FreshAddress Acquires Return Path’s ECOA Unit

E-mail appending firm FreshAddress is expected to announce today it has signed an agreement to purchase deliverability concern Return Path’s e-mail change of address business.

Terms were not disclosed

The acquisition consolidates the only two consumer-driven e-mail change of address services under the FreshAddress brand, creating a centralized global database of all consumer e-mail address updates, the companies said in a statement.

"We've combined the industry’s two leading ECOA providers into one seamless service," said Bill Kaplan, CEO of FreshAddress, in the statement. “Now companies, nonprofits, and agencies will have one easy way to update their e-mail address databases with 100% of the e-mail address changes provided by consumers worldwide."

FreshAddress will acquire Return Path’s old/new email address change-pairs, hygiene technology, client and partner relationships, and related patents, the company said.

Matt Blumberg, CEO of Return Path, said he has decided to focus his firm on deliverability services.

"It was a tough decision since ECOA was Return Path's original business in the email industry,” he said. “By selling our ECOA business to FreshAddress, our long-time esteemed competitor, our clients will realize a significant improvement in match rates and resulting revenue generation."

The agreement was signed on October 17 and is expected to close by mid-December.