NetBuy Cuts Costs With Move to Laguna Hills

Citing lower costs and management’s desire to be closer to home, Silicon Valley electronic commerce start-up NetBuy Inc. said Thursday that it has moved to Laguna Hills.

The 2-year-old firm, which has 20 employees and secured $7 million in venture capital funding, said it felt that it has reached a level of maturity where it can leave the bosom of the information technology industry in favor of cheaper operating costs.

“We really got the jump-start that we needed up there, but then we could leave,” said James Moriarty, vice president of marketing for the company, which sells electronic components and computer products to businesses over the Internet.

Four of the five officers of the privately held company live in Southern California, including President and Chief Executive Jim Wittry, who had previously worked with area companies such as Santa Ana-based Ingram Micro Inc., AST Computers in Irvine and Merisel Inc. in Los Angeles.