Over 60 digital trade shows being launched by Global Sources

HONG KONG, Dec. 20, 2010 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Global Sources (Nasdaq: GSOL) (http://www.globalsources.com) plans to introduce digital trade shows that will extend the reach and value of the Company's highly successful face-to-face trade shows. The first digital show is scheduled to launch in April 2011 together with the Hong Kong series of China Sourcing Fairs (http://www.chinasourcingfair.com). The roll-out of the digital shows is scheduled to continue throughout the year and to encompass the Company's entire line-up of over 60 face-to-face sourcing shows in six cities.

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Global Sources' chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "Each of the digital shows will be a companion to its face-to-face version, with the objective of adding significant value to both buyers and exhibitors. We believe we can reach a much broader buyer community during and after each physical show. In addition, we expect to increase renewal rates, attract new exhibitors and generate new revenue streams."

Through these digital shows, buyers can view exhibitor booths and products – even if they are unable to physically attend the show. Buyers can also communicate with suppliers through various channels, together with access to video interviews of exhibitors and other editorial coverage of the show.

Exhibitors at the physical show will be able to generate more orders and enhance their branding through their presence in the digital show. They will receive valuable inquiries and other leads – and their benefits will accrue before, during and after the show.

Global Sources is on the cusp of major changes in the export marketing media-mix, as the Company moves past the search-centric era. Online and digital technologies will enable the Company to add tremendous value to its physical shows and to the communities it serves.

This is clear from Global Sources' research of its exhibitors. Key findings include:

• Exhibitors see tremendous potential from the integration of face-to-face and digital marketing and plan to boost their digital marketing initiatives to improve marketing performance.
• Their primary objectives include: extending their marketing reach; increasing the ROI of their physical show investment; and enhancing their brand and competitive differentiation.

As a result of these major changes, Global Sources believes that trade shows are entering a new era of growth, founded on the interaction between physical shows, print and digital magazines as well as online services.

"In 1996 we launched Global Sources Online (then known as Asian Sources Online), the industry's first B2B online marketplace. We pioneered Private Sourcing Events, and today we mark our 40^th anniversary with the announcement of this brand new medium of digital trade shows," said Hinrichs.

"The net effect is that we are first-to-market with a holistic B2B media model that fully embraces the integration of traditional, face-to-face and online media. We view our digital trade shows as a breakthrough initiative that extends our position of providing the market's broadest and most integrated multi-channel export marketing platform.  Also, unlike online-only or trade show-only operators, our multi-channel offering addresses buyers' needs at all stages of the buying process -- and gives them the choice of how, when and where they wish to consume sourcing content and engage with export suppliers," concluded Hinrichs.

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 967,000 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 over 4.7 million products and more than 262,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly print and 18 digital magazines, over 80 sourcing research reports and 20 specialized trade shows which run 57 times a year across 9 cities.

Suppliers receive more than 192 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com) alone.

Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 40 years. Global Sources' network covers more than 60 cities worldwide. In mainland China, Global Sources has about 2,700 team members in more than 40 locations, and a community of over 2 million registered online users and magazine readers for its Chinese-language media.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27-A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21-E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The company's actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements as a result of the risks associated with the company's business, changes in general economic conditions, and changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Global Sources