Ciao was a European-based online-shopping portal with websites in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and Sweden. In February 2008, the company launched an American version of the site, Ciao.com.Ciao.com Launch
The site provided a forum where registered users could write reviews and give their opinions on a wide variety of products to help others make decisions. These reviews were available to the general public to help consumers, but also rated by other Ciao users on their usefulness on a scale ranging from exceptional to off-topic. Up to December 2017, when a review was read by a member, the author had money added to their account. Members could also receive money through online surveys and referring friends. On 27 November 2017, Ciao announced that from 1 December all payments would be stopped. In February 2018, Ciao was closed down. Ciao was free to sign up for. As well as offering reviews, the site also provided price comparison (working with merchants and agencies who provide data feeds) and allowed the user to click through and purchase products. Ciao claims that it reached an audience of 28.4 million monthly unique visitors (ComScore, January 2013) in Europe.

Microsoft Purchases Ciao

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...

made an offer of $486 million in late August 2008 to purchase Greenfield Online, the owner of Ciao GmbH and Ciao, Inc.Purchase By Microsoft
Microsoft buys Greenfield Online. Representatives from Microsoft said the purchase was primarily made to boost the company's Internet search and e-commerce business in Europe.Microsoft Purchase Ciao
Microsoft bought Ciao to improve its e-commerce.

LeGuide Group Acquires Ciao

Since the acquisition in March 2012, Ciao strengthens the portfolio of LeGuide Group (listed on Alternext board of NYSE Euronext Paris – ISIN code: FR0010146092), founded in 1998 and operating in 14 European countries through a multi-site strategy of online shopping guides, comparison websites, shopping search engines and platforms for consumer ratings. LeGuide Group surrounds a brand portfolio, including LeGuide.com, , dooyoo.com, pikengo, shopwahl.de and Ciao. CEO of Shopping Guide GmbH and LeGuide Group is Olivier Sichel since July 2012.

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External links

Ciao UK
Reward websites Defunct review websites Comparison shopping websites Online retailers of the United Kingdom Dutch-language websites Online retailers of France Online retailers of Germany Online retailers of Sweden Online retailers of Italy