In November 2020, ODM opened a new sourcing hub in YiWu. Allowing our staff at ODM to gain immediate access to new suppliers and most recent product ideas.

The China Commodity City (commonly known as the CCC, or Yiwu Market), is a large wholesale market located in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province. ODM’s mission; to find and access reliable, low MOQ suppliers offering products at the cheapest prices on a wide range of standard items.

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

The International Trade Mart (Futian market), often referred to as the Yiwu market, is famously known as the largest commodity fair in the world. Founded in 1982, it was the first free marketplace in China and has grown a lot from the original 700 stalls that was hosted in it’s first year.

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Yiwu International Trade City has five shopping districts, each the size of several warehouses combined. It currently covers an area of 4 million square meters, with 62,000 booths inside. Over 100,000 suppliers exhibit 400,000 kinds of products almost every day from 9 am to 5 pm (with the exception of Chinese New Year).

Although it can resemble a bazaar at times with the busyness and sheer amount of products on offer, with a shrewd eye and patience you can find what you want. During our time here we say countless fantastic products for promotional campaigns, from stress balls to balloons.

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

The products come from around 40 industries and include 2,000 different categories of goods. Futian market would appear to be more like a permanent fair, rather than a traditional wholesale market. Since it’s development, it has evolved to be an information, innovation, exhibition and distribution center for consumer goods.

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Of these 2000 categories of products, 65% are exported to over 215 countries and regions. For this reason ODM could not miss the opportunity to explore and learn more about the products that were offered.

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Buyers Guide: How to access the Yiwu market

Facts about how to purchase items from the Yiwu market

  • You can purchase small quantity of items and have lots of choice to shop around
  • Barely any of the suppliers in the market can speak English.
  • If you do not feel comfortable with your Chinese proficiency or will be leaving China shortly after making a purchase, then hiring an agent is crucial.
  • Most exhibitors are just small distributors which are not willing to export your products. This means that to successfully purchase items in the Yiwu market you need to physically go to the booths and buy the products.
  • Negotiating and bartering is imperative if you want to make sure that you’re not being overcharged.
  • Like any market you will need time to locate the products you want and the wholesaler you like. First day to see and be shocked at everything on offer, second day to filter out decide on what you truly need, and third day to settle on what you want to order.
  • Most importantly, go with an open mind and with enough preparation on what to expect. Yiwu is extraordinarily large and a completely different world to the markets of Europe and North America. As they say in China, 入乡随俗 (When in Rome).