Alibaba.com, KITA Organize First Offline Business Matching Event in Korea

“Export to China, Export to the World 2009-2010” mega sourcing fair helps suppliers tap growing demand for Korean products

SEOUL, November 19, 2009 – More than a thousand companies including buyers from China and around the world and small export-oriented Korean suppliers convened in Seoul from November 18-20, 2009 to attend the “Export to China, Export to the World 2009-2010” mega sourcing fair – the first offline buyer-supplier matching activity jointly organized by Alibaba.com (HKSE: 1688.HK) and the Korean International Trade Association (KITA).

With the aim of promoting “Made in Korea” to the world, the three-day mega sourcing fair connected 1,000 Korean suppliers directly to 100 buyers from China and beyond. More than 1,800 face-to-face business meeting sessions were arranged.

“The positive response to the sourcing fair testifies to the attractiveness of Korean-made products, which are known for their high quality, competitive pricing and trendiness,” said Arthur Chang, vice president of Global Sales, Alibaba.com. “By bringing together the offline and online expertise of KITA and Alibaba.com, the event has successfully translated foreign demand for Korean goods into real orders and paved the way for more global trade opportunities for Korean suppliers.”

Among the participants of this landmark event were big buyers on Alibaba.com’s online marketplace, which included international retailers Wal-Mart, Delphi, BestBuy, P&G, Nestlé, Levi’s and Auchan as well as prominent Chinese brands Vanguard, Toys"R"Us China, Li Ning and Lotus. The total annual purchasing volume of these buyers in Korea is estimated to be around US$440 million.

Suppliers at this event were pre-selected by KITA from nine industries, ranging from apparel and fashion accessories to chemicals, plastic and raw materials, cosmetics and personal care, electronics and appliances, food and beverage, toys and stationery, vehicles, transportation and auto parts, hardware, and housewares.

The event also featured the “Global e-Marketing Strategy Seminar”, which introduced various available online marketing channels to Korean exporters; a buyer forum designed to familiarize foreign buyers with Korea’s business landscape; and a buyer presentation session to walk Korean suppliers through the sourcing strategies and requirements of international big buyers.

The “Export to China, Export to the World 2009-2010” mega sourcing fair was part of a 12-month joint initiative between Alibaba.com and KITA to help small and medium-sized Korean enterprises open up new trading markets in China and worldwide, thereby diversifying the potential risks of unexpected market changes in their one-and-only export market.

As of September 30, 2009, Alibaba.com recorded more than 118,000 members from Korea, an increase of 64 percent compared with the same period last year. The online marketplace added an average of more than 3,800 Korean businesses each month in the past year.

About Alibaba.com Limited

Alibaba.com (HKSE:1688) (HK.1688) is the global leader in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and the flagship company of Alibaba Group. Founded in 1999, Alibaba.com makes it easy for millions of buyers and suppliers around the world to do business online through three marketplaces: a global trade marketplace (www.alibaba.com) for importers and exporters, a Chinese marketplace (www.alibaba.com.cn) for domestic trade in China, and, through an associated company, a Japanese marketplace (www.alibaba.co.jp) facilitating trade to and from Japan. Together, its marketplaces form a community of more than 45 million registered users from more than 240 countries and regions. Alibaba.com also offers business management software solutions targeting small businesses across China under the “Alisoft” brand and incubates e-commerce talent for SMEs in China through Ali-Institute. Founded in Hangzhou, China, Alibaba.com has offices in more than 50 cities across Greater China, Japan, Korea, Europe and the United States.

For more information, please contact:

Sovanna Fung

Alibaba Group

Tel: +852 2215 5212 / +852 9682 5581

Email: sovannafunng@hk.alibaba-inc.com

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