Yiwu Market VS Trade Fairs

Yiwu Market and Trade Fairs in Common:

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• They're all fairs! Both Yiwu market and big trade fairs like Canton fair are shows for tens of thousands of suppliers and buyers meet and trade. Suppliers take this opportunity to meet buyers, buyers take this opportunity to meet suppliers.



• Both Yiwu market and trade fairs are full of showrooms and samples.



• Both Yiwu market and trade fairs are full of manufacturers, trading companies,and distributors.



• Both Yiwu market and trade fairs suppliers ask for MOQs.



• Both Yiwu market and trade fairs have new designs.

Yiwu Market and Trade Fairs Differences:

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• Trade fairs just open for a few days or a few weeks. Yiwu market opens all year round except for a half-month close during Chinese New Year.



• Trade fairs have more big manufacturers and big trading companies. Yiwu market has more small factories and distributors.



• Trade fairs have all new designs come out at a time. Yiwu market has new designs from time to time. (some designs are not new. But as they never exist in your market, so they're new.)



• Trade fairs have MOQs of thousands or tens of thousands. Yiwu market has MOQs from a few dozens to a few hundreds.



• At trade fairs, almost all suppliers speaks English and knows what is FOB. At Yiwu market, only few suppliers speak little English and have no idea about what is FOB.

So What to Do? Trade Fairs or Yiwu Market?

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As far as I understand:

If you're sourcing for a few specific products for big corporations,your quantity is by 40" containers. Then go to trade fairs.

If you just have a few stores, or 1 department store, and you want LOTS of products to mix in one container, then come to Yiwu market.

If you're only open to trade with manufacturers or big factories, trade fairs are more suitable for you.

If you're only comfortable with DIRECT relationship with factories and manufacturers (no matter how good or how bad they're), you will feel comfortable with trade fairs.

If you only feel safe to sign formal contracts, pay by L/C , talk t professional-looking people. You will have happier faces at trade fairs.

AND if you hate big populations at fair and you frown at ridiculous hotel rates during fair season, and you don't have a right time for trade fairs, then come to Yiwu market.

AND, if all your competitors go to a big trade fair and buy same stuff, you'd better not go there. You can come to Yiwu.