Yiwu China Commodity City: How to Navigate China’s Largest Wholesale Market

Yiwu China Commodity City (中国小商品城) is known throughout the country as a vast shopping destination. From Middle Eastern businessmen buying wholesale goods, to local shoppers picking up clothing, the large shopping city really has it all. The UN, World Bank and Morgan Stanley have called the shopping center, "the world's largest small commodity wholesale market," for a reason!   

Founded in 1982, the shopping plaza spans over 4 million square meters and employs 200,000 workers. Over 210,000 shoppers browse the merchandise every day. When traveling to or living in Yiwu, the shopping area is worth checking out, despite its overwhelming size. Commodity City is divided into districts: International Trade Mall Districts 1-5 and Huangyuan Clothing Market, together making up the shopping giant. Our advice: this is not a place to shop aimlessly, know what you want and pretend to be a wholesaler.

1) International Trade Mall District 1
District 1 of the International Trade Mall has four floors and a vast array of merchandise. The first floor is home to fake flowers, flower accessories and a wide range of toys. The second floor stocks accessories and jewelry and the third floor houses decorative items including festive decorations, crafts, porcelain, crystal, picture frames and more jewelry. The fourth floor is an outlet center selling high quality ceramics, crystal and glass.

2) International Trade Mall District 2 
This district has five stories. Floor 1 contains bags, umbrellas and ponchos. Handymen (and women) should check out the second floor which sells hardware, tools, electronics, locks and car parts. The third floor holds kitchen equipment and small appliances as well as telephone and cell phone related items, and watches. The fourth and fifth floors contain manufacturer outlet centers, specialty boutiques and foreign trade procurement centers.

3) International Trade Mall District 3
With five functioning floors, District 3 sells everything from pens to make-up. The first floor sells pen and ink supplies, glasses, and paper goods. Floor number two contains office and school supplies as well as a sports and leisure section. The third floor sells cosmetics, zippers, buttons and other garment-related accessories. Floor four is the corporate sales center and the fifth holds imported goods from 28 countries including Italy, Japan, Brazil, Africa, Spain and Malaysia.

4) International Trade Mall District 4
Another five story shopping center but specializing in accessories. The first story sells hosiery. Yes, that means there is an entire floor of panty hose. The second floor sells gloves, hats and cotton fabric. Floor three sells shoes, ties, towels and wool fabric and the fourth floor houses bras, underwear, belts and scarves. A variety of vehicles can reach all the floors of the market because of the special elevated lanes, so drive right up to the floor of your choice!

5) International Trade Mall District 5
A bit to the west, District 5's five floors stock everything from alcohol to hats to knitting needles. The first floor carries jewelry, crafts, food (and alcohol), first-aid and healthcare products, general merchandise, clothing, shoes, hats and important products from Africa. The second floor sells bedding and the third floor houses textiles and knitting materials (yarn). The fourth floor contains car accessories and the fifth floor is a trade service zone.

6) Huangyuan Clothing Market
Opened in April 2011, the Huangyuan Clothing Market (篁园服装市场) has eight whole floors of, you guessed it, clothing. The first floor sells business wear and jeans, the second floor carries men's clothing and the third floor is all for the ladies. The fourth floor contains sportswear, the fifth floor houses children's clothing and the sixth floor is a parking lot and food area. Floors seven and eight contain a showcase of local specialty products.

If you are planning to pay Commodity City a visit, note that its main purpose is to function as a wholesale market for businessmen. Because of this, many sellers will not take the time for non-bulk customers, however if you look around and buy a few of each item (get one for the whole family!) you can take advantage of the great deals. If one person won't sell to you, chances are another salesperson will. Skip the over-priced tourist shopping area and pretend to be a wholesaler for the best deals!

7 Common Scams in China and How to Avoid Them

Although China is relatively safe compared to other countries, there are still dangers. City life is never 100% crime-free – there are pickpockets, unscrupulous shop owners, and dodgy taxi drivers everywhere. Although personal safety is mostly common sense, knowing what to look out for can make a world of difference. Here are some common scams you might encounter in China, and how to stay one step ahead.

1) The teahouse scam 
A lot of people fall for this one when they first arrive in China. It is most common in Beijing and Shanghai, but it also happens in other big cities. A couple of young people will approach you, often asking if they can practise their English. After a brief conversation, they will offer to take you to a teahouse. After the tea ceremony, you’ll be hit with a bill running to hundreds (even thousands) of RMB. Your new friends will have vanished; or they’ll pay part of the bill – money they’ll get back as soon as you leave. Even if you ask to see the menu to verify the prices, the staff will bring you a different one with ridiculously inflated prices. No cash? The kind manager will escort you to the ATM. Refuse? They’ll get nasty. Your only choice is to stump up or run, if you dare.

How to avoid: Either refuse to talk to anyone in the street, or, if you want to be friendly, suggest a reputable teahouse, or a chain like Coffee Bean or Starbucks. If they refuse, it is likely to be a scam.

2) The art scam
This is similar to the tea scam, but the students claim to be art majors, and offer to take you to their gallery. Once there, you’ll be strong-armed into buying overpriced, worthless art.

How to avoid: Don’t take the bait. Simple.

3) Pickpockets 
Obvious, but still a danger. They operate on public transport, busy streets, restaurants, and often work in gangs, so by the time you notice the fingers slipping into your bag or pocket, your wallet will be on the next street.

How to avoid: Street thieves can be incredibly sneaky, so be ultra careful at all times. Carry your important documents and most of your money in a money belt, make copies of your documents, don’t keep all your cash in one place – divide it between pockets or belt and wallet.

4) Airport taxis
You know the feeling: you land at Honqiao or Pudong, glimpse the taxi queue snaking into the distance, and decide to hop into an unlicensed cab instead of waiting. After all, you just want to get home, right? Think again. Best case scenario, you get ripped off as there’s no meter. Even if your Mandarin is great, there’s no arguing with a crooked taxi driver. Worst case scenario, you’re driven to the back of beyond and robbed of all your possessions.

How to avoid: Don’t use unauthorised cabs. Even if you get into a licensed one and feel that the driver is taking you for a ride, literally, write down his identification number.

5) The card swap
If you pay your taxi fare with a transport card, sneaky taxi drivers sometimes swap your card for an empty one without you noticing.

How to avoid: Mark your card with permanent ink, or invest in one of those card-sized stickers that teenage girls like to use.

6) Dodgy tour guides 
A trip to the Great Wall? A panda tour? A guided walk along the Bund? These are just some of the ruses that con artists use to get tourists to part with cash. Sure, they’ll take you to the Wall/sanctuary/Bund, but once you get there you’ll be asked to pay extra fees. You’ll also most probably be taken to souvenir shops along the way.

How to avoid: Book your tour with reputable companies, not street touts – however trustworthy they might appear.

7) The Traditional Medicine Scam 
You’ll be invited to tour a traditional medicine clinic. A physician will examine you. Lo and behold, you’ll be diagnosed with some ailment or other, and – quelle surprise! – the clinic has just the medicine to cure you. Obviously, it costs several thousand RMB…

How to avoid: Simple - don’t buy. Or don’t get examined.

The Definitive Guide to Choosing an Office Chair

If the average business person or desk bound fellow were to determine how much time they spend in their office chair, they would be surprised. At 40 hours per week, they’d rack up approximately 1900 hours over the course of a year. Multiply that by the average number of years a person works, and it’s easy to see that a large portion of one’s life is spent in an office chair.

In spite of this calculation, more money is often spent purchasing a desk than is spent on the chair. The same can be said for home office setups. Some people are spending more time in front of a computer than they spend sleeping. It only makes sense to have an office chair for both the office and the home that is comfortable and supportive.

Hit the jump for our my tips on making yourself chair-wise.

There have been many ergonomics studies done and it has been shown that a supportive office chair increases productivity and maximizes the efficiency of the person sitting in it. A bad office chair, on the other hand, can lead to back strain, leg problems, and carpal tunnel, all of which cause lost time at work and send turn send productivity spiraling.

So, instead of losing money due to employee absences, it is important to spend money on good office chairs that promote back health and keep employee from missing work due to injuries. The cost of the chair is more than made up by fewer absences.

What to Look For in an Office Chair

Office chairs are a part of the décor of any office and so many people try to make sure they look good without worrying about the health influences the chair will have on the person who uses it. The design or ergonomics of the chair should be considered above everything else.

Lumbar Support: A good office chair will have support for the lower back. Some of the better ones will even have an adjustable lumbar support that allows the user to fit the chair to their lower back. This is important in preventing back strain that can worsen and become sciatica, a condition which can be debilitating.

Adjustability: Almost all office chairs have a height and arm adjustment; however, these are not the most important adjustments to look for when shopping for an office chair. The best office chairs have at least five adjustments with some having up to 14 different adjustments.

Important features that should be adjustable include lumbar support, arm width and height, seat back width and height, seat and back angle, and tension control. Many of the supports are dial controlled while a few are controlled with a hand-held bulb pump, similar to a blood pressure cuff pump.

Wheel Base: Nearly all office chairs have a wheel base; however, if the office is carpeted it may be necessary to get a chair with wheels specifically made for carpet. Rolling is important in preventing strain due to reaching across a desk to retrieve items that are out of reach.

Swivel Base: All office chairs should swivel freely to allow for easy access to various parts of the desk. If the chair doesn’t swivel freely, arm fatigue can result from over extending to reach various items.

Fabric: The fabric should be breathable to keep the chair from becoming hot and uncomfortable after hours of sitting in it. In addition, it should have enough cushion to support the person sitting in it without feeling the base of the chair through the cushion.

Why Is a Good Chair Important?

There are many benefits to having a good office chair in addition to having less back strain. A good, supportive office chair prevents fatigue and discomfort that can come from siting in the same chair for hours on end.

Studies have shown that comfortable employees are more productive and contribute to a more positive work environment than uncomfortable employees. Finally, having the correct, comfortable office chair reduces the number of breaks the employee will need to take due to being uncomfortable.

Trying on a Chair

Office managers should attempt to have their employees try on the chair they plan to purchase before buying it to insure that it fits the employee well. It is important to know how the chair should feel in order to make a wise purchase. Many office supply companies will bring a variety of chairs to the office so employees can sit in them and decide which one fits them best. Chair owners should look for these things when purchasing new chairs:

• The backrest should be adjustable and follow the shape of the spine. It should also support the curve in the lower back.
• Feet should rest flat on the floor comfortably. If not, adjust the chair height or add a footrest.
• Arm rests should be close the body and allow the shoulder to relax.
• Arm height should be adjustable and match the height of the desk. This will prevent strain to the shoulders.
• In a sitting position looking forward, the center of the computer screen is what should be seen.
• The back of the chair should come to the middle of the shoulder blades in order to provide adequate support, above the shoulders is even better.
• The seat of the chair should be long enough to put two or three finger lengths between it and the knee.
• If possible, the cushion should be memory foam. Other cushions wear out quickly and make the chair uncomfortable.

Finding the right chair that is comfortable and keeps strain and injury from occurring is important to having happy, healthy, productive employees who aren’t out sick with back injuries.

Make sure the chairs in the office are doing their part to increase productivity by having employees try on various chair types before purchasing them.

Choosing the Right Type of Door Knob and Lock Set

Introduction
Selecting the correct door knob and lockset for your home is a decision you’ll have to make when replacing, installing new or upgrading your door hardware. You’ll be choosing the type of doorknob style you want and the appropriate lockset mechanism for your needs. The type of lockset you select will be based on the security function you want the door hardware to perform.

The Doorknob
Although you may expect the doorknob to be a round or square knob, it may not be a knob at all. It may be a “lever handle” or it may be a “handleset” which is a combination thumb latch / handle used on exterior entry doors. Lever handles are easier to grab than doorknobs and are an approved operating device meeting handicap ADA Barrier Free / Accessible Design requirements. Doorknobs are not approved for this use because they require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate. Although ADA compliance is required in commercial construction and not necessarily required in your home, these Accessible Design standards are still useful if a wheelchair bound person lives in or visits your home.

In any case, lever handles make it easier to open a door, especially for folks with arthritis. Personally I like the looks of lever handle door hardware and have lever handles in my home just for the style and convenience of use. I love them.

Also worth noting are the different ways the doorknob attach to the lockset. On older style door hardware the doorknob is attached using an exposed set-screw that fastens the knob to a square threaded spindle. When turned, the square spindle rotated and operated the latch mechanism. The downside to this style of attachment (besides the unsightly set-screw) is that the set-screw style doorknob often becomes loose and may end up spinning in your hand.

The currently popular method of attaching a doorknob to the lockset mechanism uses no screw at all, but rather a concealed device called a detent. This type of ”no-screw” doorknob is easily removed using a special technique.

The Lockset
There are an infinite variety of finishes and designs of locksets but they all come down to four basic types:
Passage Lockset (no lock)
This type is used for general passage room access doors, closets, hallways. Neither knob is lockable and both turn freely.


Privacy Lockset (keyless lock mechanism)
This type of lockset is used for access to rooms that need privacy such as some bedrooms and bathrooms. The privacy side is lockable by a turn button that turns a lock mechanism. There is a small hole in the knob on the other side of the lockset that allows use of a small emergency key to open the door if necessary.


Keyed Entrance Lockset (keyed locking mechanism)
This type of lockset is lockable on both sides and can be used with interior or exterior applications. It may be locked or unlocked by using a key on the outside or from the inside by using the turn button.


Dummy (non-functional)
This last type is essentially just a handle and does not turn or activate any type of locking or latching mechanism.

So decide on the type of door knob style that best meets your design needs and then select your lockset type based on the security function you want the door hardware to perform. After that its just a matter of selecting the finish of your new door hardware and your are all set!

Tips on Designing Business Cards

Business cards are one of the simplest, most popular ways businesses market themselves, their products and services to potential clients, vendors and suppliers. Whether you're attending a networking event, hosting a seminar or meeting a potential vendor or client for the first time, a well-designed business card is a necessity. Before designing your card, consider your industry, target client and the personality of your business.


Templates


Use a business card template to ensure that the design and layout of your business cards meets the standards set by most print shops. Programs such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw offer users templates they can use to design their own cards at home. Printing companies such as UPrinting and Overnight Prints also provide business card templates on their sites for a variety of software programs. These templates provide guidelines for color bleeds, keeping images and text from getting cut off and adjusting font and logo sizes.

Select the Size and Layout


The typical business card measures 3.5 by 2 inches with text written (traditionally) horizontally, or vertically. While most business cards are rectangular, square and oval cards are becoming more common. Consider your industry, your target client and the personality of your business before you finalize the size, shape and format of your card. Individuals in creative fields like writing or design may have more freedom in designing their cards.

Logo


A corporate logo is an essential branding element essential to business card design. Whether your logo is an image with words or just logo type, add it to your business card in a prominent location. Ideally, it should be the only image on your business card, so that it doesn't take the attention away from the visual mark for your brand.

Print Size


Business cards are small and because of that it's important to include the most important information about your business, rather than trying to squeeze every last detail into such a tight space. Too many words will require you to shrink the size of your words, which makes it difficult for potential clients to correctly note contact information. Keep the company name or logo between 12 and 15 in point size, while contact details should be kept between 7 and 8 in point size.

Contact Information


Include contact information such as phone and fax numbers, email address and Web address on business cards. Social network contact information for sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook can also be included, if your company actively uses the sites to distribute information and promote products and services. A business card without contact information is useless because it doesn't provide colleagues, prospective customers and vendors a way to contact you with questions or to set up an appointment.

Color


Keep readability in mind when selecting colors to use on your business cards. Avoid colors that are too dark, bright or light, as they can make it difficult to see your company's contact information. Select colors that complement your company's logo.

Proofread


Before sending your business card design off to the printer, proofread the card for grammatical errors, ensure that all images and text are within the designated print area and that you have included your logo and contact information.

China, Russia sign oil supply deal

Russia will supply an additional 10 million tonnes of crude oil to China each year over the next decade under a latest agreement signed between Russia and China, visiting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday in Beijing.

Medvedev said Russia's biggest oil producer Rosneft will fulfill the deal, which worth a total of 85 billion U.S. dollars.

"It is a big sum of money to any country, even to China. It testifies to the fact that we have reached a higher and a brand new level of cooperation," he said during an online forum with Internet users, according to Xinhua.

The two governments also agreed to jointly construct an oil refinery in Tianjin, which will be able to refine 16 million tonnes of crude oil each year, Medvedev said.

"It is a high-tech project, which will employ the most advanced oil refinery technologies," he said.

The Tianjin refinery is jointly set up by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the country's largest oil and gas producer and supplier, and Rosneft. CNPC holds a 49 percent stake while Rosneft holds the remaining 51 percent.

Chinese official statistics showed China imported 24.33 million tonnes of crude oil from Russia in 2012.

In June, CNPC and Rosneft signed a long-term agreement in St Petersburg for oil deliveries, involving supplies of 365 million tonnes of oil to China in the next 25 years, with an estimated value of 270 billion U.S. dollars.

Energy cooperation is an important part of Russian-Sino cooperation, he said. "Russia has a lot of energy resources, while China is a huge market."

Medvedev said Russia and China will also cooperate over natural gas supply. The two countries had agreed on a price-setting formula for Russian gas which is to be exported to China, and both sides were negotiating the price itself, he said.

"Although this issue is relatively tough, we will reach consensus soon. (Russia) will supply natural gas to China via a pipeline as soon as possible," he said.

On the nuclear front, the Russian prime minister said Russian-Sino cooperation over nuclear energy had a bright future and Russia was willing to continue such cooperation with China.

Tianwan nuclear power plant in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, which now has four reactors, was a good example of bilateral cooperation over nuclear energy, he said.

Marketing Plan for a New Small Business

A marketing plan is an essential planning element for a new small business. The marketing plan describes the products and services of the business, identifies the customers and creates a strategy by which to market the business. A marketing plan generally covers the business one year at a time, though it is an ever-evolving document that changes as industry circumstances merit. In order to write a marketing plan for a new business, the writer must first have an in-depth understanding of the business as well as the business budget.

Identify the Market Situation

The market situation for a business includes analysis of the industry as a whole. In order to write an effective marketing plan, the business must be able to identify its competitors. The business should be able to point out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each of the main competitors. Identifying this will help the business recognize its own competitive advantage. This is an area where it is stronger or better able to serve the market than the competition. It is what will set it apart in the market.

Identify the Target Market

An important element of the marketing plan is to identify the target market of the business. Many businesses make the mistake of identifying a market that is too broad, such as all residents within a 100 mile radius. The target market must be broken down; the marketing plan should identify potential customers based on certain parameters. For instance, if the business is marketing foreign language software, the primary target market may be college-educated men and women aged 25 to 54 who are required to travel internationally for business or travel internationally for pleasure on a regular basis.

Identify the Four Promotion of Marketing

The four promotion of marketing are product, place, price and promotion. The product is what the business is selling and may be a tangible product or a service. The place describes how the product will be distributed to the customers. An example would be selling to retail boutiques through direct salesmen and merchandise marts. The price of the products is based on the attributes of the product, and what is needed to make a profit as well as what the market will bear. This will be largely based on prices of similar products in the market. If your company&promotion;s prices will be different from similar products, the business should be prepared to distinguish why in product promotions. Promotion is how the products and services will be promoted to the target markets. This could include a combination of publicity, traditional advertising and newer methods such as social media.

Create the Marketing Strategy

In the next section of the marketing plan, the strategy for how to promote the products and services of the business will be outlined. It will specify exactly how the products will be marketed. Instead of just identifying magazine advertising, this section of the plan will state the name of the magazine, demographic information, pricing, issues when ads will appear and mock-ups of advertisements. The marketing strategy should be detailed enough to be able to be turned over to an agency and be executed without further input if necessary. Though businesses rarely operate in this manner, this is how specific the strategy should be.

Formulate the Marketing Budget and Timeline

The final section of the marketing plan should provide an overview of the marketing budget. This should include any direct or indirect expenses that will be charged to the marketing department. This part of the plan should also include methods of measurement and timelines. For instance, it may state that within 30 days of a magazine ad, the company should sell a certain number of products through that specific channel. This section may also include a weekly or monthly calendar that shows the promotions the business will implement.