Yiwu Market Guide: How to Visit, Source and Buy
Start with your product category, then plan around two or three supplier meetings. Yiwu Market, also called Yiwu International Trade City or Futian Market, is a permanent wholesale market in Zhejiang, China. Start in District 1 for toys, jewellery or crafts, District 2 for hardware or luggage, and District 3 for stationery or eyewear. Add District 6 if your brief calls for trend-led consumer goods or smart products. A booth visit helps you compare samples and quotes. Before committing, find out who will sign the order, who will make the goods and who is supposed to receive payment. Chinagoods district guide · Global Digital Trade Center directory
Written by the HI-COM Asia team.
Market and travel information checked 6 November 2026.
Which Yiwu Market District Should You Visit?
| District | Start here if you are sourcing | What to check at the booth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toys, artificial flowers, jewellery and decorative crafts | Ask which designs are in stock and which require a production run. |
| 2 | Bags, umbrellas, tools, locks, kitchen hardware and small appliances | Bring dimensions or specifications. Confirm any electrical or packaging requirements for your destination. |
| 3 | Stationery, office supplies, eyewear and cosmetics | Ask for the documents that relate to the exact product quoted. |
| 4 | Hosiery, footwear, hats, scarves and everyday goods | Confirm whether you can mix colours, sizes or styles within an order. |
| 5 | Imported goods, bedding, pet supplies and auto accessories | Ask about origin, stock and the supplier’s role. |
| 6 · Global Digital Trade Center | Trend toys, fashion jewellery, skincare, baby products, travel goods and smart equipment | Use the floor directory to narrow the visit. Check what the supplier can deliver as a finished product. |
The operator lists product categories by district and floor. Save the district, floor, gate and booth number for each appointment. District 6 opened as the Global Digital Trade Center on 14 October 2025. The operator lists jewellery and trend toys on its first floor and drones and robotics among its third-floor categories. Treat the directory as a starting point and confirm the location with the vendor. Chinagoods district guide · District 6 floor directory · Zhejiang opening announcement
Opening Hours and Getting to Yiwu from Shanghai
Plan your meetings during the day and confirm the booth’s hours directly. Zhejiang reports that the market opens at 08:30 daily. Chinagoods gives 08:30–17:00 as a typical window for many shops and notes variation by location. Treat that as a planning window. For Spring Festival, confirm market reopening, supplier availability and factory restart separately. In 2026, the market reopened on 28 February. Zhejiang market opening information · Chinagoods trading-hours guide · 2026 reopening notice
From Shanghai, look for a high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Yiwu Railway Station. Examples in the Yiwu Fair travel guide take around 90 minutes on the train. Check your departure on China Railway 12306 and leave time to get from Yiwu Railway Station to the market gate on your list. Yiwu Fair is a separate exhibition with its own dates and registration. If combining Yiwu with an exhibition, check the event dates first and build your market appointments around them. Yiwu Fair rail examples · China Railway 12306 · Yiwu Fair organiser · HI-COM China Trade Fairs calendar
A Two-Day Yiwu Sourcing Itinerary
- Before travelling. Send suppliers the same product brief. Include materials, sizes, target quantities, packaging, destination market and any documentation you need. Save booth locations and confirm appointments. Bring a reference sample or labelled drawings if available.
- Day 1 · Compare. Start in the district that covers your main product. Ask for a written quote for the same specification from each shortlisted vendor. Record the booth number, quoted quantity, sample cost, lead time and whether the goods are stock or made to order.
- Day 2 · Verify. Revisit the strongest candidates. Confirm the legal entity behind each quotation, which company will produce the goods, and how the sample will be identified in the order. If the choice depends on production capability, schedule a separate factory appointment.
For one well-defined product with booked meetings, one day may be enough to shortlist. Use the second day when you need to compare several categories or resolve open questions.
How to Compare Offers and Check a Yiwu Supplier
Keep one row per supplier in a spreadsheet. This makes it easier to see where a quote is cheaper because the underlying offer changed.
| Record | Compare or ask for |
|---|---|
| Product and quantity | Item reference, materials, dimensions, packaging and minimum order quantity per colour, size or design. |
| Sample and production | Sample reference, production lead time and who makes the goods. Ask which factory and site will handle your order when it matters to the decision. |
| Seller and payment | Full registered Chinese name, Unified Social Credit Code where applicable, contracting entity and proposed payment beneficiary. |
| Delivery and inspection | What the quote includes, where responsibility transfers, who handles export paperwork and what you will inspect before dispatch. |
A trading company can be useful when you need several product lines. Ask whether it buys and resells the goods, arranges production, or represents a factory. Its answer helps you identify who will handle a late delivery or a batch that differs from the approved sample. For a custom product, ask for evidence from the production site before relying on the booth’s claims.
Before paying a deposit, compare the company name and code on the business licence with the official register and match the contracting entity, invoice and proposed beneficiary. Pause if a different company or a personal account is proposed. Ask for the reason and supporting documents, and confirm any new payment details through a contact channel you already trust. A registry entry establishes registration details. Factory capability, product compliance and bank account ownership need their own checks. China’s enterprise register guidance · HI-COM’s NECIPS walkthrough · HI-COM Chinese Company Check
Before the goods leave, keep a reference for the approved sample, put the agreed specifications and packaging in writing, and define the checks and acceptance criteria with the supplier. If sourcing from several booths, ask your logistics provider early about consolidation, labels, documents and the handover point.
Yiwu Market, Canton Fair or a Factory Visit?
| Start with | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Yiwu Market | You need to compare several small consumer product lines, ready-stock options or packaging choices in one trip. |
| A trade fair | You want to meet exhibitors from a wider industry or see specialist products during a scheduled event. |
| A factory visit | You need to assess production capability, discuss tooling or confirm the site that would make a custom product. |
These can be steps in the same trip. Use the market or a fair to identify candidates, then make a factory appointment when the production site matters. China Trade Fairs calendar · Canton Fair 2027 guide
Plan Your Visit or Review a Supplier with HI-COM
Already have a quotation or company name? Start with Chinese Company Check to flag inconsistencies in the details you received. You can request a separate team review if you need background checks beyond the browser pre-check.
Still planning the trip? Tell us what you want to source, your destination market, the quantities you are considering and your travel dates. HI-COM’s Shanghai team can discuss meeting preparation, on-site interpreting and practical coordination for your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can international buyers visit Yiwu Market?
Yes. Plan around the districts relevant to your products and arrange appointments for important meetings. If you also plan to attend Yiwu Fair, check the organiser’s separate visitor registration. Yiwu Fair visitor information
What is the minimum order quantity at Yiwu Market?
Each supplier sets its own terms. Ask for the minimum per design or variation and whether mixed cartons are possible. Compare the minimum for in-stock items with the minimum for custom packaging or production.
Can I shortlist booths before travelling?
Yes. Use the operator’s directory to search by district or category, then ask shortlisted merchants to confirm the products, booth location and appointment. Record the legal entity separately when you receive the quote. Chinagoods merchant directory
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Photo credits. Cover: Gate 59, District 3, Yiwu International Trade City, archive photo, July 2014. Photo by iamdanw, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Souvenir booth: archive photo, August 2014, by iamdanw, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Metro Exit A: September 2025, by 4084470 0.smil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
