Internet firm AOL has announced the acquisition of independent affiliate network buy.at.The network offers a performance-based e-commerce marketing program platform for both publishers and advertisers and will become a wholly-owned business unit of AOL's Advertising.com - acquired in 2004 - as a result of the transaction.
Buy.at was first founded in 2002 and makes use of a model whereby advertisers only pay a fee once a visitor has carried out an action such as signing up for a free trial of their product or undertaking a purchase.
Its ContentEngine service enables retailers to dynamically promote offers and products across a range of affiliate websites, while its leads division sources consumer leads for financial services merchants.
The deal represents AOL's fifth advertising-related acquisition in the last 12 months, following the purchases of Quigo, TACODA, Third Screen Media and AdTech.
"This acquisition further enhances our Platform-A advertising offerings by enabling us to offer a new set of advertiser and publisher products, while also supporting our international strategy," commented Randy Falco, chairman and chief executive of AOL.
"We look forward to accelerating the expansion of buy.at's affiliate network in the US and worldwide," he went on to add.
Earlier this week, AOL announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Goowy, a widget technology company that also runs a consumer-facing website and provides widget-based advertising services.
Both firms had previously collaborated to provide widgets for the myAOL website.
