• by Erik Sass , September 23, 2015

Publishers looking for new sources of revenue are increasingly turning to e-commerce, either by selling products and services directly to consumers themselves or partnering with external e-commerce platforms. Recent deals include Purch’s acquisition of Active Junky and HuffingtonPost’s alliance with Bringhub.

Last week Purch -- which combines digital publishing and e-commerce -- announced that it has acquired loyalty platform and online shopping community Active Junky, which rewards users for shopping for outdoor gear through its interface. Having partnered with over 100 outdoor gear stores, Active Junky uses cash back, deals, special offers, and coupons to create customized special offers for members, which Purch hopes to leverage as member services; Purch already operates a platform bringing together tech product vendors and enthusiasts.

Active Junky will remain an independent brand, while its customer loyalty platform rolls out across Purch’s other properties early next year. Purch closed a $135 million round of funding in June, in part to fund acquisitions like Active Junky.

This week The Huffington Post announced a partnership with Bringhub, an e-commerce platform that allows users to buy products from multiple retailers via a single checkout. The partnership will incorporate “buy buttons” powered by Bringhub, which debuted with placements in a native advertising campaign for Dockers on HuffPo. HuffPo plans to bring the buy buttons to other site content as well.

HuffPo Vice President and Head of Operations Spencer Sloe explained: “Bringhub allows us to create a revolutionary reading and buying experience for our readers, who can now shop as they explore content without ever having to leave The Huffington Post.”