Yahoo! is considering the possibility of selling its online shopping comparison site Kelkoo, according to reports.The Financial Times yesterday (Wednesday October 3rd) cited an unnamed Yahoo! source as saying that the company was mulling over the prospect of such a decision.
However, the search engine, which acquired Paris-based Kelkoo in 2004, has refused to comment on speculation concerning a potential sale, saying only that it is searching for the "right leadership" for the site.
Yahoo! told Agence France-Presse news agency that it has made a priority of improving Kelkoo's performance since its purchase, a project which has failed to pick up momentum in Europe.
Yahoo! spokesman Brian Mast commented: "We have started a process to give Kelkoo more independence while we evaluate strategic options for the long-term future of the business."
Mr Mast added that the search engine is working to identify the right team structure and leadership to achieve its business goals for the site.
Kelkoo was founded in 2000, following mergers with Shopgenie, Zoomit and Dondecomprar.
According to company figures, within two years of launching, it had become Europe's largest e-commerce website after eBay and Amazon.
It helps online customers locate the lowest prices for goods such as consumer electronics, books and computer games.
Yahoo! paid €475 million in cash for the firm as part of its move to increase its operations in Europe.
