Privacy policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes and gives you clear and comprehensive information about the data that Global Sources collects from you, and provides an explanation of how and why we collect, use and manage that data

For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679),the data controller is Global Sources (see Contact Details). Global Sources is based in Hong Kong and is responsible for data collected in relation to websites and tradeshows managed by Global Sources.You should be aware that although Global Sources may be principally responsible for looking after your personal data, information may be held in databases which can be accessed by other affiliated entities of Global Sources.

We may make changes to this Policy from time to time in order to keep it up to date and compliant with legal requirements. Please refer to the "Last Updated" date at the bottom of this page to see when this Policy was last revised. We may also notify you about significant changes by email, using the address you last provided or by posting an alert which will be displayed when you access our systems. This Policy is not intended to override the terms of any contract that you have with us or between buyers and suppliers (or any rights you might have available under applicable data protection laws).

Third-party links

Our website may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of our partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy notices and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these notices. Please check these notices before you submit any personal information to these websites.

How Do We Collect Your Personal Data?

We collect your data in a variety of ways:

At Trade Shows, Roadshows, Seminars and Conferences

Registration Forms
- We ask visitors to register their attendance by completing a form which we then enter into our systems.
Check-In updates
- We ask visitors to update/complete data retrieved from previous registrations held in our system.
Business Cards
- We scan and store details of visitors’ business cards.
Booth Visit History
- Exhibitors use the Global Sources Supplier App to scan visitors’ badges when visitors call at their booths. Visit data is then uploaded to our servers.

Through Website Forms

Registration & Inquiry Forms
- We ask visitors to our online sites to register in order to personalize and use the site’s messaging functions. We support both a full and a lite registration mode that captures minimal data. Additionally, we have a self-registration function for suppliers who wish to register as an advertiser on our site.
Subscription Forms
- We capture details of site visitors’ subscriptions and preferences to services such as Notifications, Product/Supplier Alerts, Print Magazines, and eMagazines.
Sample/Small Order Forms
- We capture details of sample and small orders placed by visitors to advertisers on the site.
Private Sourcing Events
- We capture basic details of buyers interested in applying for our Private Sourcing service.

Call Center Activities

Telemarketing
- We periodically contact people and seek information for market surveys and research questionnaires or to qualify prospects for our services or those of our advertiser community, e.g., to qualify potential:
Customer Service
- Online users, and Trade Show visitors and potential advertisers contact us for enquiries, complaints, suggestions or feedback through our Customer Service Team via online chat system, hotline, fax or email.
- Additionally, there are small numbers of potential advertisers who call in. Their details are qualified and entered into our systems.

Systems Tracking Functions

We use Cookies and other related technologies on our sites. To the extent that information collected through Cookies and similar technologies constitutes personal information.

Other Sources

We collect data from other sources, such as public databases, joint marketing partners and other third parties including third party software applications and social media platforms. The data collected through these third party sources will be combined with information we collect through our services where this is necessary to help manage our relationship with you.

What Personal Data Do We Collect?

The personal information we collect include:

Contact and Communication Details
- This includes your name, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and social media contact details.
Business Details
- Job title, role, company name, and company demographics, i.e., number of employees, turnover, etc. Please note that contact details typically are work related since our mission is to facilitate B2B trade.
Preferences
- Marketing preferences inferred from subscriptions to product/supplier alerts, print and eMagazines and Trade Show news.
- Display and language preferences
Communications
- Details of calls/messaging made between:
Buying & Payment History
- What sample requests or other orders placed between advertisers and site visitors
- What seminars/events booked at Trade Shows
- What print and eMagazines subscribed to
Device and Log Information
- The internet domain and IP address from where you access our websites and apps.
- The type of browser software and operating system used to access our websites and apps.
- The date and time you access our websites and apps
- If you linked into our websites and apps from another website, the address of that website (referrer URL), and:
Online Behavioral Data
- We use Cookies and other tracking technologies to capture activity on our sites, such as:

Offline Behavioral Data
- Trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences visitors attended
- Exhibitors visited (captured through Global Sources Buyer App)
- Summits/seminars/events attended

What Do We Use Your Personal Data For?

We use the data to provide you with our products and services, to develop new offerings and to protect Global Sources and our visitors, exhibitors, buyers, suppliers and advertisers as detailed below. In some instances, we will request that you provide data to us directly. If you do not provide the data that we request, or prohibit us from collecting such data, we may not be able to provide the requested products and services.

We use the data for our legitimate business interests, including the following:

To create personalized product recommendations on behalf of online advertisers to present to online visitors by email or phone.
To market relevant Global Sources online services (e.g., Product/Supplier Alerts, Magazines) by print DMs, eDMs, telemarketing calls, SMS or other platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn or through third party agencies.
To market relevant Global Sources Tradeshows and services (e.g., Buyer apps, Summits, Start Up Launchpad) by print DMs, eDMs, telemarketing calls, SMS or through other platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn or through 3rd party agencies
To create contact lists of Online and/or Trade Show visitors who have opted in to third party marketing. These lists are segmented based on visitor preferences, behaviors or demographics and can be rented/sold to verified third party vendor for direct marketing on behalf of their clients.
Using third party marketing materials from our partners (advertisers or service providers) to market to Global Sources Online and Trade Show visitors who have opted in to third party marketing. These visitors are segmented based on preferences, behavior or demographics, by print DMs, eDMs, telemarketing calls, SMS or through other platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn or through third party agencies.
Create contact lists for surveys and similar market research activities.
To facilitate review of visitor details for qualification purposes by Advertisers and Exhibitors who have received Requests for Information or similar from visitors to our Online site or Tradeshows, through our Messaging Service and to facilitate communications between parties by email/phone/chat in relation to such requests .
Our Customer Services team may use your personal data when responding to your comments, feedback, inquiries, questions, to give you appropriate support to fulfil your needs and requests
Our Technical Support team may use your personal data to (i) facilitate internal purposes such as auditing, data analysis, and research to improve our products, services and improve your user experience, including providing more relevant customized content to you; (ii) detect, investigate and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities and protect your rights and property as well as ours.
Use the data for purposes associated with our legal and regulatory obligations.

We will only use your personal data for those purposes set out above and only where we are satisfied that it is necessary and that its use falls under one or more of the following legal grounds, i.e.:

To comply with a relevant legal or regulatory obligation that we are subject to
To fulfill obligations under a contract signed between you and us, or
To support 'legitimate interests' that we have as a business provided it is always carried out in a way that is proportionate and that respects your privacy rights
Or exceptionally for clearly defined and limited cases, where you have freely given consent

How Do We Secure your Personal Data?

Whilst we cannot guarantee to keep your data 100% secure, we are committed to protecting you (and us) from unauthorized access to, or unauthorized alteration, disclosure, destruction of personal information that we hold.

We regularly review our information collection, storage and processing practices, including physical, logical and organizational security measures, to guard against unauthorized access to systems and data stores.
Our regular reviews include engaging external security consultants to test effectiveness of implemented security measures.
We restrict access to personal information to our employees, contractors and agents who need access to the relevant personal information in order for them to process it for us and who are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations.
We implement strong access control mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication, identity & access management in addition to strong password policies.
Where appropriate, we use technical solutions such as encryption, pseudonymization and anonymization to further protect data at rest and in transit.

On your part, we encourage you to use a unique and strong password to protect your account, activate the two-factor authentication (2FA) feature that we provide, limit access to your computer and log out after using our services. In addition, you should make sure your computer is updated with the latest security patches and protected with an anti-malware product at all times.

Please note that you are responsible for the personal information that you choose to share, disclose or submit voluntarily while using our website and which can be viewed by members of third party applications or messengers.

How Long Do We Keep Your Personal Data?

We will retain your personal data for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes listed in this Privacy Policy. When your personal information is no longer required, we will ensure it is either securely deleted or stored in a way which means it will no longer be used by the business.

In some circumstances we may retain your personal information for longer periods of time, for example, where we are required to do so to meet legal, regulatory, tax or accounting requirements or in the event of any complaint or challenge, or if we reasonably believe there is a possibility of legal action relating to your personal information or dealings. Under normal circumstances this should not exceed 7 years from the date of the last engagement with you.

Who Do We Share Your Personal Data With?

We may share your personal information with third parties, to help manage our business and deliver services as outlined below:

Service providers, who perform functions on our behalf such as fulfilling orders, who help manage our IT and back office systems, delivering packages, sending postal mail and email, removing repetitive information from customer lists, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance, providing search results and links (including paid listings and links), and providing customer services.
Data protection authorities, regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies, in Hong Kong, EU and around the world.
Other third parties, for the purpose of detecting, preventing or otherwise addressing fraud, security or technical issues, protecting against harm to the rights, property or safety of our users or the public.
We may disclose or transfer your data to a third party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of Global Sources business, assets or stock (including any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).

Direct Marketing

We may use your personal information to send you direct marketing communications about our products and services or our related services according to your preferences either with your consent or because we have a legitimate interest to do so, including our latest product announcements and upcoming events. This may be in the form of emails, SMS, telephone calls or targeted online advertisement. We limit direct marketing to a reasonable proportionate level, and to send you communications which we think will be interesting and relevant to you, based on the information we have about you.

You have choices when it comes to how we use your data and we want to ensure you have the information to make the choices that are right for you.

If you no longer want to receive marketing-related emails, SMS, or printed materials, you may opt out by following the instructions in any such emails, SMS or printed materials you receive from us.