Alibaba.com Helps Small and Medium Businesses Sell Direct to China
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.
Alibaba.com
CONTACT: Christina Splinder of Alibaba.com Limited, +852-2215-5130, or
csplinder@alibaba-inc.com
Web site: http://www.alibaba.com/
http://www.alibaba.com.cn/
http://www.alibaba.co.jp/
San Jose Teen Wins $45,000 Quinceanera Party From Verizon WirelessHip-hop sensation Sean Kingston to perform at teen's private coming-of-age party for 200 friends and family
SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than six million text and online votes, 14-year-old San Jose teen, Athaly R. has been crowned winner of the Verizon Wireless "My Fabulous 15" contest. She has been awarded a dream-come-true Quinceanera party valued at approximately $45,000. The party package includes food for 200 guests, a formal dress, transportation to and from the party; pink LG Venus cell phones for Athaly's court of closest friends, and a private, live concert by hip-hop artist Sean Kingston.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080801/AQF048)
"I still can't believe I won this," said Athaly. "There were so many amazing candidates. I am honored to have been chosen. My family is so happy. No one in my family has ever had a party like this!"
Athaly came to the United States from Mexico with her family when she was seven-years-old, speaking no English. Today, she is proud of having learned the language fluently and attends school regularly. Although she has always dreamt of a Quinceanera party, she knew that her parents couldn't afford it and that was the reason she never asked them for a celebration. Her father was recently diagnosed with a health condition, which caused further financial strain on the family. Athaly said that winning this Fabulous 15 party would make her the happiest girl in the world and her only hope, just like thousands of teenagers in the United States, was to win "My Fabulous 15" party and celebrate her coming of age.
"The response has been extraordinary," said Oscar Madrid, director of marketing for Verizon Wireless. "More than six million text message votes and 500,000 online votes were cast to pick the winner. Participation was much higher than we expected. Almost 3,000 teens from Los Angeles, San Jose/San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver and Portland entered to win."
Two runners-up, Martha G. from South Gate in Los Angeles County and Jessika R. from Orange County, have won pep rallies at their respective schools. These events include a DJ, green screen, Dance Dance Revolution video game and other giveaways.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080801/AQF048
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN10
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Heidi Flato of Verizon Wireless, +1-925-279-6545,
heidi.flato@verizonwireless.com; or Ximena Ossa, +1-310-473-4422,
Ximena.Ossa@rlpublicrelations.com, for Verizon Wireless
Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
