Western Corporation

Alibaba Group’s unexpected purchase of a big stake in Zulily heartened investors in the challenged moms-oriented, flash-sales site, and prompted speculation of growing Western ambitions for the Chinese online retail behemoth.

But Alibaba’s three-day Zulily shopping spree, unveiled in securities filings Friday, probably does not herald an all-out invasion of the Seattle tech scene or a change of its China-first policy, experts say.

Alibaba’s “global ambitions right now are connecting brands and sellers in the U.S. with Chinese consumers,” a market where it reigns supreme, said Porter Erisman, a former Alibaba executive.

I continue my ...Really?? rant series, this time it's from the perspective of a multi-line rep.

This month's My Best Promotion examines how one distributor used promotional playing cards to create a game for kids while also teaching them about safety.

The recent wave of suicides at the Foxconn manufacturing plant in China has served as an eye-opener to what life is like living in a factory culture. Proposed wage increases across Chinese factories have created a dialog in the U.S.

It's a hot august afternoon in Beijing, and student Li Yanan is shopping with a friend at the Joy City mall, in the city's Xicheng district. The mall offers plenty of Western brand-name stores -- Quiksilver, Levi's, French Connection -- all looking much as they do in other malls around the world.

City of Industry, California-based Sweda Company announced the launch of Toue, a whollyowned subsidiary providing distributors with a total global sourcing experience that promises innovative marketing solutions by blending the best of Asian production capabilities with Western marketing ideas.

China announced Wednesday that its exports climbed 46 percent in February from a year earlier. Economists said the data signaled a rebound in consumer demand from the United States and other Western markets after the financial crisis last year.

James McLoone has joined The Vernon Company, Newton, Iowa, as an account executive in its Eastern region. McCloone is a 10-year promotional products industry veteran. Prior to joining The Vernon Company he was with industry distributor Cyrk, Gloucester, Mass.

Bodek and Rhodes, Philadelphia, one of the nation’s leading wholesalers of imprintable apparel and accessories, recently announced the addition of Kevin Bloomquist as western regional manager. 

On January 4, 2010, Sterling, Illinois-based HALO/Lee Wayne announced the addition of several new account executives. Joining in the Midwest region are Heather Johnson, Mary Wickstrom and Leigh Roberson. New to the Western region is Gus McConnell, and joining the Southern region is Tim Johnson. Northeastern region additions include Jane Heimbecker, Barry Kahan and Mo Lajterman.