PC World.com to Include Competitors’ Reviews

IDG calls move a first for a technology Web site.

By Dylan Stableford
06/26/2008

IDG’s PC World has partnered with a technology firm to include tech news and product reviews—including those of its competitors—on its Web site.

According to IDG, it's the first time a technology site has directly linked from its own reviews to those from competitive sites.

“We believe we have the best technology product reviews available,” says PC World CEO Mike Kisseberth, “but we understand and acknowledge that buyers want to evaluate the opinions of multiple sources.”

PC World is using Retrevo’s “artificial intelligence system” which collects and organizes content from other sites and blogs across the Web.

As part of the agreement, PC World’s sales force will sell advertising programs for the Retrevo Web site. “We now have another way to help our advertising partners accomplish their objectives,” Kisseberth says.

There are no plans to roll the technology out to other IDG sites, at least at this point, the company says.

PC World averages 8.1 million unique visitors per month, according to IDG.