Symposium Corp., New York, said yesterday that it completed the acquisition of telemarketing concern Direct Sales International L.P. for $25 million in cash.
The company said it plans to use DSI’s telemarketing infrastructure and its 600,000-name consumer database to market an Internet-based discount-buying club that it will begin offering within the next several months.
DSI, which Symposium said had 1999 revenues of more than $85 million, is a subscription sales agent for consumer magazines. DSI’s telemarketers will offer membership in the discount club at the same time they are marketing the magazines, according to Symposium.
Symposium’s strategy is to acquire other direct marketing businesses and use them to promote membership in its club.
