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:14:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349364 Does anyone know what the Whitepages.com valuation was? Does anyone know what the Whitepages.com valuation was?

]]> By: rlam http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349327 rlam Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:06:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349327 Anything that leads to better privacy is good. Anything that leads to better privacy is good.

]]> By: R. Miller http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349264 R. Miller Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:50:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349264 I would not have predicted M&A between social network widgets and white pages. If they can make this work it is probably a good deal however. I would not have predicted M&A between social network widgets and white pages. If they can make this work it is probably a good deal however.

]]> By: Al http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/comment-page-1/#comment-2349182 Al Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:09:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/whitepagescom-to-buy-snapvine-for-around-20-million/#comment-2349182 Who would have known that something so simple was worth so much! Who would have known that something so simple was worth so much!

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