Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — The Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has invited businessmen and interested traders to attend the presentation of its Alibaba.com website on Monday Tuesday. The chamber has launched the website, which is the largest online commercial platform in the world, in collaboration with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Abdullah Al-Ghalib, secretary-general of the MCCI, said the platform will increase the commercial activities between various targeted sectors and will transfer business from the traditional methods to the electronic domain. "The platform will open ample horizons before businessmen and productive families, will cut down expenses of distribution and promotion and shorten the travel distance from the production sites to the consumers," he said. Ghalib said the productive families can promote the "Made in Makkah" project through the website, giving it a universal touch and their products international reach. "The project is aimed at providing the needs of the pilgrims and visitors for material manufactured in Makkah such as souvenirs to keep as a life-long memorabilia from the holy land," he said. Al-Ghalib said under the agreement signed with the Dubai chamber, the MCCI has been appointed the sole representative for the website in the Kingdom. "This move will enable businessmen and productive families to market their products electronically thus reaching consumers all over the world," he said. "The e-commerce can reach the world markets very fast, at a low cost and with guarantees that will preserve the rights of both the seller and the buyer," he added. Ghalib said marketing products through Alibaba.com will provide communications with about 27 million merchants in 190 countries. "At present, at least 30 million businessmen are projecting more than 40 various products on the platform, making annual revenues of about $420 billion," he said. He asked Saudi businessmen to focus on using the platform to sell jewels, precious stones, textiles, bags, perfumes, carpets, prayer rugs, worry beads and other materials sought by pilgrims and visitors.
