Gear Patrol’s acquisition of DPReview shows that it pays to be boring
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In March, DP Review announced that parent company Amazon was shutting it downand the world of photography entered a dual state of shock and disbelief.
For 25 years, DPReview has served as a trusted and authoritative voice in photographic equipment. But photo enthusiasts didn’t just turn to DPReview to drool over Canon’s newest lens or compare Sony’s and Nikon’s face-detection autofocus capabilities. It was an active forum where we (yes, I’m one of those photography people) could hang out and geek.
That such an extensive archive of photographic knowledge and the strong community it had fostered were being banished into the abyss… the plan wasn’t even to archive it but turning it off entirely was a shock to many. The announcement in DPReview garnered more than 5,000 comments and people took to social media to share their thoughts on Amazon’s decision.
But that soon changed when Gear Patrol, which offers tips, how-tos, and product reviews but not camera-specific, came to the rescue. He finalized a deal to buy Amazon’s DPReview for an undisclosed sum in June 2023. He was excited to speak with Eric Yang, founder and CEO of Gear Patrol, to find out what motivated the purchase and what he learned from the process.
authority and community
Yang was driven to bring DPReview under the aegis of Gear Patrol for a number of reasons, and while it made business sense, there was also a personal motivation.
“It’s a business, so it’s not a totally altruistic endeavor,” Yang told me. “But DPReview is very meaningful to me. It’s meaningful to a lot of people, I think, who have grown up on the Internet.”
DPReview is home to an extraordinary knowledge base that Yang was loathe to see disappear. But this knowledge base doesn’t just reside in her vast archive of reviews, buying guides, editorials, and tips; it is also in the strong community that fostered this experience. For many people, DPReview was a safe place to express opinions, ask for advice, or just be a fan of photography. All of this, together, was valuable to Yang.
a natural fit
Yang describes Gear Patrol as a place that allows people to pursue their interests and passions with confidence, which is why he believes Gear Patrol and DPReview are a natural match. “We want to help people have the knowledge they need to pursue their particular passions to the best of their ability,” Yang said.
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