Constant Contact Buys Loyalty Platform CardStar

In the US, engagement marketing specialist Constant Contact has acquired loyalty platform CardStar, which enables merchants to track consumer behavior and trends using data aggregated from its users, in order to send them personalized offers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Constant Contact offers 'engagement marketing' tools to help clients drive ongoing customer dialogues through e-mail, social media and event marketing, and online surveys.

Last year, the company acquired social CRM specialist Bantam Live, and opened an office in London through which to support its suite of solutions.

Following the transaction, Constant Contact will continue to operate CardStar's free mobile loyalty app, which allows consumers to use a single app rather than a series of physical cards and enables merchants to tailor mobile deals, track purchase behavior and reward loyalty.

CardStar's employees - including founders Andy Miller and Danny Espinoza - will join the Constant Contact team in Waltham, MA. Miller will serve as Director of Mobile Products, reporting to Joel Hughes, SVP of Strategy and Corporate Development, while Espinoza will join Miller's team to lead future product direction.

Gail Goodman (pictured), CEO of Constant Contact, says the CardStar team bring 'fantastic experience' and says the deal 'accelerates our growth path and opens up new opportunities for small businesses to take advantage of our innovations in mobile, loyalty, and consumer technology.'

Web sites: www.constantcontact.com and www.mycardstar.com .