As China apparel manufacturing shifts northward, Otto Group uses Private Sourcing Events to find new suppliers

World's largest mail-order retailer sends two teams to source products including baby & children's apparel, underwear & swimwear and sportswear

HONG KONG, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Otto Group, the world's largest mail-order retailer, met 11 China suppliers at a Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL) ( http://www.globalsources.com ) Private Sourcing Event ( http://www.PrivateSourcingEvents.com ) in Xiamen on Aug. 18.

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Global Sources' Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "Guangdong Province remains China's key manufacturing and export hub. However, for low- tech products, other regions have become increasingly competitive in terms of cost.

"Fujian and Zhejiang are now key sourcing centers for apparel, with Zhejiang, for example, accounting for 20 percent of China's baby and children's wear exports -- an amount equal to Guangdong Province.

"As manufacturing for a range of products moves to other regions in China, Private Sourcing Events are an ideal platform for buyers to discover new suppliers who can meet their requirements."

Sourcing & Audit Manager of Otto International Shanghai, Vincent Sung, said: "We are already familiar with many of the big name manufacturers in China. However, we cannot afford to overlook new suppliers, who are competitive in terms of pricing and quality and who are willing to work even harder to partner with us.

"Private Sourcing Events connect us with new suppliers whom we know can meet our high standards before we even meet them."

Otto Group is based in Hamburg, Germany and has companies in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The Otto Group generated revenues of US$12.8 billion with a staff of 50,000 people in 2008. In addition to retail sales, the Otto Group also has extensive interests in financial and other services.

Buyers with US$646 billion in annual sales participate in August Private Sourcing Events

Buyers representing $646 billion in annual sales met Global Sources pre- screened suppliers at nine Private Sourcing Events in August, in five cities across China including Hangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The Events covered product categories including baby and children's apparel, digital home entertainment, home furnishings and underwear and swimwear. Among buyers who participated were El Corte Ingles, Intelbras, Metro, RadioShack, Sears and Target. More information about Private Sourcing Events is available at http://www.PrivateSourcingEvents.com .

World's top buyers scheduled to attend upcoming Private Sourcing Events

Over 100 Private Sourcing Events are planned for 2009. All Private Sourcing Events are complimentary for buyers and only Global Sources suppliers are eligible to participate.

Suppliers wishing to participate should contact csm@globalsources.com.

Specialized Global Sources websites, face-to-face events and trade magazines

Private Sourcing Events are part of the company's portfolio of brands for sourcing and product information services, which include Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ), China Sourcing Fairs ( http://www.chinasourcingfair.com ), Global Sources monthly magazines ( http://www.globalsources.com/SITE/MAGAZINES.HTM ) and China Sourcing Reports ( http://www.ChinaSourcingReports.com ).

For more information about Global Sources' products and services to connect quality buyers and quality suppliers, visit http://www.corporate.globalsources.com .

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with Greater China. The core business uses English-language media to facilitate trade from Greater China to the world. The other business segment utilizes Chinese-language media to enable companies to sell to, and within Greater China.

The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 829,000 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 240 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on 4.3 million products and more than 196,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly magazines, over 100 sourcing research reports and 12 specialized trade shows which run 29 times a year across 10 cities.

Suppliers receive more than 81 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com ) alone.

Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 38 years. Global Sources' network covers more than 60 cities worldwide. In mainland China, Global Sources has over 2,500 team members in more than 40 locations, and a community of over 1 million registered online users and magazine readers for its Chinese-language media.

    Global Sources Press Contact in Asia
     Camellia So
     Tel:   +852-2555-5021
     Email: cso@globalsources.com

    Global Sources Press Contact in U.S.
     James W.W. Strachan
     Tel:   +1-480-664-8309
     Email: strachan@globalsources.com

    Global Sources Investor Contact in Asia
     Investor Relations Department
     Tel:   +852-2555-4777
     Email: investor@globalsources.com

    Global Sources Investor Contact in U.S.
     Kirsten Chapman & Timothy Dien
     Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
     Tel:   +1-415-433-3777
     Email: tdien@lhai.com

SOURCE Global Sources