Private Sourcing Event for computer peripherals helps buyers and Greater China suppliers find stable trading partners during challenging times

Best Buy, Office Depot and Carrefour among nine buyers sourcing products including flat panel monitors, mice and keyboards from pre-screened suppliers

HONG KONG, May 11 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Nine buyers with annual sales of more than US$321 billion met 42 pre-screened Greater China suppliers at Global Sources' (Nasdaq: GSOL) Private Sourcing Event ( http://www.PrivateSourcingEvents.com ) for computer peripherals and accessories in Shenzhen in March.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030303/LNM011LOGO-b )

Global Sources' Chairman and CEO, Merle A. Hinrichs, said: "In today's challenging trade environment, we are working to make sure our buyers and suppliers find stable, quality trading partners.

"Private Sourcing Events offer an ideal platform for this. Before any supplier can participate, they must pass our strict pre-screening process, which includes a complete credit check and at least three on-site visits. Participating buyers are some of the world's largest and well-run companies.

"Like our online, trade show and print channels, Private Sourcing Events connect quality buyers and suppliers. Today, this is more important than ever, as surviving the year ahead requires finding partners with a solid foundation and a commitment to quality."

Buyers that participated in the computer peripherals and accessories event were:

    * Best Buy -- the largest electronics retailer in the U.S.
    * Carrefour -- the world's second-largest retailer
    * Casino -- France's largest convenience store operator
    * Creata -- an Australian full-services marketing promotions company
    * Li & Fung -- the world's leading consumer goods supply chain management
      company
    * Office Depot -- one of the world's largest office product retailers
    * OfficeMax -- one of the world's top office product retailers
    * Staples -- the world's largest office product retailer
    * Woolworths Australia -- the largest retailer in Australia

One participating buyer, Senior Merchandiser of Li & Fung, Rita Xing, said: "Private Sourcing Events help us find reliable suppliers with potential to become long-term partners. These days, we are looking to source more from fewer suppliers -- but suppliers we know are dependable.

"Private Sourcing Events help us find the right partners to grow our business no matter what the economy brings."

One participating supplier, General Manager of Shenzhen Akun Electronic, Toby Huang, said: "These days, there is more competition than ever for orders. So, we have re-focused our efforts to develop more innovative products and we are confident these should attract big buyers.

"Private Sourcing Events are the ideal platform for us to meet international buyers who can help us launch these new products to markets around the world."

Coinciding with the Private Sourcing Event for computer peripherals and accessories, Global Sources released the China Sourcing Report: Computer Input Devices. The report includes in-depth profiles of 20 industry suppliers and 88 of the top selling exports in the category. Buyers participating in the Private Sourcing Event were given complimentary copies of the report to help them make better-informed sourcing decisions.

Buyers with US$1.1 trillion in annual sales scheduled to participate in May Private Sourcing Events

Buyers representing US$1.1 trillion in annual sales are scheduled to meet Global Sources pre-screened suppliers at 14 Private Sourcing Events in May across mainland China. These events will cover product categories including iPod accessories, gifts, glassware and power supplies. 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, with dozens of buyers including A.S. Watson, Dollar General, Metro and Philips scheduled to participate. 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 ) and Global Sources monthly magazines.

For more information about Global Sources' products and services to connect quality buyers and quality suppliers, visit http://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 790,000 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 11 specialized trade shows which run 32 times a year across 11 cities.

Suppliers receive more than 53 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 69 cities worldwide. In mainland China, Global Sources has over 2,800 team members in more than 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: 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

RELATED LINKS
http://www.PrivateSourcingEvents.com
http://www.globalsources.com
http://www.chinasourcingfair.com
http://corporate.globalsources.com