Mobile marketing firm Affle buys online-to-offline consumer platform Shoffr

Singapore-based Affle Holdings Pte. Ltd, which provides mobile commerce and marketing solutions for consumers and businesses, has acquired Singapore-based online-to-offline (O2O) consumer platform Shoffr Pte. Ltd, a company statement said.

The development comes after the Affle group’s two acquisitions last year: Commerce business of digital customer relationship management management firm Vizury Interactive Solutions Pvt. Ltd and Markt.

Shoffr enables online-to-offline consumer experience by converting online engagements into in-store walk-ins and transactions.  

“With increasing influence of smartphone-based engagements on the retail purchase decision, we believe that Shoffr complements our existing omni-channel platform to boost the Return on Investment (ROI) for brands through both online and offline transactions,” said Anuj Khanna Sohum, chairman, MD and CEO of Affle.

Affle was founded in 2006 by Sohum and Anuj Kumar. The company has created a mobile-audience-as-service (MAAS) platform, besides various other platforms and services such as ad2campaign and Ripple used by global commerce and marketing firms to promote and optimise their mobile programmes.

Affle operates through seven offices worldwide with over 180 employees. Besides Singapore, the company has offices in Gurugram, Mumbai, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

VCCircle had reported in May 2018 that Affle Holdings was looking to list its India unit in financial year 2018-19. The company, which counts among its key investors Times Internet and Microsoft Corporation, was looking to raise $100-110 million (Rs 668-735 crore) through the listing of Affle India Pvt. Ltd.