New China Supplier Survey Shows Focus on Quality Assurance HONG KONG, Oct. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- Global Sources' (NASDAQ: GSOL) China Sourcing Fair: Gift & Home Products ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/ ) opens today and runs through Oct. 23, filling all 10 halls at AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong. The Fair will showcase over 3,700 booths, including 2,600 from mainland China. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030303/LNM011LOGO-b ) Over 30,000 buyers from more than 100 countries have pre-registered for the Gifts & Home Products show, including representatives from Aldi International Buying, Black & Decker, Boots, Coles Myer, Euro Disney, Hallmark Cards, Harrods, Kingfisher, Li & Fung, Mattel, MGB Metro, QVC, Sears, Target and Toys 'R' Us. In addition to thousands of exhibitors from mainland China, buyers can also see over 600 booths from Hong Kong, over 300 from Taiwan, and others from India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea and other countries. Global Sources also welcomes a pavilion from Bangladesh for the first time. Global Sources' Executive Director, Sarah Benecke, said: "The Gifts & Home Products show is the proven platform for suppliers to promote their quality products to a truly global audience of volume buyers. "We expect buyers and suppliers alike to place greater emphasis on quality at this week's show. In fact, our recently conducted China supplier survey shows that 87 percent of respondents say they need to move up the value chain and work with buyers seeking higher-quality products. "We are confident that both buyers and exhibitors will find the quality match they need at the China Sourcing Fair." China Supplier Survey Reveals Challenges and Opportunities -- Quality is Paramount Global Sources conducted the online survey in September 2007, generating 364 valid responses from mainland China suppliers. According to the survey, 95 percent of suppliers said that their major focus in 2008 will be improving product quality. However, 65 percent of suppliers expect to raise export prices by up to 10 percent in the next 12 months. The reasons why suppliers need to raise prices are based on the following key issues: -- 82 percent said the appreciation of the RMB is a challenge -- 86 percent cited a shortage of skilled labor -- 89 percent said rising raw material costs are impacting on overall manufacturing costs In response to these challenges, 87 percent of suppliers are looking to work with quality buyers. They also plan to explore new markets, increase exporting activity, reduce overhead costs, expand their capacity to gain economies of scale and increase automation. China Sourcing Fair Offers Product Pavilions for Convenient Buying Product pavilions at the Fair include: Gifts & Premiums; Kitchen & Household Products; Home D?mcor & Textiles; Glassware & Ceramics; Arts & Crafts; Baby & Children's Products; Garden & Outdoor; Stationery & Paper; and Sports & Leisure. Extra Services to Create Business Opportunities for Buyers and Suppliers This Fair offers a range of value-added services to help suppliers meet the right buyers, as well as enhance their sourcing success. Value-added services include: -- Private Buyer Meetings create exclusive opportunities for pre-selected exhibitors to meet face-to-face with some of the world's top buyers. Buyers include OIA, QVC, RadioShack and Sears. -- Virtual Buyer Meetings enable exhibitors to meet top international buyers who can't make it to the Fair via an on-site video conferencing system. -- Vendor Summits save buyers' time allowing them to introduce their companies and outline sourcing requirements to up to 50 pre-selected exhibitors in a private conference room. -- The Brand Zone features exhibitors committed to building their own B2C and B2B brands through product innovation and quality. -- Free Conference Programs feature international experts speaking on quality control, product trends and compliance, logistics, China sourcing and intellectual property issues. -- Country and regional pavilions focus on products from Asia and emerging mainland China supply centers. -- Special Buyers' Lounges are located in Halls 10 and 11 with free Internet access, refreshments and sourcing information. China Sourcing Fair Show Dates and Times China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products opening times are: -- Oct. 20, 21 and 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. -- Oct. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Easy Access to AsiaWorld-Expo by Airport Express Train, Free Shuttle Buses AsiaWorld-Expo is one minute from Hong Kong Airport and 28 minutes from downtown via the Airport Express train. Global Sources will provide free shuttle bus service to and from the venue. Pick-up points include Causeway Bay's Excelsior Hotel, Wanchai Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui (Middle Road), Tsim Sha Tsui East (Regal Kowloon Hotel) and Tung Chung MTR Station (Exit A). Timetable and bus stop details are available at http://www.chinasourcingfairs.com/ . The venue is also easily accessible by public bus, taxi and private car. Buyers planning to visit the Fairs can find more information, including complete transportation options, at http://www.chinasourcingfairs.com/ . Specialized Global Sources Websites, Trade Magazines and Trade Shows The China Sourcing Fairs are an important part of Global Sources' export marketing and product information services. These include Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com/ ), Global Sources trade magazines and Global Sources Direct ( http://www.globalsourcesdirect.com/ ). Further information about Global Sources is available at http://www.corporate.globalsources.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. Global Sources Press Contact in Asia: Camellia So Tel: +852-2555-5021 Email: Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia: Eddie Heng Tel: +65-6547-2850 Email: Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.: James W.W. Strachan Tel: +1-480-664-8309 Email: Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.: Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc. Tel: +1-415-433-3777 Email: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030303/LNM011LOGO-b DATASOURCE: Global Sources CONTACT: Press contact in Asia: Camellia So, +852-2555-5021, ; Press contact in U.S.: James W.W. Strachan, +1-480-664-8309, , both of Global Sources; Investor contact in Asia, Eddie Heng of Global Sources, +65-6547-2850, ; Investor Contact in U.S.: Moriah Shilton & Christiane Pelz, +1-415-433-3777, or , both of Lippert-Heilshorn & Associates, Inc., for Global Sources Web site: http://www.globalsources.com/ http://www.corporate.globalsources.com/ http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/

Copyright