Canton Fair launches e-commerce service

Canton Fair organizers also signed a series of cooperation agreements with financial organizations, including China Construction Bank, China Export and Credit Insurance Corp, UnionPay International and BOC Credit Card (International) Ltd, which will jointly provide online trade financing, loans and credit grading services for Chinese exporters.

Some Chinese exporters at the fair said they will use the e-commerce platform to increase their overseas sales.

"In the past, we relied on the Canton Fair to meet new clients and secure orders, but now it serves more as a platform to promote our brands and corporate culture,"said Zhang Ye, deputy general manager of the international marketing department at Hisense Group.

"So, more transactions will be conducted after the fair, and we are very keen on using the fair's e-commerce platform to increase overseas orders,"Zhang told China Daily.

The Qingdao-based consumer electronics company has been eyeing the overseas market for sustainable development since 2006, establishing 24 foreign branches and offices.

It ships its products to more than 130 countries and regions, with sales in the overseas market increasing 29.1 percent year-on-year to 12.6 billion yuan ($2.04 billion) in 2012, company sources said.

"We are making efforts to promote the brand in overseas high-end markets,"Zhang said.

Zhang also said the overall demand for home appliances in overseas markets, particularly in Europe and the United States, will not increase this year.

"The only way for profit growth is to take a bigger share within a limited market. So we will make more efforts to diversify our sales overseas."

Zhao Wei, sales director of the overseas marketing center at TCL Lighting Electrical Appliances Co, said the company has also begun an e-commerce business to increase overseas sales.

Thanks to diversified sales channels, its overseas sales rose 15 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.