How big the Yiwu market is
Yiwu is a city in Zhejiang province, known for the Yiwu International Trade City, a permanent wholesale market that buyers often call the Futian market. The market is a group of large buildings divided into districts, with shops on several floors. You walk into the shops, which display goods from factories and trading companies.
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| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Market area | more than 8 million m² | Chinagoods (official platform) |
| Shops | about 80,000 | Chinagoods |
| Products | 2.1 million, in 26 categories | Chinagoods |
| Daily visitors | about 210,000 | Chinagoods |
| Founded | 1982 | Zhejiang government portal |
Older official figures give 75,000 shops and 1.8 million products, so we use round figures: more than 75,000 shops and about 2 million products. The market is still growing, and we plan each visit by district, according to the goods you are looking for.
Districts and what each one sells
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| District | Opened | Size | Main goods |
|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | 22 October 2002 | 340,000 m², more than 10,000 shops | Floor 1: artificial flowers, accessories, toys. Floor 2: hair ornaments, jewellery. Floor 3: festival crafts and decorations, ceramics, crystal, photo frames |
| District 1 East | January 2016 | 79,100 m², 2,500 shops | Jewellery and jewellery accessories |
| District 2 | October 2004 | 600,000 m², more than 8,000 shops | Bags, umbrellas, hardware, tools, kitchen and bath, electrical goods, watches |
| District 3 | September 2005 | 460,000 m², more than 8,000 shops | Pens, stationery and office supplies, cosmetics, eyewear, clothing accessories, sports goods, art supplies |
| District 4 | n/a | 1,080,000 m², about 16,000 shops | Socks, shoes, daily necessities, gloves, underwear, scarves, belts |
| District 5 | May 2011 | 640,000 m², about 7,000 shops | Imported goods mall, bedding, wigs, fabric, pet supplies |
| Global Digital Trade Center | 14 October 2025 | about 410,000 m² of market space | Smart devices, trendy toys, fashion, jewellery |
Bags and suitcases are in District 2, mainly on the 1st floor. Office and school supplies are in District 3, mainly on the 1st and 2nd floors. Household plastics are in Districts 2 and 4 (see packaging and plastics). The split is simplified, and some product groups overlap. We confirm the exact floors and rows before the trip, because the layout of the shops changes.
The Global Digital Trade Center is often called "District 6" in the trade, but that is not its official name.
Opening hours and holidays
The market is open every day, roughly from 9:00 to 17:00 or 17:30. The hours come from an unofficial guide (Yiwu Market Guide) and are approximate.
The market closes for a long period around Chinese New Year. Orders for the spring season are agreed before the holiday, and we confirm the exact closure dates before you book a trip. Avoid trips from 1 to 8 October as well, during China's National Day holiday (Golden Week). Plan production and shipping around both holidays.
The Canton Fair is held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou; the autumn session runs from mid-October to early November. If you combine it with Yiwu, check the exact dates on the fair's official site. We organise the Yiwu part of the trip.
With us in Yiwu
Our strongest operational presence is in Yiwu. We have our own office and our own warehouse there, and a second warehouse in Ningbo. Four agents employed by Transcont work in China, in English and Chinese. We have Macedonian-speaking colleagues in China and bring in translators where needed. We have been in the Chinese market since 2006.
For goods from the market we recommend that you come in person, and we guide you through the whole process. With hundreds of items and considerable differences in quality and price, the selection is best made on the spot, with our agent beside you. For goods with little variety and clear specifications, get in touch with our agent in China.
The agent also goes with you beyond Yiwu: to another market or to a factory, anywhere in China.
A toys wholesaler with more than 10 imports a year runs the whole process through our team in Yiwu. An office supplies chain with more than 30 shops imports more than 10 containers a year. A seasonal gifts wholesaler imports more than 15 containers a year, with goods from several suppliers collected in our warehouse.
How a visit with our agent runs
- Preparation. From your list we plan the districts and the shops to visit. Where needed, we also help with the hotel and the arrangements for your stay.
- In the shops. The agent is with you in every shop, translates and conducts the negotiations in Chinese. Price, packing, delivery time and the minimum order quantity (MOQ), which often applies per model or per colour, are agreed on the spot.
- Records. For every item we record the supplier, the product, the quantity, the price and the specifications.
- Approval. You receive one document with all the orders, to review and approve before shipment. The method of payment is agreed for each order.
- Follow-up. After you leave, the agent follows the orders until the goods are received in our warehouse.
For regulated goods the agent asks for the conformity documents while still in the shop: EN 71 test reports for toys, and low voltage, EMC and RoHS documents for lighting and electrical goods. Confirm the requirements for your product before you order.
If something is not available in the market, we look for it among suppliers across China. More on the page buying trip to Yiwu.
From the shop to your warehouse
Every shop delivers the goods to our warehouse in Yiwu. There we count them, open cartons, compare them with the order and the sample, and send you a photo and video report. The goods from all suppliers then leave together, as a consolidated shipment (LCL) or in a full container.
The shipment leaves from Ningbo, the nearest port: the port area is about 190 to 220 km from Yiwu by road, about 3 to 3.5 hours by truck. A full container can also leave from Shanghai, about 250 to 300 km away, if the sailing is more favourable. By sea the goods travel to Thessaloniki, Durres or Bar, where we have a direct presence, with annual shipping contracts. We issue our own bills of lading.
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 export documents and the documents needed for clearance.
Once the goods are ready, allow about 60 to 75 days via Suez or about 70 to 90 days around Africa. Transit times are approximate. We confirm the exact time and route for each shipment, based on the current situation on the sea lanes.
Plan your trip
Tell us which goods interest you and when you plan to come. We will suggest which districts to visit and how many days you need.
