Online companies buying extensions?

[Simeon Velichkov]

Hi,

I know this has been discussed before, but maybe not in light of a thread dedicated to it (correct me if I'm wrong), but I was just wondering what is the business model of people/companies buying chrome extensions?

Now obviously, they want to buy established extensions with relatively large user base and good standing in the search results, but still even if they buy a given extension they will have to change a thing or two, like for example requesting new permissions that the extension currently does not require, and also in the end go through the review process.

So I doubt that this is with a purely malicious intent, in the end offering like $12k is not precisely a small sum to just throw away if extension get blocked by the CWS.

[Deco]

Depends what the intent behind the person is, i suppose. It's not uncommon for it to be individuals who want to take ownership of an extension so they can take credit for it (i.e. take over the established one than build your own), but that would be a minority. Most are just vectors for ad farms who are hoping they can inject it into the extension without a user knowing, or caring, all it takes is one approval and then as long as no one notices they can more or less go under the radar, so the upfront costs are just the fee for doing business. 

Thanks,

Deco

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[Juraj M.]

After reading some of the blogs here:

https://palant.info/

I would say that most of those bought extensions will start doing cookie stuffing (the affiliate fraud).

If you are wondering how they smuggle extra permissions - social engineering! :)

For example:

Would like to help plant trees? Simply approve this extra permission "all_urls" and you'll help save the planet with every shop you visit!

And about the review process - well, it looks like it's all OK, considering many of those extensions has been reported and they stay in the store (even with the Featured badge :D).

Shame on you Chrome store!

[Simeon Velichkov]

Thanks, those are all interesting insights.

I was thinking that maybe they would want to buy the extension and extend it with new features, but maybe not. These are the two domains that I got contacted by offering highest price upfront:

- medialifesoftwareextensions.biz
- antsnetsoftware.com

and it seems like they are in the business of just buying extensions in general, maybe for the purpose of putting ads in them or whatever.

I have been contacted by various other people personally so maybe they would fall into the 'extending' category but I never replied to them, though at the same time they did not put a specific price upfront ..

[Juraj M.]

They will extend them with "features" alright :D.

And about the "business" part, both domains are only few months old. So not exactly established business you could trust.