YiWu wholesale market provides unlimited opportunities for anyone planning to buy products in China at wholesale prices.
You can also call it as the YiWu International Trade City where traders from all over the world converge to shop.
It is the biggest wholesale market that sells almost every product that you would want to have.
Let us dive deeper and find out more about YiWu wholesale market.
Location of YiWu Wholesale Market
YiWu wholesale market is located in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China.
It is quite big in size covering about 5 districts with 75,000 booths spanning over 4 million meters square.
How to Get to YiWu Wholesale Market
You can get to YiWu by using different modes of transport depending on where you are coming from.
International visitors can access YiWu through the International Airports and Sea Port in China.
You can land in any city in China and then access YiWu wholesale market through the following avenues.
Accessing YiWu Wholesale Market from Shanghai
In case you land in Shanghai, you can access YiWu Wholesale Market through different modes of transport.
You can opt for train transport which will take you about 2 hours and 16 minutes to arrive.
Apart from that, you can access it via road where buses become the most economical means to reach YiWu.
The buses will take more than 4 hours on the road to reach YiWu from Shanghai.
In case you rent a car or book a taxi you will be there in about 2 hours and 55 mins.
Accessing YiWu Wholesale Market from Guangzhou
Due to the long stretch, you might opt to fly from Guangzhou all the way to YiWu wholesale market.
You will spend between 100 and 200 dollars on a domestic flight taking 4 hours and 40 minutes to arrive.
With a train, you will spend less but stay on the rail for about 21 hours and 48 minutes.
The bus is faster than the train and will take 13 hours and 30 minutes.
A taxi or a self-driven private vehicle takes 11 hours and 53 minutes.
Accessing YiWu from Shenzhen
You can take a flight taking 4 hours and 39 minutes to travel to YiWu from Shenzhen.
It will cost you between 100 to 185 US dollars depending on the type of flight you take.
The bus will take around 21 hours while the train will take between 8 hours and 10 minutes.
In case you opt to drive personally to YiWu, you will take 11 hours and 58 minutes on the road.
Accessing YiWu from Beijing
A flight from Beijing to YiWu takes 4 hours and 33 minutes even though it is costly.
You can also opt for a train ride to save cost that will take 6 hours and 46 minutes to arrive in YiWu.
A drive to YiWu will take 14 hours and 11 minutes to arrive.
Accessing YiWu Wholesale Market from Ningbo
Since Ningbo is pretty close to Yiwu, you should save cost by taking a train that takes 1 hour and 42 minutes.
It is also very cheap as you will pay between 20 and 35 dollars.
You can also pay 9 dollars on a bus that will take you 4 hours to reach Yiwu.
If you hire a car, you can drive it to YiWu in 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Where to Stay in YiWu International Trade City.
Yiwu International Trade City has some of the best infrastructures all over the world.
You can depend on the YiWu hotel and motels to get the best form of accommodation while you are shopping.
The cost of putting up or staying in YiWu International City will vary depending on the type of accommodation services.
There are high reputation hotels that will force you to dig deeper into your pockets while others are very affordable.
Comparison between YiWu Wholesale Market and Guangzhou Wholesale Market
Well, you can get different types of products from both Guangzhou and YiWu wholesale markets.
YiWu wholesale market is located in YiWu while Guangzhou wholesale market is in Guangzhou city in China.
YiWu wholesale market is best for purchasing different products on a wholesale price.
Guangzhou also has different products at wholesale prices but with clusters of manufacturing industries.
Guangzhou can also boast of having the Canton fair which is not available at the YiWu wholesale market.
History of YiWu Whole Sale Market
Since the 1949 communist rule in YiWu, there was a ban on the individual sale of things for profit.
This led to the sole good to good exchange between the people which you can identify as batter trade.
In 1982, the administration in YiWu decided to allow the private sale of products with very few hundred stoles and sheds.
After that, the YiWu market grew in size and became the largest wholesale market in the entire world.
Benefits of Buying from YiWu Wholesale Market
YiWu has quite a number of benefits that should attract you to purchase your products.
Here are the main benefits that should attract you to purchase from YiWu.
· Versatility of Products
You can purchase different products from YiWu wholesale market.
Implying that there are plenty of products of different varieties at the YiWu Wholesale Market to choose from.
· Short Lead Time
You will get your products within a very short period due to the availability of products in plenty.
All the products are also ready to package and load on different means of transport for shipping to different destinations.
· Presence of Proper Assistants
You can also shop comfortably in YiWu wholesale market with the help of agents who will assist you in the shopping escapade.
They will assist in getting the products that you want at the most affordable prices.
Some of them will also help in translation as most traders speak the local Chinese language.
Limitations of Buying from YiWu Wholesale Market
Well, there are particular cons that you will experience when you are shopping at YiWu Wholesale Market.
Here are some of the limitations that might hider a pleasant shopping experience.
· Language Barrier
Most of the Chinese traders at YiWu wholesale market do not speak other languages such as English.
You might have a difficult time trying to communicate with them unless you hire a translator which might be expensive.
· Non-Regulation of Prices
The prices of different products are not under proper regulations and that will force you to negotiate for a good price.
You might have to consult different suppliers to get an average price on a particular product thus wasting time.
· Limited Currency
You might also experience problems with the payment as some of the currencies are not acceptable at the market.
You should try and visit a bank in YiWu to get the right currency for trading at the YiWu wholesale market.
Layout of YiWu International Trade Market
YiWu International Trade City has 5 districts that sell different products.
You should know the district where the products you intend to purchase are before visiting YiWu wholesale market.
Here are the main districts and the products that you can purchase from them.
YiWu International Trade City District 1
At the YiWu international trade city district one, you will find a building with four floors.
The first floor has artificial flowers, toys, and other flower accessories.
The second floor has hair ornaments, jewelry, and other beautiful ornaments.
The third floor has frames, ornament accessories, crystal, and ceramic materials, festivals, decorative, and tourism craft.
The fourth floor has the Taiwan mall with ornaments, crafts, and flowers, and factory outlets such as toys and other accessories.
YiWu International Trade City District 2
At district 2 of the YiWu International Trade City, you will find five floors selling different types of products.
On the first floor, you will find the rainwear, umbrellas, bags, and suitcases.
On the second floor, you will find the hardware tools, electrical tools, vehicles and locks.
The third floor boasts of home appliances such as kitchen ware, electronic appliances and clocks and watches among other things.
The fourth floor has electronics and hardware materials.
The fifth floor has the export agencies and other featured products for export.
YiWu International Trade City District 3
District three also has 5 floors with different products on every floor of the building.
The first floor will boast of stationery such as pens and pencils, ink, eyeglasses, wall calendars, and couplets.
The second floor has entertainment and leisure products, sportswear, and office materials.
The third floor has combs and mirrors, zippers and buttons, cosmetic products, and clothing apparel.
The fourth floor serves as factory outlets for beauty and cosmetic products, garments, and other sportswear accessories.
The fifth floor has all the paintings and frames that you can lay your hands on.
YiWu International Trade City District 4
The fourth district has four floors where the first floor has socks and leggings.
The second floor has gloves, hats, caps, knitted goods, earmuffs and other daily necessities.
On the third floor, you will find shoes, towels, caddice, threads and tapes, ties and laces among others.
The fourth floor has shops selling underwear, bras, and belts among other things.
The fifth floor has garments, shoes, daily necessities, frame accessories and a tourism center.
YiWu International Trade City District 5
District 5 has 5 floors with African products, crafts and ornaments, daily consumables, garments, and health products.
The second floor has Chinese knots, beddings, while on the third floor we have curtains, knitted clothes and fabrics.
The fourth floor has motorcycle and car accessories, while the fifth floor has virtual shops and online services.
List of YiWu Wholesale Market Products – Know What to Buy from YiWu
You can purchase quite a lot of products from YiWu wholesale market.
You should, however, have proper knowledge of the products to buy and where to buy them from.
Here are some of the products that you can purchase from YiWu Wholesale Market.
- Fashion Accessories and Beauty Products
- School & Office Appliances (Such as stationary, books and files among others)
- Party, Festival & Wedding Accessories
- Homeware & Decoration Accessories (To decorate and beautify your house)
- Imported Products (from other producing countries)
- Baby Products such as clothes, toys and ither important accessories.
- Consumer Electronics such as kitchen, communication and entertainment appliances
- Hardware & Construction Tools
- Jewelry, Beauty & Bag Parts
- Apparel and Shoes for both men, women and children
- Health Products such as pharmaceutical products
- Hotel & Restaurant Appliances such as plate, cutleries and dining appliances
- Automotive & Motorcycle Parts and Accessories
- Packing Materials
- Sport products such as sport and training wear
- Outdoor accessories such as shoes and clothes
- Pet Supplies
- Toys, Novelty and fun materials
- Machinery equipment
YiWu Wholesale Market Opening Hours
Well, YiWu Wholesale market is open throughout the year at different times depending on the District.
Generally, most districts in YiWu Wholesale Markets open from 8: 30 in the morning to 18:00 in the evening.
Here is a table that gives you the opening and closing hours of different market districts in Yiwu.
Best Time to Visit YiWu Wholesale Market
Well, you can visit YiWu Wholesale market at anytime of the year including weekends.
Implying that YiWu Market is always open for you to go and shop for the products that you want.
There are, however, particular periods when you should consider visiting YiWu market.
One of the best periods to visit YiWu market is during the trade fairs because the prices are often standardized.
Apart from that, the weather as well as the Chinese holiday can also influence the best visiting time.
You should avoid shopping at the YiWu wholesale market during Chinese holidays as most shops are closed.
In terms of weather factors, you should visit the market during March to June and September to December.
MOQ in YiWu International Trade City
The minimum order quantity of products that you can order from YiWu wholesale market is not definite.
Since there are different suppliers, you should expect to have varying minimum order quantities.
This makes it quite difficult to establish a proper minimum order quantity for the traders at YiWu wholesale market.
How to Buy from YiWu Wholesale Market
YiWu wholesale market is a very big market with 75,000 booths that you cannot cover in a short shopping period.
You can shop from YiWu by going through a particular procedure that will guide you on getting the best products.
Here is a step by step procedure that you can follow when shopping from YiWu Wholesale Market.
Step One: Know the Country
First, you should have proper knowledge about the country and culture of the people in China or YiWu.
You should learn the basics on their language, the food they eat, their holidays, and mode of communication.
With that at hand, you should look for the best and most affordable means of reaching YiWu wholesale market.
Have a proper plan on where you are going to sleep and possibly have a guide to help you move around.
Step Two: Prepare Money and Time
You should have a proper budget and estimate to spend about two weeks of your time at the YiWu wholesale market.
Due to its size, you will need enough time to visit a considerable amount of shops in the market.
You must also have the money in an acceptable currency that most of the trader’s use.
It is safe to carry the Chinese Yuan to help you handle the transactions in a better way.
Step Three: Hire Reliable Agent
You should also hire an agent that you can rely on to show you the most important things that you need.
Tour agent should help in the sourcing of the products and negotiate a proper price for the products you need.
Apart from that, your agent must help in proper translation and communication between the you and the traders.
Some of the agent are dubious as they will speak a language you don’t speak.
You should know that agents charge between three and ten percent of the total value of goods you purchase.
Step Four: Pick Right Products
While at the market, you should go for the products of high quality that you intend to purchase.
You can use the help of your agent to identify the right products that you need within the shortest period.
You should also think of purchasing the products in bulk and visit different booths to get the most appealing products.
Step Five: Organize Foreign Trade
You should consider organizing foreign trade on a personal basis by providing all the details in absolute truth.
Do not miss any of the gaps in the documents that you intend to fill.
Step Six: Take Your Time
You should also take your time and enjoy the shopping experience by exploring the culture and food of the Chinese.
Take some time off the shopping expedition and visit different Chinese expedition sites.
Step Seven: Organize for Transport
Finally, before you leave, you must organize your products well and transport in the most efficient and cheapest mode of transport.
Other Wholesale Markets in China Apart from YiWu
Well, there are quite a number of wholesale markets in China where you can go and purchase different products.
The other wholesale markets in China are in different cities of the republic but YiWu is the largest.
Here is a list of the other wholesale markets that are in China.
- Guangzhou Baima Costume Wholesale Markets
- Shijing Clothes Wholesale Market
- Zhanxi Clothing Wholesale Market
- Haizhu Wholesale Market
- Zhongda Wholesale Market
- Shenzhen Wholesale Market
- Hong Kong Wholesale Markets
These are the largest markets in China that sell different types of products.
You should also note that the above markets also have other smaller markets within the cities.
Finding Right Supplier in YiWu Wholesale Market
You should have proper information on the suppliers in the Chinese Market to find the best supplier.
Due to the numerous numbers of suppliers in YiWu wholesale market, you should take your time to make a choice.
You should also look at the prices that different suppliers provide when looking for a good supplier.
Alongside the price, you must also consider the type or quality of the products every supplier is providing.
In that case, you should settle for a supplier who gives the best quality of goods at the most affordable prices.
With the help of the agents that you hire, you should be able to identify a good supplier within a short period.
They can do a feasibility study on the market and identify a good supplier as you do your survey online.
How to Communicate with Suppliers in YiWu International Trade City.
Communicating is one of the biggest limitations to the people who are visiting YiWu market in person.
This is because most of the suppliers do not understand foreign langu8uages such as English.
In this case, you can learn the local language that the Chinese suppliers will understand.
Apart from that, you can hire a translator through proper referral channels to help in the communication process.
In addition to that, you can have your agent do the communication for you thus eliminating the need of a translator.
Benefits of Working with YiWu Sourcing Agent
Chinese sourcing agents have the best information that you might need about the Chinese market.
They will help you perform a number of activities within a short time on a limited budget.
Here are the main benefits that you can experience by working with the YiWu sourcing agents.
· Sourcing of an Agent
You will have a very easy time getting a good agent through the YiWu sourcing agents.
They will allocate a trusted agent to you at a very affordable price in comparison to hiring a private agent.
· Provides General Services
The YiWu sourcing agents will also provide you with all the services that you want from the YiWu wholesale market.
You don’t have to waste your time and money going through all the necessities of shopping at YiWu wholesale market.
· Supplier Sourcing
The YiWu agents will also help you to source for a very good supplier who is able to meet you shopping demands.
The supplier will give you the price in the market and also meet your bulk quantity requirements.
· Sample Arrangements
YiWu agents will also arrange with the supplier to send a sample of the goods that you need to your address.
You will be able to check the quality of the goods you intend to purchase through the samples that you will receive.
· Shipping Arrangements
You will not have to worry about the transport of your cargo from YiWu wholesale market to your destination.
YiWu wholesale agents will ensure that you receive the cargo that you purchase from the suppliers.
· Inspection of Quality
The agents will also look at the products and inspect the quality against your requirement specifications.
They will approve the products to be of high quality before allowing you to receive them a6 your destination.
· Free Warehousing Services
You can also rest easy that your products are safe in the warehouse of the YiWu agents.
They will provide free warehousing services to your products for a particular period of time.
Cost of Hiring China Sourcing Agent in YiWu Wholesale Market
Hiring a sourcing agent requires a keen eye to choose a good one who will help you shop well.
The sourcing agent will assist you in most of the purchasing activities at the YiWu wholesale market.
At the end of the whole experience you will have to pay a fee for the services of the agent.
In most cases, the agent will charge between 3% and 10% of your total good purchases.
How to Source for Products in YiWu Wholesale Market
You can source your products through proper searches for a good supplier who will offer you the best prices.
In that case, there are certain factors that you should consider looking at such as dealing with product suppliers.
Implying that you have to prepare well for the with the following when sourcing for products at the YiWu wholesale market.
Find a Good YiWu Wholesale Market Supplier
You must have proper knowledge of the following things when you are looking for a good YiWu wholesale market supplier.
First, you must understand that there are numerous options available because of the numerous presence of suppliers.
You must not hesitate to do a proper survey of the market by exploring different product suppliers.
On the same note, you should look at the quality of the products the suppliers offer and the prices.
Secondly, you must understand that the prices of the products also vary from one supplier to the other.
You should think of negotiating in order to strike a good price deal that will profit your business.
Use Your Agents
You can also use your YiWu wholesale market agents to help you with the sourcing of the products that you need.
Your agents have knowledge of the market and will identify the location of the product you need faster.
This will save you a lot of time but you must be very careful and explore other avenues before settling for one supplier.
Do an Online Survey
You must also perform an online survey of the YiWu wholesale market and get in touch with the suppliers early enough.
This will grant you the perfect opportunity for proper comparison before you actually visit the market to negotiate your deals.
Why you need Freight Forwarder when Buying from YiWu Wholesale Market
You will need a freight forwarder when buying from YiWu wholesale market to organize for transport services.
A good freight forwarder will ensure that you get your goods to the right destination from YiWu wholesale market.
As soon as you get in touch with a freight forwarder, you will agree on the logistics of transporting your cargo.
He will organize on proper packaging of the cargo to avoid breaking them in any way.
After that, the freight forwarding company will deal with storage of the materials as they await transportation to your destination.
In addition to that, the freight forwarder will have agents who will ensure safe loading of the cargo on the shipping vessel.
Along the shopping route, the freight forwarder will give you proper information about the status of your cargo.
They perform tracking of the cargo and give you updates on every step until the cargo reaches your destination.
How Sourcing Agent Compares to YiWu Market Agent
Well, the sourcing agents in different parts of China perform the same activities as the YiWu market agents.
Despite the similarity in the duties that they perform, there is a difference in terms of experience.
YiWu wholesale market agents have more experience in sourcing for different products within YiWu wholesale market.
They have the information about different suppliers and products available at YiWu wholesale market.
On the other hand, sourcing agents outside YiWu wholesale market may not have that kind of information and experience.
In many cases, the sourcing agents outside YiWu wholesale market work in collaboration with the YiWu wholesale market agents.
Buying from YiWu Wholesale Market Online
Well, there are quite a number of sites which will allow you to purchase products from YiWu wholesale market.
At the comfort of your home, you can log into your computer and visit Yiwugo.com.
Yiwugo.com is the official website where all the products in YiWu are available for you to choose from.
These sites help in searching for the best products at the YiWu wholesale market.
While shopping online, you will only have to select the product and pay for all the relevant fees.
Implying that you don’t have to source for an agent as that will be the responsibility of the online distributors.
Apart from that, you don’t have to worry about unscrupulous traders as the sites guarantee you safety.
They have a money back policy in case the products you purchase fail to reach the quality standards you request for.
After paying for the products and the cost of shipping, you will provide your address and wait for the products to arrive.
How Yiwugo.com compares to Alibaba.com and AliExpress.com
Well, on the online shopping platform, there are three big players who help in sourcing for the goods.
In this case, we have the Yiwugo.com. Alibaba.com and AliExpress.com.
· Yiwugo.Com
It is the official website for the YiWu wholesale market with all the products from the market.
At Yiwugo.com, you have the opportunity of meeting different suppliers from YiWu wholesale market.
These suppliers display their products on the site for you to view and then get in touch for a good negotiation.
After that, you can agree on the terms of payment which will be backed up by Yiwugo.com.
· Alibaba.com
Alibaba boasts as one of the biggest shopping platforms that you can purchase your products from.
Just like Yiwugo.com, different suppliers display their products on the website for you to view.
Apart from that, the products also have their price tags on them thus allowing you to make your orders.
Alibaba will then organize for transport of the products from the supplier to your destination.
· AliExpress.com
AliExpress.com is another online shopping website where you can view different products from different suppliers.
It also has the price tags of the product as well as the key details about the product for you to review.
Once you select the product and pay for it, you should expect to have it within a few days of your purchase.
It is the platform that will allow you to purchase and receive your products within a very short period.
It offers express shipping services hence the name AliExpress.com.
Getting Best Prices in YiWu International Trade Market
You should always explore all the possibilities and avenues of getting the best prices at the YiWu international trade market.
It is achievable through proper techniques that you can comfortably explore such as:
· Using Reputable Agents
You should use agents that have a very good reputation both with the clients and the suppliers.
These agents will help you find the best suppliers who offer the best products at the most affordable prices.
· Proper Negotiation Skills
You must also negotiate for a good price for the products that you get from the different suppliers.
With the help of your agent, you can negotiate your way through and get the best prices for products.
· Purchase in Bulk
You can also opt to purchase your products in bulk to increase your negotiation power.
Suppliers often reduce the cost of products especially when you purchase the products in bulk.
· Look for Manufacturers Outlets
It is also important to purchase your products from the outlets set up by the main manufacturers of the products.
In that case, you will get the products at the factory prices especially if you intend to purchase in bulk.
· Change Your Suppliers
You should avoid being rigid once you get the opportunity of dealing with a particular agent and supplier.
Flexibility will allow you to meet different agents and suppliers with different prices thus helping in price moderation.
How to Pay Suppliers in YiWu Wholesale Market
While shopping at YiWu wholesale market, you must have your money in the local currency.
At YiWu market, all the traders accept the Yuan which is the official money currency for trading at the market.
Yuan is the official Chinese currency which you can also identify as the RMB.
Apart from the currency, you should think of making your purchase and paying it in full.
There are cases where you can pay a 30% deposit and pay the rest as soon as you collect your cargo.
Such a situation will only happen when you purchase the cargo in bulk adding up to a couple of containers.
Incoterms to Use when Importing from YiWu Wholesale Market
You should be aware of the incoterms that you will use in purchasing products from YiWu wholesale market.
Here are the main types of incoterms that you can use when shopping at the YiWu wholesale market.
