Spindle, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Yowza!! (Yowza International, Inc.), a Los Angeles, Calif. based provider of mobile marketing services for consumers and merchants. Upon the completion of the acquisition, Spindle will increase its reach to nearly 2 million, and will expand its roster of participating merchants to some 95,000 locations.
“The acquisition of Yowza!! marks a milestone in Spindle’s young history, and give us an extraordinary talent pool and proven technology that we believe will dovetail extremely well with our own market-proven solutions,” said Bill Clark, Spindle’s chief executive officer, in a prepared statement. “Most importantly, we believe the completion of this transaction positions Spindle as one of the largest providers in the new mobile economy by giving us a platform to reach to the tens of millions of consumers and businesses that are now embracing the convenience and flexibility of buying and selling goods and services through smartphones and tablets. We believe that the acquisition will be beneficial for both our subscribing merchants and consumers, as well as our shareholders, as we deliver payment services and consumer engagement marketing programs that integrate Yowza!!’s offers platform.”
Yowza!! is a next-generation mobile marketing solution that delivers free real-time coupons and offers to consumers through their iOS and Android devices. Merchants can easily sign up for Yowza!! online, and use the service as a low-cost, secure and reliable portal to build one-on-one relationships by sending valid offers to existing and potential customers.
Upon completion of the transaction, Spindle expects to integrate Yowza!!’s services with its MeNetwork platform, which allows merchants to facilitate payment processing and manage customized marketing campaigns in a single interface. The platform enables a number of features, including loyalty programs, electronic coupons, rebates and instant offers. In addition, MeNetwork’s consumer-facing iOS and Android app allows consumers to locate merchants, discover offers, accrue loyalty points and make purchases right from their mobile devices.
“Spindle’s acquisition of Yowza!! is a perfect example of the company’s distinct ability to execute in a very nascent market,” said Vikrant Gandhi, principal analyst for Frost & Sullivan, a global market research firm. “Spindle’s tightly-woven mobile marketing and payments application is already a very compelling solution for the marketplace. The addition of Yowza!!’s couponing technology will strengthen its position, and give it increased access to many more merchants and consumers.”
