Linkshare announced today that they have agreed to acquire Traffic Strategies.com. Traffic Strategies has long been known for the PPC Marketing and Lead Generation businesss. Marc McClure had precented an overview of their Extractor bid management technology at the Linkshare Summit in New York a few years ago.
Large Internet advertising companies have been getting swalloed up lately, it's not to surprising that this merger activity has started to set it's sites on the affiliate community.
Any predictions?
Kris over at PepperJam had some thoughts...

"Does this mean that other top affiliate marketers such as Vinny Lingham’s Clicks2Customers or Jeremy Palmer’s Quit Your Day Job may also be viable affiliate marketing buyout candidates?It’s been a long-time coming that pure affiliate marketing busiess models are recognized as powerful and sustainable businesses. Affiliate marketing search arbitrage is a real business and in TrafficStrategies.com Linkshare just acquired one of the top affiliate marketing search arbitragers in the United States.
Maybe the buyout is a sign that CPA Networks such as Azoogle are stealing too much market share and therefore the traditional idea of “affiliate network acting as affiliate presents a conflict of interest” is being replaced with the reality that “only the most nimble and aggressive will survive.”
My friends, the days of the BIG THREE are behind us - the days of super affiliates like Traffic Strategies, Clicks2Customers, and others creating meaningful and profitable businesses have just begun.

More About Linkshare Acquired PPC Affiliate Traffic Strategies.com