Direct marketer Experian intends to sell several Internet assets to Intellipost, a provider of online loyalty rewards programs, creating what it calls the leading Internet direct marketing company in terms of customer reach.
In return, the deal calls for Experian to take a 19.9 percent stake in Intellipost, making Experian the largest single outside investor in the fast-growing start-up, which rewards customers for reading online marketing pitches.
The swap adds 450,000 members to the online audience of Intellipost -- now best known on the Internet for its 750,000 member BonusMail service -- bringing the total Internet audience reached by Intellipost to 1.7 million members.
This combination creates the largest player in the emerging Internet customer-retention industry, which helps marketers build an online customer base by offering rewards like airline frequent flyer miles or product redemption promotions from companies like Barnes & Noble, Gap, and Tower Records.
Copyright© 1998 Reuters Limited.
Copyright© 1998 Reuters Limited.
