Hitwise US Shutters After Twenty Years

Online competitive intelligence and consumer behavioral analytics provider Hitwise is winding down its US operations after more than twenty years in business. Until March 19, Hitwise users will continue to have access to historical data for the period up to 28 January 2020.

Co-founded in 1997 in Melbourne, Australia by Andrew Barlow and Adrian Giles, Hitwise collects Internet usage information via a combination of ISP data partnerships and opt-in panels; measuring behavior across desktop, tablet and smartphone devices, and helping marketers understand and target audiences. In addition, the service provides data on trends in visitor and search behavior, and visitor and web site profiling, and it measures web site market share.

In 2006, Hitwise was valued at £180m and was then acquired by Experian for $240m the following year. Then nine years later, in 2015, Hitwise was acquired by Symphony Technology Group, and became part of the group's Connexity arm, which focuses on consumer targeting.

Earlier this month, Hitwise told clients it was pausing its daily, weekly and monthly metric updates, following the closure of its clickstream data partner Jumpshot, amid speculation around the latter firm's privacy practices. Hitwise had previously tapped into data from Jumpshot's real-time, anonymized global 'panel' of 100 million people in 188 countries. In a statement on its web site posted earlier this week, Hitwise said: 'Due to events outside of our control, Hitwise is winding down its operations. This is a very sad time for us at Hitwise, after twenty years of operation providing first to market online measurement. We want to thank our clients around the world for their valuable partnership, as well as their understanding and support as we manage through this unexpected turn of events'.

Web site: www.hitwise.com .