Sourcing & wholesale: Yiwu, Guangzhou & the Canton Fair

✅ Updated Jul 2026

If you're coming to China to buy goods — for a shop, an import business or online reselling — knowing which hub to fly into saves weeks. China's wholesale trade is concentrated in a few places, each specialised by product. Yiwu (义乌), a few hours from Shanghai, runs the world's largest small-commodities market: the Yiwu International Trade City (义乌国际商贸城 / Futian Market), five giant districts with tens of thousands of booths. Anything non-food and everyday — toys, jewellery and accessories, stationery, hardware, kitchenware, festival goods — is here, usually with low minimum order quantities (起订量, MOQ), which makes it ideal for smaller buyers. Guangzhou is the hub for fashion and category malls: clothing around Shisanhang (十三行) and Shahe (沙河), fashion at Baima (白马), shoes and watches around Zhanxi (站西). For electronics and components, Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei (华强北) is the global centre. Twice a year, the Canton Fair (广交会 / China Import and Export Fair) takes over the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou (琶洲), Guangzhou — roughly April and October. It is the place to meet factories directly across almost every industry, but you must register in advance for a buyer badge and bring your business documents and passport. If you want factory-direct pricing, time your trip to it. A few things make or break a sourcing trip. First, visas: business travel needs an M (business) visa, not a tourist L visa. Second, use a local sourcing agent or market translator — they negotiate, explain MOQs and 批发价 (wholesale price), and arrange things you can't do alone. Third, line up a freight forwarder (货代) early to consolidate and ship your goods home and handle customs. Fourth, always inspect before you pay in full (验货), and keep payment traceable — bank transfer (T/T) for factories, Alipay or escrow for market stalls; be wary of large cash-only demands. Get those right and China's markets are extraordinarily efficient.

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   Pick your hub by product: Yiwu for small commodities and low MOQs, Guangzhou for fashion/category malls, Shenzhen (Huaqiangbei) for electronics.

   起订量 · qǐ dìng liàng (minimum order quantity)

2. 2

   For factory-direct pricing, time your visit with the Canton Fair (广交会) in Pazhou, Guangzhou (about April & October) and register for a buyer badge in advance.

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   Enter on an M (business) visa, not a tourist visa; bring business documents and your passport.

4. 4

   Hire a local sourcing agent or market translator to negotiate wholesale prices and MOQs.

   批发价 · pī fā jià (wholesale price)

5. 5

   Line up a freight forwarder (货代) early to consolidate, ship and clear customs for your goods.

   货代 · huò dài (freight forwarder)

6. 6

   Inspect before paying in full (验货) and keep payment traceable — bank transfer for factories, Alipay/escrow for stalls; avoid large cash-only deals.

   验货 · yàn huò (inspect the goods)