Buscapé Company

Buscapé is a Brazilian e-commerce platform that functions as a shopping assistant, allowing consumers to compare products, prices, and retailers. It was founded in 1999 by university students Romero Rodrigues, Rodrigo Borges, Ronaldo Morita, and Mario Letelier. The idea arose when Borges had difficulty finding information and comparing prices for a printer online, a gap in the then-nascent Brazilian internet market.

With an initial investment of R$4,800, the founders launched the site, which initially faced resistance from retailers hesitant to display prices online. However, the platform quickly gained traction, securing its first investors within a year. A significant milestone was a US$3 million funding round from Merrill Lynch and Unibanco amidst the dot-com bubble burst. The business model is centered on generating revenue through affiliate marketing and pay-per-click advertising, where retailers pay a commission for sales originating from the platform. Buscapé's services expanded to include a classified ad network, electronic payments, e-commerce research, and fraud-risk assessment.

In 2005, a partnership with US fund Great Hill Partners facilitated an international expansion. This led to the 2006 acquisition of its main competitor, Bondfaro, which created the Buscapé Company. By 2009, the South African media conglomerate Naspers acquired a 91% stake in the company for approximately US$342 million. Under Naspers, Buscapé Company grew into a global holding for price comparison sites. Despite this growth, the founders eventually departed the company between 2009 and 2015. In 2019, Buscapé and other brands under the holding were acquired by its competitor Zoom, leading to the formation of the Mosaico Tecnologia ao Consumidor group. In 2021, Banco PAN acquired Mosaico, integrating Buscapé into its ecosystem and rebranding it as a smart shopping assistant with features like price history, alerts, cashback, and discount coupons.

Keywords: price comparison, e-commerce platform, shopping assistant, affiliate marketing, cashback, discount coupons, Latin America e-commerce, online retail, lead generation, digital marketplace, consumer technology, price history, price alert, online shopping, Brazilian startup, fintech integration, e-commerce services, product search, online marketplace, fraud assessment