Buying Christmas decorations in Yiwu, with our agent
Our strongest operational presence is in Yiwu, and four agents employed by Transcont work for you in China. Festival decorations, ceramics, crystal and photo frames are in District 1, on the third floor, with artificial flowers on the first floor.
The range is wide: baubles, garlands, tinsel, tree toppers, figurines and nativity sets, artificial trees in many heights, string lights and illuminated figures. It also covers gift boxes and bags, candles, mugs, photo frames and decorative plates, New Year and party goods, and summer goods. You choose in person: we organise a Yiwu buying trip on which our agent goes through the district with you, translates, conducts the negotiations in each shop and records the orders.
What we check on decorations and gifts
Suppliers deliver the goods to our warehouse in Yiwu, where we check quantity and quality:
- Baubles. Breakage is the most common damage. We ask for a separate compartment for each bauble and a strong outer carton.
- Trees. The number of tips, the height and the stand in the box. The sample often has more tips than the production run.
- Colour and glitter. Glitter flakes off, and bauble colours differ between batches. We compare with the approved sample.
- Sets. We count the pieces: a box marked 24 baubles may contain 22.
- String lights. Plug, voltage and dead bulbs.
For a full container at a factory in another city, the agent carries out the check at the factory, anywhere in China. In both cases you receive a photo and video report before loading. If a supplier is late, we tell you who is missing, so that you can decide whether the container waits. Deviations have to be put right in China, because in November there is no time left. Read more on the page quality control in China.
Documents and certificates
- String lights. Electrical products covered by the LVD, EMC and RoHS directives: test reports, a declaration of conformity and the CE mark (more on LED lighting from China).
- Serving plates. If they are intended for food, the supplier provides a declaration for the food-contact material.
- Decorations that look like toys. They can fall under the toy rules (more on toys from China).
Confirm the requirements for your product and market before importing.
Packing and loading
- Glass. The inner box matters as much as the outer carton. When the container is loaded, heavy cartons go at the bottom and glass on top.
- Moisture. Paper bags and boxes lose their shape if the carton is soft.
- Tree cartons. They are long, so we need their sizes early to plan the loading.
Example: a Christmas container
The example assumes one 180 cm tree per carton.
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| Item | Carton (cm) | CBM per carton | Cartons | Total CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial trees, 180 cm | 120 × 30 × 30 | 0.108 | 300 | 32.4 |
| Baubles and garlands | 60 × 40 × 40 | 0.096 | 150 | 14.4 |
| String lights | 50 × 40 × 30 | 0.06 | 60 | 3.6 |
| Gift boxes and plates | 55 × 45 × 40 | 0.099 | 60 | 5.94 |
| Total | 570 | about 56.3 |
The order fits in a 40' HQ (about 70 CBM in practice, 76 m³ internal), with room for about 13.7 CBM more. The trees take up 58% of the volume: a lower height or fewer trees would free space for goods of higher value. You can work out your own list in the CBM calculator.
Calendar for Christmas and New Year
Christmas and New Year goods should reach your warehouse by early October, for distribution before the November sales.
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| Step | Via Suez | Around Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Sampling starts | mid-May | early May |
| Order confirmed | early June | mid-May |
| Goods ready in China | mid-July | early July |
| Arrival at your warehouse | early October | early October |
Once the goods are ready in China, allow 60 to 75 days via Suez or 70 to 90 days around Africa for delivery to your warehouse. The plan is calculated backwards from the upper end of that range, with 45 days of production and 14 days for samples. Transit times are approximate. We confirm the exact time and route for each shipment, based on the current situation on the sea lanes.
For summer goods in your warehouse by early May, the order is confirmed by early January via Suez or by mid-December around Africa, and earlier if production overlaps with the Chinese New Year closure. Avoid buying trips around that holiday and from 1 to 8 October, China's National Day holiday (Golden Week).
Tariff number and customs
Festive articles, including Christmas decorations and artificial trees, are usually in heading 9505 (chapter 95), and string lights in heading 9405 (chapter 94). Ceramic tableware and ornaments are in 6911 to 6913, glassware in 7013, candles in 3406 and cardboard gift boxes and bags in 4819. The forwarder confirms the exact code.
We do not carry out customs clearance. A forwarder handles clearance, duty and VAT, your own or one we recommend. We deliver the goods to the customs warehouse and hand over the documents. Read more in the guide customs duty and VAT on goods from China.
How we work together
One of our clients is a wholesaler of gifts, decorations, Christmas and summer goods, with more than 15 containers a year. It buys in Yiwu, and our agents follow every order. We collect the goods from several suppliers in our warehouses in Yiwu and Ningbo, check them and load them in a full container. We issue our own bills of lading and plan the arrival date together with you, according to the transit times. Seasonal goods ship in summer, when freight rates are usually at their highest, so it is worth asking for a quote early.
Send us a list or photos of the items, the quantities and the destination and, if you plan a trip, the approximate dates.
