Pakistani firm authorised to verify SMEs for Alibaba.com
Will enable local companies to gain credibility, visibility on the B2B portal
KARACHI:
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan can now market their products internationally via Alibaba.com, after the Pearl Shine Group International (PSGI) – a Pakistani firm – signed a strategic partnership agreement with the world’s largest business-to-business portal, a press release said on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the Chinese B2B giant – which claims to put manufacturers in touch with suppliers and facilitates online buying and selling anywhere in the world – will offer ‘verified memberships’ to new and existing members from Pakistan. PSGI, being the agent nominated by Alibaba.com, will verify the legitimacy of local SMEs and small traders in order to enable them to register on the website.
The statement said that Pakistani traders will undergo basic background checks such as tax ID, NTN numbers etc, and that legitimate businesses will gain a special logo on the profiles they have posted at Alibaba.com. These SMEs will get higher search rankings than free members will, it said.
With the new verified membership programme, the two partners will further “trade-enable” Pakistani SMEs by confirming their legitimacy and making them more visible to buyers worldwide who source products through Alibaba.com
“Alibaba.com is excited about this new partnership with PSGI for having the chance to work closer with the Pakistan market, and by this way we can potentially take Pakistani trade to the next level [sic],” said Timothy Leung, Alibaba’s group head of Global Supplier Development and Sales.
Leung said more than 650,000 Pakistani SMEs are currently members of Alibaba.com, and that the partnership will help grow and solidify new potential for Pakistani companies to enjoy more exposure in the global market.
Global B2B e-commerce transactions crossed the $12.4 trillion milestone in 2012, starting from just $3.4 trillion in 2005.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2012.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan can now market their products internationally via Alibaba.com, after the Pearl Shine Group International (PSGI) – a Pakistani firm – signed a strategic partnership agreement with the world’s largest business-to-business portal, a press release said on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the Chinese B2B giant – which claims to put manufacturers in touch with suppliers and facilitates online buying and selling anywhere in the world – will offer ‘verified memberships’ to new and existing members from Pakistan. PSGI, being the agent nominated by Alibaba.com, will verify the legitimacy of local SMEs and small traders in order to enable them to register on the website.
The statement said that Pakistani traders will undergo basic background checks such as tax ID, NTN numbers etc, and that legitimate businesses will gain a special logo on the profiles they have posted at Alibaba.com. These SMEs will get higher search rankings than free members will, it said.
With the new verified membership programme, the two partners will further “trade-enable” Pakistani SMEs by confirming their legitimacy and making them more visible to buyers worldwide who source products through Alibaba.com
“Alibaba.com is excited about this new partnership with PSGI for having the chance to work closer with the Pakistan market, and by this way we can potentially take Pakistani trade to the next level [sic],” said Timothy Leung, Alibaba’s group head of Global Supplier Development and Sales.
Leung said more than 650,000 Pakistani SMEs are currently members of Alibaba.com, and that the partnership will help grow and solidify new potential for Pakistani companies to enjoy more exposure in the global market.
Global B2B e-commerce transactions crossed the $12.4 trillion milestone in 2012, starting from just $3.4 trillion in 2005.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2012.