The Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (HKTDC) hktdc.com Sourcing online trading platform has demonstrated solid performance since being upgraded in October last year to more efficiently connect global buyers and suppliers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The upgraded platform uses machine-learning and image-recognition technologies to enhance business-matching efficiency and provide a more personalised smart-sourcing experience. The enhancement helped boost platform traffic and enquiries, which grew 15% and 26% respectively in the 2020/21 financial year ending March. The platform has also garnered multiple internationally acclaimed awards.Commenting on these achievements, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau said COVID-19 had prompted companies around the world to accelerate digitalisation and online sourcing is becoming more popular. "The platform upgrading could not have been better timed. It enabled us to better connect buyers and suppliers just when online trading became all the more important amid pandemic-induced travel restrictions and distancing measures," he added. "The platform enjoys strong recognition among users and website professionals, and we are pleased to have received 13 prestigious awards in the past few months."
The accolades include Best International Business Website, Best Marketing Website, Best Directory or Search Engine Website and Best Small Business Website from the Internet Advertising Competition; Best International Business Website and Best Small Business Website from MobileWebAwards; as well as Redesign/Relaunch Website and Video awards from Astrid Awards and Mercury Excellence Awards. It is the 10th consecutive year the platform has received MobileWebAwards.
The International Advertising Competition and MobileWebAwards are annual competitions organised by the Web Marketing Association of the United States to honour excellence in relation to websites and mobile apps. The annual Astrid Awards and Mercury Awards are organised by US-based MerComm, Inc., which aims to define the standards of excellence in the communications fields.
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With 130,000 suppliers and 2 million buyers in its database, hktdc.com Sourcing creates 24 million business connections a year. An authentication system puts the suppliers in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories based on reputation and activity. Records of their participation at HKTDC events and most recent data update time are also provided, giving buyers useful reference as they seek out the most suitable suppliers. The Third-party Authentication Service, meanwhile, allows suppliers to highlight credibility and product quality, strengthening buyer confidence.
Mr Chau said suppliers can purchase "boosters", based on their business needs and promotion strategies, to increase exposure on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, enhancing their reach to potential business partners. "For users, this service has on average driven a 2.4- fold rise in business enquiries and 29-fold increase in exposure to buyers," said Mr Chau.
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