Global Sources Direct closing up shop

I received the following e-mail from Global Sources Direct today (along with a close out sales promotion).

"After 3 years of servicing wholesale customers from 144 countries with thousands of quality products, it's time to say farewell! Global Sources Direct will close its doors by the end of 2008 and will take its last orders on December 1, 2008. We will continue to provide helpdesk support to our customers until June 30, 2009."

I found Global Sources Direct through the eBay reseller marketplace but never made a purchase. The main reason I never made a purchase is that like almost everyone else targeting smaller retailers and eBay they claim to have wholesale prices but it just isn't true. As a example there is this foldable keyboard offered for $5.40 each ($108 for a case of 20) plus shipping of $111.55 for a total of $219.55 or $10.9775 per keyboard. I could (and did) purchase the exact same keyboard from a US based wholesaler for $5.05 per keyboard including shipping for a total cost of $101 and less than half the price Global Sources charged.