Alibaba.com Helps Small and Medium Businesses Sell Direct to China
02 Aug 2008
PR Newswire Asia
New "Export-to-China" Service to Tap China's Growing Buying Power
HANGZHOU, China, Aug. 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Alibaba.com today announced the beta launch of Export-to-China, a new service which will enable international entrepreneurs and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to sell direct to China's growing number of buyers.
Export-to-China will provide international suppliers with a Chinese-language online storefront on Alibaba.com's China marketplace, which has an active community of over 25 million buyers and suppliers. It is an easy-to-use, direct channel to connect global sellers with millions of buyers in China. Export-to-China members will also benefit from Alibaba.com's professional translation services and promotion at more than 40 major trade shows in China every year.
China's role in the global market is evolving from a top manufacturing hub and exporter into a powerful global buyer as well. China's growing demand for imported goods is being fueled by a booming economy, an emerging middle class, the rising Chinese Yuan and favorable government measures promoting imports. China's most recent trade figures indicated a continued rise in exports by 18% from a year ago to US$121.53 billion, while imports soared 31% to US$100.18 billion, shrinking the nation's trade surplus for the month. China currently ranks third in the world in trade volume and is expected to become the world's biggest import market within 10 years.
"While China will continue to grow as the world's largest supplier, its emerging role as a major importer is creating opportunities for companies around the world, especially SMEs," said David Wei, Chief Executive Officer, Alibaba.com. "Chinese buyers are not just looking for luxury goods, natural resources and high end machinery, they are also interested in more basic items such as food and beverages, home supplies and health and beauty products. Alibaba.com can help equalize the trade imbalance by connecting domestic buyers with international suppliers and promoting imports into China."
He continued, "Until now, foreign companies have found it difficult to break into the China market because of language and cultural barriers and the high cost of developing a new market and setting up a sales network. Export-to-China is a cost effective tool to help SMEs enter the China market quickly and access a huge pool of potential buyers." According to Alibaba.com's estimates, around 64% of its international suppliers are interested in selling into China and 52% of its Chinese members require imported goods.
Gene Rumley, International Marketing Manager of Florida-based Bell Performance signed up for Export-to-China in July 2008. "In a time of rising fuel costs and increasing pollution, China represents a huge business opportunity for our company," said Mr Rumley. "Our range of fuel and oil treatment products helps to reduce the running and maintenance costs of automobiles, trucks and boats as well as lowering pollution levels in industrial power plants. As an Alibaba.com TrustPass member we have had great success finding new customers around the world and now Export-to-China can give us a direct channel to buyers in China."
Alibaba.com began marketing the Export-to-China service on its website on June 20 and has already signed up over 1,600 companies. During the beta testing phase launched today, Export-to-China storefronts will be displayed on Alibaba.com's China marketplace and the service will be offered for free trial to all qualified Alibaba.com paid members for a limited period. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.alibaba.com/activities/export_to_china/home.html .
China's Top Commodity Imports in 2007
List Value
(100M USD) Mechanical & Electronic Products 4,990 New Hi-Tech Products 2,870 Crude Oil 798 LCD Boards 408 Primary Plastic 324 Iron Ore and Ore Concentrate 338 Steel 206 Unwrought Copper and Products 197 Automatic Data Processing Machines and Parts 224 Automatic Data Processing Machines and Accessories 168 Oil 164 Circuit Breaking and Protection Sets and Accessories 161 Diodes and Semiconductor-like Products 117 Auto Accessories 106 Pressed Circuit Boards 108 Soy Beans 115 Autos and Chassis 109 Copper Ore and Ore Concentrate 88 Aircraft 93 Converter, Commutator, Inductor 82 Press, Binding Machines and Accessories 78 Television Sets, Radio and Wireless Telecommunication Equipment and Accessories 80
Source: 2007 China Customs Statistics
About Alibaba.com Limited
Alibaba.com Limited (HKSE: 1688), a member of the Alibaba Group, is the world's leading B2B e-commerce company. It connects millions of buyers and suppliers from around the world every day through three marketplaces: an English-language marketplace ( http://www.alibaba.com ) for global importers and exporters, a Chinese-language marketplace ( http://www.alibaba.com.cn ) for domestic trade in China, and a Japanese-language marketplace ( http://www.alibaba.co.jp ) facilitating trade to and from Japan. Together, its marketplaces form a community of close to 30 million registered users from over 240 countries and regions. Alibaba.com has offices in more than 30 cities in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe and the US.
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