Alibaba.com will be able to offer its users a more efficient way to export goods from China with the addition of an export service provider whose specialty is helping small businesses, the company announced Monday.
The acquisition of Shenzhen One-Touch Enterprise Service Limited will help streamline trade for users of both the Alibaba.com and AliExpress sites, according to an Alibaba.com spokeswoman. China Gold Supplier members on both sites will have access to custom clearance forms, cargo insurance, currency exchanges, tax refunds and other exporting services right from their Alibaba.com and AliExpress accounts beginning next year.
Overall, the deal will simply make international trade easier and more affordable—something the company always aims to do, Alibaba.com officials say.
"Against the backdrop of slower growth and narrowing profit margins for exporters in China, we felt the obligation to help our customers stay competitive and enhance margins," says Alibaba.com's CEO David Wei.
The deal also allows Alibaba.com to diversify its offerings and add "a strong management and operating team," which will help users of the Alibaba.com and AliExpress trading sites, officials note.
"This acquisition underscores what we mean by 'Work at Alibaba.' One-Touch will bring a lot of synergies to our business and enhance our members' user experience by reducing the time and money they spend managing their export process and procedures," Wei says.
This is the fifth acquisition for Alibaba.com in 12 months. The global business-to-business e-commerce giant recently acquired Auctiva and Vendio, two companies that simplify the selling process for online sellers. Financial terms for Alibaba.com's latest acquisition were not disclosed.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
Other Entries by this Author