HONG KONG, Aug. 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The world’s leading B2B portal, Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL), will launch a new Chinese-language site called China Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com.cn ) in October. The new website is designed to drive new business for companies engaged in China domestic trade and for overseas firms intent on selling into China.
(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/200708071747.jpg )
Global Sources’ Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "Launching China Global Sources Online is the next step in our expansion into China’s domestic B2B market. Our strategy is to launch new online, print and trade show channels to serve our existing or related industry segments.
"This launch will complement our upcoming Shanghai China Sourcing Fairs in December. Likewise, it will further extend our support of China’s high-tech electronics sector, which we currently serve with a suite of industry-leading Chinese-language magazines, websites and events.
"Our aim is to leverage our brands, content, advertisers, sales, infrastructure, expertise and community to ramp this up quickly -- and to maintain the quality standards for which Global Sources is recognized," Hinrichs said.
Content on China Global Sources Online will be initially offered free of charge to existing export suppliers who are also engaged in domestic trade. Products on the site will be different from those on export-focused Global Sources Online, as products in demand in the China domestic market often differ from those offered to overseas markets.
Hinrichs stressed the importance of supplier qualification. "The Internet today is crowded with questionable information from questionable suppliers.
"Buyers trust Global Sources because our suppliers have been carefully verified through personal visits from our team of professionals. China Global Sources Online will extend this level of professionalism to China’s domestic market."
Growing China Prosperity, Growing Consumer Demand Support Offering
Hinrichs said: "As China’s consumers become more prosperous, and competition for their business intensifies, China-focused retailers, wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers are being driven to offer more variety and higher quality products.
"The suppliers in our community are experienced exporters -- well versed in meeting the quality, price and service requirements of demanding overseas markets. We expect many of our suppliers to use China Global Sources Online to help them effectively leverage their international expertise into a domestic competitive advantage."
Extensive Chinese-Language Media for Global Sources’ One Million-strong Community
Global Sources has had an on-the-ground presence in China for more than 26 years. The company already produces a variety of magazines, websites and events serving a one million-strong China community ranging from the high-tech electronics to management and lifestyle sectors.
The ‘design-to-export’ Chinese-language magazines and websites for the high-tech sector include:
-- EE Times-China ( http://www.eetchina.com );
-- Electronics Supply and Manufacturing-China ( http://www.esmchina.com );
and
-- Electronic Design-China ( http://www.ed-china.com ).
Electronics industry events include:
-- IIC-China ( http://www.english.china.iicexpo.com ) in Shenzhen,
Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.
The company produces China’s largest BPA-audited Chinese-language management title, Chief Executive China, and its companion website, Chief Executive China Online ( http://www.ceconline.com ). Its newest title, set to launch in September, is Elegant Living ( http://elegantliving.ceconline.com ).
Additionally, Franchising China event ( http://franchise.ceconline.com ), now in its 10th year, will continue to provide China’s entrepreneurs access to big brands seeking business partners.
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.
