PDI Acquires GasBuddy With Plans to Enhance Current Offering

ATLANTA — PDI is adding to its stable of technology solutions for the convenience channel.

The Atlanta-based company acquired GasBuddy, a mobile app used by drivers to find and share real-time fuel prices. With the move, PDI extends its capabilities in direct-to-consumer delivery of promotional offers and communications, and engagement of consumers in convenience store and petroleum loyalty rewards programs.

Based in Boston, GasBuddy has 5 million active mobile users, representing billions of fuel gallons and hundreds of millions of dollars of convenience retail spend. The GasBuddy app generates fuel pricing information on 150,000 stations across North America.

While most of its peer-to-peer interactions are from users searching and posting local gas prices, the app also enables reviews of facilities and supports wayfinding.

According to PDI, the company intends to enhance GasBuddy's current offering by extending the ability of convenience retailers to attract new consumers to shop at their stores, receive offers funded by consumer product goods companies, and enroll in the retailer's loyalty program.

Additionally, PDI will enable retailers to extend personalized fuel pricing offers in real time to consumers who are on-site or driving nearby. Retailers will also have an opportunity to promote in-store products, the company said.

"By enriching the crowd-sourced gas pricing information and the related conversations that consumers are having, we can help retailers drive greater sales and loyalty precisely when and where consumers are ready to buy. This will enhance the experience and utility of the app for its millions of users," said Brandon Logsdon, president and general manager for Marketing Cloud Solutions at PDI.

PDI will also integrate GasBuddy Business Pages with its existing products and services to provide c-store retailers with more holistic visibility into consumer sentiment, while providing compelling insights about store visits, purchase behavior, and business performance.

"GasBuddy has built an amazing and engaged community. With PDI resources behind them, our users will get even more benefits from the app moving forward. This is a big win for everyone," said GasBuddy CEO Sarah McCrary.

Berenson & Co. and Moelis & Co. served as exclusive financial advisors to PDI and GasBuddy respectively in connection with the transaction.