Viewpoints Goes Green With Ecoscene

by Gavin O'Malley, Apr 22, 2010, 7:38 PM

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Chicago-based technology company Viewpoints Network on Thursday announced the acquisition of Ecoscene, a Chicago-based consumer reviews Web site focused on green products. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition gives Viewpoints.com members direct access to hundreds of consumer reviews of ostensibly environmentally friendly products. It also encourages visitors to consider buying sustainable products.

"There is a huge demand for eco-friendly products as consumers become more environmentally conscious," said Matt Moog, president and CEO of Viewpoints Network. "Those consumers who are already following the category are very active and outspoken individuals -- just the type of consumers we want coming to Viewpoints.com to share their product feedback."

Viewpoints is presently working to educate Ecoscene readers about its key social media, content sharing, and product reviewing tools.

"Viewpoints provides a much larger and more dynamic platform to encourage the proliferation of green product reviews to a far bigger community," said Aimee Heilbrunn, founder of Ecoscene.

Last May, Sears Holdings tapped Viewpoints to power two new online communities, MySears.com and MyKmart.com. Through the networks, MySears and MyKmart members could add social profiles, upload photos, create user tags, connect with "friends," write blog posts, track their readership stats, and exchange private messages with other community members.

In a climate of high environmental consciousness, consumers cite the Web as the best source of information on so-called "green" products and practices, according to a recent study from ad network Burst Media.

More than one-third -- 39.4% -- of respondents cited the Internet as the best resource, followed by television -- 18.4% -- friends and family -- 9.2% -- newspapers -- 7.1% -- magazines -- 6.5% -- and books -- 4.6%.

While men tend to search for information on alternative energy and "green" technologies, women look for healthy recipes, recycling, simple living, and natural remedies, according to the study administered in late December to over 1,500 adults 18 years of age and older.

Meanwhile, another study by Burst found that consumers are willing to pay more for a variety of products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

The recent survey revealed that 90% of respondents had incorporated some level of "greenness" into their daily lives -- 8.8% are completely green, while most are aspirationally green.

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