HONG KONG, Aug. 7 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL), the world's leading B2B portal, will usher in next-generation sourcing with the launch of Global Sources Online 2.0 (http://www.globalsources.com ) in October. The new site will utilize a proprietary search engine with vertical search capabilities.
(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/200703271450.JPG )
The new search engine aims to provide buyers with the most comprehensive listing of all relevant suppliers in the market. It will include Global Sources suppliers, an aggregated directory of China suppliers and suppliers listed on the World Wide Web.
It will clearly differentiate between supplier information that has been verified and that which has not. At launch, the new search engine is expected to effectively double the amount of product and supplier content available to buyers using Global Sources Online.
Global Sources' Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "We expect Global Sources Online 2.0 to significantly change the way global buyers source and the way suppliers market.
"Our vertical search engine increases buyers' ability to find the products they need while reducing time and costs. It does this by providing a single site for thousands of Global Sources-verified export-ready suppliers, plus tens of thousands of suppliers aggregated from supplier websites and other marketplaces on the web."
Using a proprietary algorithm and index, the search engine will focus solely on presenting buyers with pertinent product and supplier content that is expertly classified, indexed and consolidated in one place.
Focus on Quality Suppliers -- New Dynamic Supplier Verification Tools
Hinrichs stressed the importance of supplier qualification. "The internet today is crowded with questionable information from questionable suppliers. Recent cases of product safety issues and sub-standard quality from China have made international headlines, highlighting the challenges buyers face in finding quality suppliers to work with.
"Buyers trust Global Sources because our suppliers have been carefully verified through personal visits from our team of professionals."
Global Sources Online clearly indicates as 'Verified suppliers' those companies that have met Global Sources' strict verification criteria.
Global Sources Online 2.0 will also offer dynamic supplier validation tools for buyers. For those suppliers who subscribe, the following information may be included on their websites:
-- Suppliers' third party certifications, credit ratings, consumer
standards met, and manufacturing processes adhered to;
-- Confirmation that the supplier does not employ prison or child labor;
and
-- Confirmation that products do not include ingredients from endangered
species or otherwise environmentally unacceptable ingredients.
Global Sources also plans to strengthen its existing policy to help buyers or intellectual property owners with investigations of intellectual property concerns.
The objective is to facilitate buyers' information and sourcing needs, and to help suppliers differentiate themselves substantially from those unable or unwilling to qualify or quantify their company services.
Hinrichs said: "With this new initiative, Global Sources extends its industry leadership using the latest technology, meeting the standards of the industry, and the expectations of both buyers and sellers.
"This exciting advancement is just the latest in our 36-year history of innovation and leadership."
In 1995, Global Sources was the first company to provide online marketing services to Asia's exporters and manufacturers. It was also the first to provide suppliers with a fully integrated marketing service, including:
-- Online marketplace for awareness and lead generation;
-- Magazine advertising for differentiation and brand building; and
-- China Sourcing Fairs (http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ) for meeting
buyers, negotiating and receiving orders.
This end-to-end solution allows exporters to meet their export marketing objectives, from awareness and lead generation, brand building and differentiation, right through to negotiating and receiving orders.
Special Website Trial Offer for China Exporters
Global Sources will offer a special incentive for a selected group of qualified China manufacturers and exporters.
"With this introductory program, China suppliers can experience the unparalleled quality of our buyer community," Hinrichs said. "Once they fully appreciate the results, we are confident they will buy our full export promotional services online, in magazines and at our China Sourcing Fairs."
End-To-End Export Marketing Solution
Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com ) is part of the company's comprehensive print, online and face-to-face export solution which also includes Global Sources trade magazines, China Sourcing Fairs
( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ), Private Sourcing Events (http://www.privatesourcingevents.com ) and Global Sources Direct (http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com ).
About Global Sources
Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. The core business is facilitating trade from Greater China to the world, using a wide range of English-language media. The other key business segment facilitates trade from the world to Greater China using Chinese-language media.
The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 635,000 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 230 countries.
The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 1.8 million products and more than 150,000 suppliers annually through 13 online marketplaces, 12 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and nine specialized trade shows which run 22 times a year across seven cities.
Suppliers receive more than 18 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com ) alone.
Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 36 years. In mainland China it has over 1,700 team members in 44 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for Chinese-language media.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27-A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21-E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The company's actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of the risks associated with the company's business, changes in general economic conditions, and changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements.
Global Sources Press Contact in Asia:
Camellia So
Tel: +852-2555-5021
Email: cso@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia:
Eddie Heng
Tel: +65-6547-2850
Email: eheng@globalsources.com
Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.:
James W.W. Strachan
Tel: +1-480-664-8309
Email: strachan@globalsources.com
Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.:
Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1-415-433-3777
Email: cpelz@lhai.com
