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'{{Infobox website | name = FatWallet | logo = [[Image:Fatwalletlogo.png]] | logocaption = Fatwallet logo | screenshot = | collapsible = | collapsetext = | caption = | url = {{URL|www.fatwallet.com}} | slogan = Pocket the difference | commercial = Yes | type = Bargain Hunting | registration = | language = English | num_users = | content_license = | programming language = | owner = [http://performancemarketingbrands.com/ Performance Marketing Brands] | author = | editor = | launch_date = {{Start date and age|1999|12|05|df=yes/no}} | revenue = 12.3 million (2009) <ref>[http://blogs.e-rockford.com/getreal/2010/07/29/fatwallet-founder-up-for-national-award/ FatWallet founder up for national award – Alex Gary - Rockford Register Star]. Blogs.e-rockford.com (2010-07-29). Retrieved on 2013-09-13.</ref> | alexa = 1350 ({{as of|2014|8|27|alt=August 2014}})<ref name="alexa">{{cite web|url= http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/fatwallet.com |title= Fatwallet.com Site Info | publisher= [[Alexa Internet]] |accessdate= 2014-08-27 }}</ref> | ip = | current_status = Active | footnotes = founded in [[Rockton, Illinois]]{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}; 54 employees in 2010 <ref>[http://culturefanatics.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/fatwallet-work-shouldnt-suck/ FatWallet – Work Shouldn’t Suck |]. Culturefanatics.wordpress.com (2010-09-22).</ref>{{Better source|date=September 2013}} }} '''FatWallet''' is a [[comparison shopping website]], centering on a set of forums that allows users to publish deals and [[Rebate (marketing)|rebate]] offers on products and services, with computer-related products and electronics most prominent in the listings. It is headquartered in [[Beloit, Wisconsin]]. ==Products and services== ===Coupons and Cash Back=== FatWallet features a "[[Coupons]] and [[Cashback reward program|Cash Back]]" rebate shopping section where users can find coupons and discounts from online retailers. Members can also receive a percentage of purchases back from purchases made through [[referral marketing|referral links]] to partnered retailers (originally known as FatCash). FatWallet has paid out over $28 million to its members since 2005.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} Membership is free with an email address. ===Forums=== FatWallet users can post the sale prices of major retailers, often before they are officially released in retailers' advertisements, which involved the site in a legal dispute in 2002 involving [[Black Friday (shopping)|Black Friday]] advertisements. Several retailers, including [[Wal-Mart]], [[Target Stores|Target]], [[Best Buy]] and [[Staples, Inc.|Staples]], have served FatWallet with [[Notice and take down|"take-down" notices]] pursuant to the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]], claiming that their sale prices were [[copyright]]ed and must be removed from the FatWallet site. In addition, Wal-Mart served FatWallet with a [[subpoena]] to reveal the identity of the users who had posted Wal-Mart's prices, but the demand was later dropped.<ref name='NYT-Walker-2005-09-18'> {{cite news | first= Rob | last= Walker | coauthors= | title= Collective Bargain Hunting: FatWallet.com | date= 2005-09-18 | publisher= | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/magazine/18consumed.html | work = New York Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-16 }} </ref><ref name='NYT-Stross-2007-11-18'> {{cite news | first= Randall | last= Stross | coauthors= | title = Digital Domain: What to Do When Goliaths Roar? | date= 2007-11-18 | publisher= | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/technology/18digi.html?ref=technology | work = New York Times | pages = | accessdate = 2007-11-18 }} </ref> Although FatWallet initially complied with the take-down notices due to the fear of liability, within two weeks it reposted the prices and argued that the prices were facts rather than expression, and therefore not subject to copyright. FatWallet filed a lawsuit in the [[U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois]] against three of the retailers, seeking damages for knowing assertion of invalid copyright claims and a [[declaratory judgment]] that the take-down provisions of the DMCA were [[unconstitutional]]. The case, ''FatWallet, Inc. v. Best Buy Enterprise Services, Inc.'', was dismissed. The court ruled that FatWallet lacked [[standing (law)|standing]] to sue for any harm done to its users for having their postings temporarily removed, and FatWallet did not assert any injury to itself that the court found cognizable.<ref name='NYT-Stross-2007-11-18'/> Since its launch, FatWallet has expanded its forums to include discussion on other financial topics such as investments, banking and credit cards. The Finance forum has been mentioned in the ''[[Wall Street Journal]] and the ''[[New York Times]]'' referencing personal finance topics including on credit cards and [[401K]] investment tips.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} FatWallet launched "Best Deals" in 2009 (initially called "Today's Top Deals"), which features researched deals found on the internet by staff and members. Best Deals also features an "Expert Picks" section where staff research bigger ticket retail products like laptops, computers and HDTVs for the best value for the price, and post their endorsements each week. ==Relocation== Between March and April 2011, Fatwallet moved to Wisconsin from northern [[Illinois]] in order to avoid termination of [[Affiliate (commerce)|affiliate]] contracts with online retailers such as [[Amazon.com]], which provide about 30% of the company's revenue. An Illinois law passed in March 2011 in anticipation of passage of the U.S. [[Main Street Fairness Act]], required online retailers with Illinois affiliates to collect and remit sales taxes to the state.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Illinois tax law threatens Fatwallet's online retail network |author=Doris Hajewski |url=http://www.jsonline.com/business/118140254.html |newspaper=Journal Sentinel |date=16 March 2011 |accessdate=18 March 2011}}</ref> ==Acquisition by Ebates== Fatwallet was sold to [[Ebates]] in 2011, at the same time as Anycoupons, and later merged with Ebates to form a new company called Performance Marketing Brands. Former owner and founder Tim Storm stayed on as a strategic advisor for the new company.<ref>[http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/arcmessageview.php?catid=18&threadid=1123529 And now a word from our founder]. Fatwallet.com.</ref><ref>[http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/09/backed-by-vcs-ebates-buys-fatwallet-com-and-anycoupons-com-starts-new-company/ Backed By VCs, Ebates Buys FatWallet.com And AnyCoupons.com, Starts New Company]. TechCrunch (2011-09-09).</ref> ==Acquisition by Rakuten== FatWallet's parent company, Ebates Inc. was sold to [[Rakuten]], as announced September 9, 2014. FatWallet was wholly sold during the transaction.<ref>[http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/rakuten-of-japan-to-buy-ebates-a-u-s-rebate-site-for-1-billion/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Rakuten of Japan to Buy Ebates, a U.S. Rebate Site, for $1 Billion]. New York Times (2014-09-09).</ref><ref>[http://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2014/0909_02.html Announcement of 100% Acquisition of Ebates Inc.] Rakuten Press Release (2014-09-09)</ref> ==Awards== FatWallet was twice named one of the "50 Best Places To Work in America" by the Best Places To Work Institute and [[Entrepreneur (magazine)|''Entrepreneur'' magazine]]. It was ranked at #20 on the list for best small businesses in 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-companies/best-small-a-medium-workplaces/best-small-and-medium/455-2010|title=The Best Small & Medium Workplaces in America|year= 2010}}</ref> and #13 in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-companies/2011-the-great-place-to-workr-rankings-the-best-small-a-medium-workplaces-presented-by-entrepreneurr-/678|title=The Best Small & Medium Workplaces in America|year= 2011}}</ref> Founder Tim Storm was also named as one of four finalists for Entrepreneur of 2010 by Entrepreneur.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://performancemarketingassociation.com/entrepreneur-of-the-year-finalist-tim-storm-of-fatwallet|title=Entrepreneur of the Year finalist – Tim Storm of FatWallet|date=3 August 2010|publisher=Performance Marketing Association}}</ref> ==See also== * [[1SaleADay]] * [[Coupon Sherpa]] *[[RetailMeNot]] *[[Slickdeals]] *[[Woot]] * [[Groupon]] * [[DealNews]] * [[List of Internet forums]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== *{{official website|http://www.fatwallet.com/}} * [http://www.entrepreneur.com/gptw/45 ''Great Places to Work''], Entrepreneur.com, September 8, 2010 * [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/20/huffpost-innovators-serie_1_n_689185.html#s128864 ''FatWallet - An Online Emporium For Coupons That Stood Up To The Web's Giants''], Huffington Post, August 20, 2010 * [http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/finalists-announced-for-entrepreneur-magazines-entrepreneur-of-2010-contest-presented-by-the-ups-store-99300799.html ''Finalists Announced for Entrepreneur Magazine's Entrepreneur of 2010 Contest Presented by The UPS Store''], Entrepreneur Magazine, July 27, 2010 * [http://www.prweb.com/releases/compare-prices/cash-back/prweb4171834.htm ''FatWallet Launches New Price Comparison Featuring Cash Back''], PRWeb, June 22, 2010 * [http://www.i-newswire.com/pr255281.html ''FatWallet.com 10-Year Anniversary February Event''], I-Newswire.com, February 18, 2009 * [http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/29/pf/bestweb_shopping.moneymag/index.htm?postversion=2007120709 ''Get the lowest price on anything''], CNN Money, December 7, 2007 * [http://www.kbsd6.com/Global/story.asp?S=7313246 ''Can Online Rebate Sites Save You Money?''], KWCH12, November 5, 2007 * [http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,56504,00.html ''Big Retailers Squeeze FatWallet''], Brian McWilliams. ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired News]]'', November 20, 2002. * [http://usacoupondeals.com ''FatWallet.com discount coupons''] [[Category:Online retail companies of the United States]] [[Category:Credit]] [[Category:Reward websites]]'