Alibaba.com, the Chinese e-commerce company for small business, has entered into an agreement to acquire Vendio Services, a multi-channel e-commerce services provider, in a bid to expand its business outside its home market.

Offered on Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud-computing model, the Vendio platform will enable merchants to source products from Alibaba.com’s trusted supplier network and sell through channels such as eBay, Amazon, and their own Vendio-supported store.

Following the acquisition, Alibaba.com plans to integrate Vendio’s e-commerce technology platform with the AliExpress.com, a wholesale transaction platform. Alibaba.com will connect AliExpress directly with Vendio via back-end integration, creating an AliExpress tab within the Vendio Platform. This integration allows Vendio users to gain access to a private sourcing experience within their Vendio inventory and sales management interfaces.
 

The acquisition is part of the USD 100 million investment plan for AliExpress that Alibaba.com announced a few months ago. The transaction is expected to be completed in July 2010. Vendio will become a new business unit within Alibaba.com, but will retain its own brand name and operations.

Over 80,000 merchants use Vendio’s multi-channel platform and applications to sell nearly USD 2 billion in merchandise across sites such as those operated by eBay and Amazon.com. The company also operates Dealio, a shopping and coupons site for consumers. Vendio is based in the US, with a development office in Romania.