Trade Show Organizer Forms Partnership with Alibaba

December 22, 2015  by in Business Strategy, Industry   

Under the alliance, which includes the Malaysian International Furniture Fair, the groups will unite the online and offline trade buying experience.

The two companies have begun exploring opportunities to link the B2B online and face-to-face trading worlds by leveraging their combined strengths, technologies and relationships. The alliance will begin with pilot programs introducing Alibaba B2B business unit's online secure transactional platforms and business portals for companies participating in select UBM Asia trade fairs. Cross promotional marketing, match-making services and audience development of the two company's brands and networks will be another key aspect in working towards the longer term goal of creating the next generation of on and offline trade experiences.

"We are excited to collaborate with UBM to offer small and medium-sized enterprises a multichannel B2B trading experience,” said Sophie Wu, president of the Alibaba B2B business unit. “They can also tap into the abundant and combined expertise of the two industry pioneers for more worldwide trading opportunities."

Pilot programs for the joint collaboration will begin with UBM Asia's Malaysia International Furniture Fair (MIFF) to be held on March 1-5   in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The collaboration will commence with promotions of the UBM fairs to both parties' respective trade audiences and Alibaba will begin offering its Trade Assurance service onsite to select exhibitors. Alibaba's Trade Assurance service allows participating suppliers to offer guarantees on order quality standards and on-time shipment. Further pilots in the second half of 2016 will include additional business match-making components for other UBM Asia events such as Shanghai International Children Baby Maternity Industry Expo (CBME China) and SIGN & LED CHINA fairs.

"We see great added values that this collaboration brings to global business traders,” said James Dong, head of B2B strategy, investment and business development. “Alibaba's online trading resources and technology complements with the interaction and dialogues in the offline UBM trade shows. Such an alliance not only makes trading more cost-effective but enables higher level of trust between global buyers and sellers."