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RAPAPORT... Groupon acquired CommerceInterface, a provider of web-based channel management technology that helps manufacturers, distributors and retailers manage online sales, though the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Groupon said it has been using CommerceInterface technology since April 2012 to streamline its own operations and automate interactions with vendors. As part of this deal, CommerceInterface will no longer serve other retail channels and current customers will have the option to transition to other vendors over the next six months with migration support from the company. “CommerceInterface has proven to be an important piece of Groupon Goods infrastructure in the U.S., quickly and reliably streamlining the execution of orders and other vendor interactions,” said Faisal Masud, the head of Groupon Goods. “We look forward to enhancing our abilities to better support merchants overseas beginning early next year.” Groupon Goods reported that it reached an annual run rate of nearly $1.5 billion in global billings in the third quarter, serving a variety of inventory, from diamond jewelry and designer sunglasses to mattresses and computer tablets.
Shares in Groupon have fallen 80 percent year on year and were trading 5 percent lower on December 24 at $4.58 on the Nasdaq shortly before the markets closed early for Christmas.
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