answers.com
{{short description|Q&A site founded in 1999}}
{{Use mdy dates |date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Answers Corporation
| logo = Answers.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| logo_caption = "The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions"
| founder = {{ubl|Bob Rosenschein|Mark Tebbe}}
| industry = Internet
| services =
| owner = Infospace Holdings LLC
| parent =
| divisions =
| url = {{URL|https://www.answers.com}}
| advertising =
| language = English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Tagalog
| footnotes =
| company_type = Private
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1999}} (as GuruNet)
| location_city = St. Louis, Missouri
| location_country = United States
| area_served = Worldwide
| locations =
| key_people = {{ubl|Curtis Strite (GM & CTO)|Ben McCoy (CFO)}}
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees = 18
| subsid =
| website_type = Question & Answer
| launch_date = {{start date and age|2005|1}}
| current_status = Active
}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Answers
| operating system = iOS, Android
| website = {{url|1=https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1526488186|2=iOS}} {{url|1=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.answers.answandroid|2=Android}}
}}
Answers.com (previously WikiAnswers and originally GuruNet) is an Internet-based knowledge exchange. The Answers.com domain name was purchased by entrepreneurs Bill Gross and Henrik Jones at idealab in 1996.{{cite web|url=http://whois.domaintools.com/answers.com|title=Answers.com WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info - DomainTools|work=domaintools.com|access-date=22 June 2016}}{{Cite news|last=Safronova|first=Valeriya|title=The Sunday Stroll That Changed Her Mind About Dating|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/style/gillian-tett-henrik-jones-wedding.html|date=July 26, 2024|website=New York Times}} The domain name was acquired by NetShepard and subsequently sold to GuruNet and then AFCV Holdings. The website is now the primary product of the Answers Corporation. It has tens of millions of user-generated questions and answers, and provides a website where registered users can interact with one another.
History
GuruNet was founded in Jerusalem during 1999 to develop technology that intelligently and automatically integrates and retrieves information from disparate sources and delivers the result in a single consolidated view to the user. GuruNet initially displayed its information through a downloadable software product, today known as 1-Click Answers. The product was launched as a free product in 1999. Beginning in 2003 it was sold to users on a perpetual license base and later as an annual subscription.{{cite web|url=http://ir.answers.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1144204-05-9612 |title=GuruNet Corporation 2005 Annual Report |publisher=ir.answers.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070820134630/http://ir.answers.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1144204-05-9612 |archive-date=August 20, 2007}}
In October 2004, GuruNet had an IPO on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) under the symbol "GRU" and also acquired the Answers.com domain name early the same year for $80,000.{{Cite journal |author=Festa, Paul |date=January 3, 2005 |title=GuruNet launches new search service |url=http://news.cnet.com/GuruNet-launches-new-search-service/2100-1024_3-5510784.html |journal= CNET News |access-date=2010-05-13}}
In January 2005, the company began a new business model of free-to-customer product. Answers.com and 1-Click Answers software, containing practically all the content that was sold via subscriptions. The new model was based on generating advertising revenue.
On August 2, 2005, the company's shares started trading on NASDAQ instead of AMEX under the symbol "ANSW".
On October 17, 2005, GuruNet changed its corporate name to Answers Corporation, unifying the company's name and its website, Answers.com.
From 2005 to late 2009, the Google search engine definitions feature, in the top-right corner of the site, was linked to Answers.com.{{cite web | url = https://www.seroundtable.com/archives/001453.html | title="Google Definitions Now Provided by Answers.com "}}
On July 2, 2006, Answers.com released a trivia game known as blufr.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}}
In November 2006, Answers.com acquired the question and answer site FAQ Farm.{{cite news | title = What's in a name? Everything, when you're talking wiki value | url = https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/feb/12/wiki-answers-wikia | access-date = October 29, 2014 | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Seth | last=Finkelstein | date=February 12, 2009}} Following the acquisition, the product was renamed WikiAnswers.{{cite press release|title=Answers.com Grows Content With WikiAnswers |url=http://ir.answers.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=230377 |access-date=February 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211223738/http://ir.answers.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=230377 |archive-date=February 11, 2009}}
In the fall of 2009, Answers.com launched a revamped version of their website that fully integrated WikiAnswers.{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090922005660/en/New-Answers.com-Launches-Site-Combine-Community-Hundreds |title=New Answers.com Launches First Site to Combine Community with Hundreds of Editorial Resources under One Roof |work=Business Wire |date=2009-09-22}}
At Jeff Pulver's 140 Characters Conference in New York City in April 2010, Answers.com launched its alpha version of a Twitter-answering service nicknamed 'Hoopoe.' When tweeting a question to the site's official Twitter account, @AnswersDotCom, an automatic reply is given with a snippet of the answer and a link to the full answer page on Answers.com.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/04/20/answers-com-twitter/ |title=Answers.com Starts Answering Questions On Twitter |first=Erick |last=Schonfeld |date=2010-04-20 |work=TechCrunch}}
Aside from providing community-generated Q&A and reference information for published titles, Answers.com began offering videos as part of its VideoAnswers library, in July 2010. This was part of a partnership with video site 5min.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/07/28/video-answers-5min/ |title=Exclusive: Answers.com Gets 200,000 Video Answers From 5Min |first=Erick |last=Schonfeld |date=2010-07-28 |work=TechCrunch}}
In September 2010, blufr was relaunched as an iPhone/iPod Touch app with new design, game modes, and social features.{{Cite news |url=http://vator.tv/news/2010-10-05-answerscom-launches-blufr-social-trivia |first=Ronny |last=Kerr |title=Answers.com launches blufr, social trivia |date=2010-10-05 |work=vator.tv |access-date=2017-12-25}}
It was announced in November 2010 that the Answers.com Q&A community reached its 10 millionth answer.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/11/02/answers-com-blufr/ |title=Answers.com Hits 10 Millionth Answer, Launches Its First iPhone App (blufr) |work=TechCrunch}}
At the start of 2011, the site surpassed 11 million answers. Shortly after, on February 3, Answers.com announced in a press release that it had agreed to be acquired by AFCV Holdings for $127 million in cash. AFCV Holdings, LLC, is a portfolio company of growth equity investor Summit Partners. Bob Rosenschein was quoted: "The acquisition price of $10.50 per share represents a significant cash premium of approximately 33% over our 90-day volume-weighted average closing stock price."{{cite web |url=http://ir.answers.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=547336 |title=Answers.com Agrees to be Acquired for $127 Million in Cash: $10.50 per Share |publisher=Answers.com |date=February 3, 2011
|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205234049/http://ir.answers.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=547336 |archive-date=February 5, 2011}}{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/02/03/qa-site-answers-com-acquired-by-afcv-holdings-for-127-million-in-cash/ |title=Q&A Site Answers.com Acquired By AFCV Holdings For $127 Million In Cash |first=Leena |last=Rao |work=TechCrunch |date=February 3, 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://searchengineland.com/answers-com-acquired-for-127-million-63460 |title=Answers.com Acquired For $127 Million |first=Barry |last=Schwartz |date=February 3, 2011 |work=Search Engine Land}}
On April 23, 2012, TA Associates announced that it was joining as an additional private investor in Answers.com and on May 1, 2012, laid off the remaining development staff in the Jerusalem office as a first step in fully assimilating the company.{{cite web |url=https://www.ta.com/about/news/answers-expands-knowledge-leadership-across-the-web-mobile-and-social-platforms |title=Answers Expands Knowledge Leadership Across the Web, Mobile and Social Platforms |date=April 23, 2012 |publisher=TA Associates}}
On August 8, 2012, reports surfaced that Answers.com had reached a preliminary agreement to acquire About.com from The New York Times Company for $270 million of debt and equity.{{cite web |title=The New York Times Is About to Say Goodbye to About.com |last=Kafka |first=Peter |url=http://allthingsd.com/20120808/the-new-york-times-is-about-to-say-goodbye-to-about-com/ |work=All Things Digital |access-date=9 August 2012}} However, it was thwarted by IAC, who countered with a $300 million "clean cash" offer.{{cite web |url=http://allthingsd.com/20120826/barry-diller-shows-up-late-gets-what-he-wants-iac-to-buy-about-com-from-new-york-times/ |title=Barry Diller Shows Up Late, Gets What He Wants: IAC to Buy About.com From New York Times for $300 Million |last=Kafka |first=Peter |date=August 26, 2012 |work=All Things Digital |access-date=27 August 2012}}
On December 23, 2013, Answers.com acquired ForeSee Results, Inc., a customer experience & customer survey analytics company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.{{cite press release |url=http://www.foresee.com/about-us/news-item/answers-corporation-announces-acquisition-foresee-results-inc-provide-complete-customer-life-cycle-solution/ |title=Answers Corporation Announces Acquisition of ForeSee Results, Inc. to Provide a Complete Customer Life Cycle Solution |date= December 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313051816/http://www.foresee.com/about-us/news-item/answers-corporation-announces-acquisition-foresee-results-inc-provide-complete-customer-life-cycle-solution/ |archive-date=2016-03-13}} Answers.com proceeded to lay off between 50 and 75 employees one month after the acquisition, followed by another 100 layoffs 18 months later.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/07/foresee_layoffs.html |title=ForeSee parent company lays off nearly 100 employees in 2nd round of cuts |first=Matt |last=Durr |date=July 9, 2015 |website=MLive}}
In August 2014, Apax Partners acquired Answers Corp. for $900 million. The terms of the deal were that Apax would own 91% of the company while Answers’ founders and management team will own the remaining 9% stake.{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Feldt |title=Answers acquisition said to be worth $900 million |work=St. Louis Business Journal |date=2014-09-18 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/blog/biznext/2014/09/answers-acquisition-said-to-be-worth-900-million.html |access-date=2018-02-06}}
In March 2017, Answers.com parent company, Answers Corp, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.{{Cite news |first= Tom |last=Hals |editor-first=Bill |editor-last=Rigby |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-answers-bankruptcy-idUSKBN16A2I5|title=Answers Corp files for bankruptcy to cut $471 million in debt |date=2017-03-03|work=Reuters|access-date=2017-03-11}}
In May 2018, the website underwent a makeover, with the entire user database purged and users no longer able to edit questions or answers; the website was kept readable in a static state.{{Cite news |url=https://slate.com/technology/2018/05/answers-com-is-shutting-down-its-service-but-will-keep-its-archives-online.html |title=Answers.com Will No Longer Take Questions and Answers |last=Glaser |first=April |date=May 3, 2018|work=Slate |access-date=31 August 2019}} In October 2019, it was re-launched with redesigned user-generated content functionality, enabling new user registrations, questions, multiple answers, reactions, and comments.
In September 2020, Answers.com launched native iOS and Android apps focused on Homework Help Q&A.
In May 2022, Answers.com was purchased by System1.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/system1-announces-preliminary-first-quarter-2022-financial-results-2022-05-12 | title=System1 Announces Preliminary First Quarter 2022 Financial Results}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Answers.Com}}
Category:Internet properties established in 1999
Category:Online companies of the United States
Category:Question-and-answer websites
Category:Software companies of Israel
Category:Websites which mirror Wikipedia