Yiwu International Trade City is the largest wholesale market in the world.
As Meeno worked around this market for many years, this guide will take you through a step-by-step process on how to best navigate the Yiwu market, and get the most out of your visit!
I’ve covered the most vital aspects, such as:
- How to get to the market
- A basic introduction to the market
- Yiwu market products distribution
- How to buy from the Yiwu International Trade City
- Factory booth details
- Nearby support facilities
- Nearby hotels & restaurants
Here is everything you need to know before sourcing products from the Yiwu International Trade City:
1. Where is the Yiwu City?
Yiwu is located in the center of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China.
From Shanghai to Yiwu is 285km – 3 hours’ drive
From Guangzhou to Yiwu is 1,194km – 13 hours’ drive (Unless you really like driving, catch a flight or train)
From Beijing to Yiwu is 1,402km – 15 hours’ drive (Plenty of more convenient flights and trains available)
(yiwu-city-location)
2. Where is the Yiwu Wholesale Market?
Alright, Yiwu International Trade City is the famous Yiwu Wholesale Market. It is located in the city center, and to the east of Yiwu city.
From Yiwu Train Station to Market is 10km – 24 minutes’ drive.
From Yiwu Airport to Market is 11.4km – 25 minutes’ drive.
From Yiwu Bus Station to Market is 1.5km – 7 minutes’ drive
(Yiwu-Market District-1)
3. What basic information should you know about the Yiwu Market?
Area & Market Scale
The numbers do the talking.
| Total 5 districts | Distribution 1 | Distribution 2 | Distribution 3 | Distribution 4 | Distribution 5 |
| Starts from | 2002 | 2004 | 2004 | 2008 | 2011 |
| Building Area | 340,000 ㎡ | 600,000 ㎡ | 460,000 ㎡ | 1,080,000 ㎡ | 640,000 ㎡ |
| Booth | 7,000 pcs | 8,000 pcs | 14,000 pcs | 16,000 pcs | 7,000 pcs |
Free download the infographic of product distribution in Yiwu market.
Opening Times
Is the Yiwu Market open on Sunday? Yes!
Yiwu International Trade City is open all year round, except during the Chinese Spring Festival, which lasts for 15-20 days.
The festival doesn’t have a specific, recurring date each year, but it mostly falls within January or February.
Opening hours: From 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
(Market closed during Chinese Spring Festival)
What is the Yiwu Futian Market?
An online search for “Yiwu Market” may return the following names:
- Futian Market
- Yiwu market
- Yiwu wholesale market
- Yiwu commodity market
The names may seem confusing, but they mean the same thing: Yiwu International Trade City.
Can I Buy Online from the Yiwu Market?
Sure, and here is the Yiwu Wholesale Market official website.
You can check Yiwu Market products online, and you can also find the supplier’s contact information there.
(Screenshot-of-Yiwugou.com)
One problem I have to mention with this website is that the suppliers don’t always update their products in a timely manner, so you’re not likely to see the latest products on there.
You can find similar products and try to customize your product, or make a note of the booth number and just visit them directly.
(The official introduction of Yiwu Market)
4. Buy more efficiently from Yiwu Market
Before buying a product in Yiwu Market, consider the following key aspects:
- Quality
- Price
- Quantity
- Delivery time
- And any other important notes about the product.
Finding an item to purchase
Tens of thousands of products are on sale in Yiwu Market, and so the more specific you can be about the types of items you want to source, the simpler and easier the process becomes.
In Yiwu Market, similar products are grouped together in the same area.
(Toys-tourism-shopping-characteristic-street)
This makes it easier to compare supplier prices and quality.
(In the bag area-purse booth)
An expert translator is a necessity
In this market, over 90% of suppliers cannot speak English, not to mention Spanish or any other languages.
A translator will solve the language barrier issue while also acting as a guide. They know the market well.
These include the booth numbers, arrangement rules, factory recommendations, and how to protect buyers from dishonest suppliers.
(Translate and note down the product details)
Don’t underestimate the importance of translator.
From sourcing, negotiating, and ordering, to receiving, inspecting, and shipping the goods.
The translator will influence the result of your sourcing efforts.
An honest and professional translator can help you save money and positively impact the efficacy of your importing business.
What does a Factory Direct sales booth look like?
(How to quick distinguish a factory direct sale booth)
Feature 1: The sample display is more specific.
For example, if they sell stationery, they won’t have lots of stationery products.
Instead, there would be only specific pens or correction liquid.
Feature 2: Factory Direct booths sell high quality, original products, so there is no need to double check with someone if they are original.
Their sales team are also professional.
Feature 3: Factory Direct have catalogs displaying all of their products.
(Bathmat supplier’s catalog)
Factory or Distributors? Who Can I Buy from?
First, never waste time on suppliers who are difficult to deal with, or those that do not allow for quality verification and price negotiations.
They may compromise on quality to sell their products cheaper.
You need a supplier who sells items whose quality and authenticity are verifiable.
(Some small booth like this, they may also have their own factory)
Remember, with a supplier who does not cooperate, you may end up sourcing low quality goods.
In Yiwu Market, one item may be sold by hundreds of suppliers, factories or distributors.
Buying direct from the factory is definitely a better choice.
Customize Your Order or Buy Stock
If you buy stock:
MOQ: There is a Minimum Order Quantity and this can be reduced to several items.
Price: Lower or more reasonable than wholesale prices.
Payment: Complete payment after receiving.
Delivery time: 1-3 days.
(The worker is sending products to the booth for stock selling)
If you customize orders:
MOQ: The MOQ will always be higher than stock.
Price: Depending on the quantity, a lower quantity’s price will be higher than stock.
Payment: Deposit due before production.
Delivery time: Depends on the products, but for general items it takes 15-30 days.
Can I Negotiate the Price in The Market?
When you buy in the market, the supplier will quote a wholesale price, but is that the final price?
What’s the most reasonable range to reduce the price?
Without a doubt, quantity is the main consideration here.
(Negotiate price in the kitchen ware booth)
A smaller quantity’s bargain range is very little – about 2-5% discount.
For large quantities, the discount may range from 5-8%.
The situation in the market is not like you might expect.
The supplier will not quote a higher price than necessary to maximize their profits because the sheer amount of competitors guarantees that they would lose the sale.
All suppliers quote their best prices.
Negotiate the price with the supplier to have an idea of the price range.
Have at least a reasonable target, but don’t tell them your target price at the beginning.
(African-client-in-Yiwu-market)
Is it Safe to Pay the Supplier Directly?
For stock orders, you can certainly pay the supplier directly in Yiwu market.
Nowadays, it is much safer than in previous years.
The vast majority of suppliers are honest, however, taking some precautions and being prudent will give you a peace of mind, and it’s just good business sense.
If you need various kinds of products from different suppliers, we recommend paying through a third party – a Yiwu Local Sourcing Agent.
(A local Yiwu agent can help you save both time and money)
With a Yiwu Local Sourcing Agent you don’t need to pay each supplier in the beginning.
You can gather together the items that you’re interested in, filter out anything you don’t really want once back at your hotel, and then let the Yiwu agent make the payment on your behalf.
It’s far more efficient and safer.
You can save a lot of time, and they can help you move the goods into a warehouse, check the bulk quality, and arrange the shipment for you.
5. Nearby Public Support Facilities
ATM & Currency Transfers
On the first floor of the market building you’ll see that banks have set up rows of ATMs, making it quick and easy to get cash.
Moreover, the distance to most banks is only about 500 meters.
Exchanging your foreign currency is simple and convenient as Yiwu Market is outfitted with numerous currency transfer windows.
(There’s a new window for currency exchange in District-1)
BRT Built
In 2017, Yiwu BRT became operational.
This bus is fast and makes it easier for customers to visit the different districts within a short space of time, irrespective of traffic.
(Yiwu-BRT)
6. Restaurants & Hotels Near Yiwu Market
Book a Yiwu Hotel Online
Near the market there are different standards of hotels to choose from, depending on your preference and budget.
We strongly recommend you use this website to get Cheap Hotels and Flights.
You’ll also find more restaurant choices there.
It is very popular in China and other languages are supported, too.
The website has real photos of the hotels, and real feedback from the customers.
(screenshot of the Ctrip.com)
Restaurants near Yiwu Market
From District 1 to 5, there are many restaurants along the opposite road to the market.
These include Western, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Muslim, Indian, Korean and Japanese cuisine.
You’ll also find several fast food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC etc.
And of course, you have plenty of the Chinese food available as well.
(A famous Turkish restaurant near Yiwu market)
Conclusion
I’m sure you now have a much better understanding of the Yiwu International Trade City, including the market’s location, the products distribution, and most importantly, how to buy from Yiwu market.
If you intend to source goods from Yiwu, I suggest you prepare to live here for at least 3 days.
1-2 days is not nearly enough time to visit what is the largest wholesale market in China, not to mention the time needed to visit the nearby factories.
And don’t forget, if you select many different items from different suppliers, hire a Yiwu agent to help you.
A reliable agent will save you time and money.
