Use of big data helps small firms win orders, lift exports

Exports are picking up momentum, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises that are using big data to create products shaped precisely to customers’ needs, according to Alibaba.com, the nation’s largest wholesale trade site.

The number of new customers at the portal hit nearly 6,000 in December, logging the biggest number of single-month new entrants since its founding in 1999, said Yu Yong, vice-president of Alibaba Group and co-general manager of Alibaba.com.

“While traditional big corporations are struggling with the economic uncertainty, forwardthinking smaller players are definitely seeing and grasping opportunities,” Yu said.

The trends accord with upbeat trade readings from China and help to dispel worries over lingering stagnancy in the global economy.

According to company figures, Alibaba.com serves 150 million registered users around the world, by giving suppliers the tools essential to reaching a global audience, and helping buyers target products and suppliers in an efficient manner.