To meet China's growing demand for higher quality products, Global Sources expands its Shanghai trade show series

Events rebranded 'Global Sourcing Fairs'; Total booths up 15 % year-on-year; New shows added for Home Products, Underwear & Swimwear

SHANGHAI, Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL) is holding five sourcing trade shows in Shanghai Jan. 12-14 to help its quality suppliers tap into China's growing domestic market.  The Company's Global Sourcing Fairs will feature more than 960 booths at five product-specific trade shows for Fashion Accessories, Gifts & Premiums, Baby & Children's Products, Home Products and Underwear & Swimwear.

Global Sources' Deputy CEO, Spenser Au, said: "As personal incomes continue to rise in China, consumers are demanding better quality products.

"Global Sources' trade shows have already established a reputation among international buyers for showcasing top-quality China export suppliers. We plan to leverage our expertise, brand and existing supplier and buyer relationships to make Global Sourcing Fairs the premier event for finding quality sources for the domestic China market.

"With China expected to become the world's largest retail market by 2020, the Shanghai shows are must-attend events for local as well as international buyers looking for local sources who can deliver quality products to meet their standards."

Global Sourcing Fairs for Home Products, Underwear & Swimwear launched

"Rising incomes also have China's consumers spending more on products like furniture and fashion items like underwear and swimwear," said Au. "To meet buyers' growing demand for these items, we have launched the Global Sourcing Fairs: Home Products and Underwear & Swimwear."

Top Buyers to Attend Shows and Private Sourcing Events

Tens of thousands of buyers are pre-registered to attend the events, including international buyers from Best Buy, Carrefour, Coles Group, IKEA, Li & Fung, Replay, Swarovski, Tesco and Walt Disney. Domestic buyers from Goodbaby, Lovhome, Metersbonwe, YADUO and VANCL have also registered to attend.

Dozens of Private Sourcing Events are also scheduled to be held at the shows, to help connect top buyers and pre-screened suppliers at face-to-face sourcing meetings. Twenty-four buying teams are scheduled to participate including Cencosud, Central Retail, El Corte Ingles, Eximagen, Hermes-Otto International, Mary Kay, Monsoon Accessorize, Okaidi, Oxylane, Pacific Brands and Target Australia. Private Sourcing Events are complimentary for buyers and only Global Sources suppliers are eligible to participate.

Conference Programs to Help Manufacturers Build World-Class Brands

A series of free seminars have been scheduled to help China manufacturers build brands for local and international markets. Topics include:

• From China Manufacturers to China Brands
• Building High-End Brands for China's Home Products Market
• Boosting Profit and Brand Image through Buyer Mode Operation

The Fairs also offer a series of special services designed to make trading more efficient:

• Global Sources Product Galleries. Multiple physical and digital product galleries, featuring innovative products from hundreds of verified suppliers unable to attend the shows, allow buyers to send direct inquiries on the spot – greatly extending their sourcing reach and efficiency at the shows.
• Global Sources Show Guide Magazines. Fourteen enhanced sourcing magazines that incorporate the Fairs' show guides – featuring exhibitor lists and floor maps, plus a CD-ROM containing all Global Sources eMagazines – are being distributed to buyers on-site. This one-of-a-kind initiative conveniently packages information on hundreds of additional verified suppliers and their products, boosting buyers' sourcing efficiency at the shows.
• Special Buyers' Lounges at the Fairs offer free Internet access, refreshments and sourcing information.

Global Sourcing Fairs in Shanghai open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, Jan. 12-14 at Shanghai New International Expo Center. Qualified buyers are entitled to receive free admission and a free show map.

For more information about the shows, visit the Global Sourcing Fairs website at http://tradeshow.globalsources.com/TRADESHOW/GLOBAL-SOURCING-FAIR/INDEX.HTM

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with Greater China. The core business uses English-language media to facilitate trade from Greater China to the world. The other business segment utilizes Chinese-language media to enable companies to sell to, and within Greater China.

The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 967,000 active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 240 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 4.7 million products and more than 262,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly print and 18 digital magazines, over 80 sourcing research reports and 20 specialized trade shows which run 57 times a year across 9 cities.

Suppliers receive more than 192 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com) alone.

Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 40 years. Global Sources' network covers more than 60 cities worldwide. In mainland China, Global Sources has about 2,700 team members in more than 40 locations, and a community of over 2 million registered online users and magazine readers for its Chinese-language media.