Alibaba.com offering shipping service

Alibaba.com offering shipping service    China-based e-commerce company Alibaba.com, which sells everything from computers to steel pipe, has introduced a new warehouse, shipping and logistics service.
   It said the Fulfillment by AliExpress service would use bulk shipping deals and combine multiple international shipments from different suppliers to save small shippers up to 30 percent
   Alibaba said GELS Enterprise Shanghai Co. Ltd. would handle all warehousing, shipping and logistics for AliExpress orders that choose to use the fulfillment service, offering a choice of discounted rates from international carriers such as UPS and EMS, China’s Express Mail Service. Other carriers would be added in the future.
   Fulfillment by AliExpress manages the domestic shipping within China and holds a buyers' order in a secure GELS warehouse until the buyer gives authorization to ship the goods internationally within a prescribed time period. The company will also offer the option of contracting GELS to inspect goods prior to shipment to verify that there is no exterior damage to the goods and that the physical characteristics of the shipment, such as quantity, color and size.
   “While this additional service does not inspect the quality of the goods, it does help the buyer to reduce the risk of receiving physically damaged or non-conforming goods,” Alibaba said.
   Alibaba had sales of 4.4 billion Chinese yuan ($613 million) in the first nine months of 2010.