Winklevii-backed shopping site Hukkster shuts down
Two-year-old discount shopping startup allowed shoppers to track online merchandise and receive notifications when prices dropped.
Hukkster, an online discount shopping startup that attracted financial backing from the Winklevoss twins, has shut down.
The site, which claimed more than 300,000 users, notified customers of the move in an email Friday.
"We started Hukkster with nothing more than an idea and had the opportunity to build our dream team and make our vision a reality," the company wrote in an email obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. "While we're sad to say goodbye, we hope our story inspires all of you to challenge the status quo."
The email also included information on how customers could recover links to products on their wish lists.
The site's tools were replaced by stats about the company's performance during its brief run and a note that thanked users for "the opportunity to innovate, learn and grow. Now it's time for a nap."
Founded in 2012 by former retail consultants Katie Finnegan and Erica Bell, the New York-based company allowed shoppers to track online merchandise and receive notifications when prices dropped. Users got deal notifications only on the products they specified, cutting down on discount spam.
Retailers such as J. Crew, Bloomingdale's, and ShopBop paid a referral fee to Hukkster for every sale the site brought to their virtual door.
In a little more than two years, Hukkster raised more than $4 million in financing, including $750,000 from Winklevoss Capital, the venture capital firm run by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Also known as the "Winklevii," the twins are best known for their long legal battle with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
CNET has contacted Hukkster for more information and will update this report when we learn more.