Alibaba.com(HKSE:1688),amemberoftheAlibabaGroupofcompanies,isoneoftheworld'spremiere-commercebrandsandthenumberoneonlinemarketplaceforglobalanddomesticChinatrade.Weprovideanefficient,trustedplatformconnectingsmallandmedium-sizedbuyersandsuppliersfromaroundtheworld.Ourinternationalmarketplace(www.alibaba.com)focusesonglobalimportersandexportersandourChinamarketplace(www.alibaba.com.cn)focusesonsuppliersandbuyerstradingdomesticallyinChina.Togetherourmarketplacesformacommunityofmorethan24millionregisteredusersfromover200countriesandregions.
OuroperationalheadquartersisbasedinHangzhouineasternChina.Wehavefieldsalesandmarketingofficesinmorethan30citiesinChina,HongKong,SwitzerlandandtheUnitedStates.Thecompanyhadmorethan4,400full-timeemployeesasofJune30,2007.
History&MilestonesJackMa,ourleadfounderandchairman,and18otherfounderslaunchedAlibaba.cominhisHangzhouapartmentin1999.Originally,Alibaba.comoperatedasabulletinboardserviceforbusinessestopostbuyandselltradeleads,andlaterbecameavibrantmarketplaceforsmallandmediumenterprisesaroundtheworldtoidentifypotentialtradingpartnersandinteractwitheachothertoconductbusinessonline.Alibaba.comlistedontheHongKongStockExchangeonNovember6,2007andistheflagshipbusinessoftheAlibabaGroup.
October2000GoldSuppliermembershiplaunchedtoserveChinaexporters.August2001InternationalTrustPassmembershiplaunchedtoserveexportersoutsideofChina.March2002ChinaTrustPassmembershiplaunchedtoserveSMEsengagingindomesticChinatrade.July2002Keywordserviceslaunchedonourinternationalmarketplace.November2003TradeManagerinstantmessagingsoftwarelaunchedtoenableuserstocommunicateinrealtimeonourmarketplaces.March2005KeywordbiddinglaunchedonourChinamarketplace.April2007GoldSuppliermembershiplaunchedtoserveHongKongexporters.November2007Alibaba.comlistedontheMainBoardoftheStockExchangeofHongKongLimited,understockcode1688.