China’s second-hand market is growing fast. Xianyu is China’s best-known online second-hand marketplace, but for bulk sourcing, offline markets and specialized supply chains are usually more practical.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through China’s major second-hand markets and supply chains, so you’ll know where to find used clothing, second-hand mobile phones and electronics, used machines, and used auto parts.
Best-known online second-hand market in China: Xianyu (闲鱼)
Xianyu (闲鱼), also known as Idle Fish or Goofish, is China’s largest C2C marketplace for second-hand goods. Alibaba launched it in 2014, and it works in a similar way to eBay.
The official website is Goofish.com, while the app and the mini program inside Alipay still use the Xianyu name. However, the interface is only available in Chinese, so overseas users usually need translation tools.
You can find almost everything on Xianyu, from used phones, electronics, clothes, furniture, trendy toys, event tickets, second-hand books, and baby products to used excavators and other industrial equipment.
For overseas buyers, Xianyu is useful for checking second-hand prices, but it is not ideal for direct purchasing. It is mainly a domestic second-hand marketplace, so even with translation tools, communication can be difficult. You also need to handle payment and international shipping yourself.
How to buy from Xianyu outside China？
If you have never used Xianyu before but really want to give it a try, I suggest preparing an Alipay account first.
Xianyu’s transactions are closely connected with Alipay’s escrow payment system. Also, using an Alipay account may be easier than registering a Xianyu account from scratch, as overseas users can set up Alipay with an international phone number and bank card.
Always pay within the platform. The platform holds the funds until you confirm receipt of the goods, then releases them to the seller.
For shipping, most Xianyu sellers are individual Chinese sellers, and they usually only ship within China. So you usually need a third-party shipping service to receive the goods in China and arrange international shipping.
If direct purchasing feels too complicated, you can consider using a China shopping agent. Copy the Xianyu product link and send it to the agent. The goods will be sent to the agent’s warehouse in China first, then consolidated and shipped internationally. Please note that many shopping agents may not support returns for Xianyu orders.
Used clothing market in China
China’s used clothing collection, sorting, and export supply chain is mainly concentrated in Guangzhou, Yiwu, and nearby areas. These areas have many professional used clothing exporters and large sorting factories, rather than the small-stall model you often see in ordinary clothing wholesale markets.
Used clothing is mainly exported to markets in Africa, Southeast Asia, and other regions. Many suppliers offer not only used clothing, but also used shoes, bags, home textiles, plush toys, and other related second-hand items.
You can also find some used clothing suppliers on Chinese wholesale platforms like Alibaba and Made-in-China. These platforms are useful for finding supplier leads.
Second-hand electronics markets in China
For overseas buyers, offline market visits and direct supplier communication are more practical.
Shenzhen Huaqiangnan (华强南): China’s largest used electronics hub
For second-hand electronics, Shenzhen is still the key supply chain hub. Huaqiangnan (Huaqiang South), located right next to Huaqiangbei, is China’s largest cluster for second-hand consumer electronics.
It has 35+ specialized second-hand markets, covering the full supply chain of used consumer electronics. One example is Tongtiandi Communication Market (通天地通讯城) in Huaqiangnan.
Other offline places to find used electronics in Guangzhou and Yiwu
Shengxian Dashatou Second-hand Market, Guangzhou
If you are in Guangzhou, you can visit Shengxian Dashatou Second-Hand Market (盛贤大沙头旧货交易市场) in Yuexiu District. Different floors tend to focus on different product types.
- The first floor mainly sells used phones, and many buyers there are from Africa.
- The second floor focuses more on cameras. CCD cameras are especially popular among European buyers, purchasing a dozen or so units at a time and reselling them in their own countries.
- The third floor has record players and cassette players. Cassette players are especially popular with Japanese buyers.
Yiwu Communication Market
Yiwu also has used phones and electronics, mainly around Yiwu Communication Market. However, it is more retail-oriented and is not a major wholesale hub for used electronics.
What about online B2B channels?
There are also online B2B channels for used phones and consumer electronics, such as Caihuoxia (采货侠) by Zhuanzhuan (转转) and AHS Device by ATRenew Group (万物新生).
But they are not convenient for overseas buyers. Caihuoxia’s app and website are in Chinese, while AHS Device is not a platform where buyers can directly browse products, check prices, or place orders online.
Used machinery and equipment markets in China
Shandong: China’s largest used machine market
If you are looking for used machines in China, Shandong is the first place to check. Liangshan, Shandong is home to China’s largest trading cluster for second-hand industrial equipment. You can find used equipment for almost any industry here, with over 100,000 machines available.
For example, we helped an Indonesian factory source used machines from Shandong to set up a PE pipe production line. The cost was about half the price of new equipment. Before shipping, we also arranged an on-site inspection to check the machine condition, test-run the production line, and confirm the basic working condition. For after-sales, used equipment suppliers usually offer online support.
Many industrial cities also have local used machine markets
For example, Zhejiang is one of China’s major plastic manufacturing areas. Many factories upgrade their equipment regularly, so used injection molding machines are easy to find. We had an Afghan client who wanted to start a plastic products business but had a limited budget, so we helped him source used injection molding machines at around one-fourth of the price of new equipment.
Plastic household products also require molds. We also helped a client check used mold suppliers in Huangyan, Zhejiang. As China’s mold capital, Huangyan has rich mold resources for household plastic products, small appliances, auto parts, and more. Used molds can be much more affordable. For example, a sports water bottle mold costs only around one-fourth of the price of a new mold.
Used auto parts markets in China
For used auto parts, Guangzhou has China’s largest second-hand auto parts and dismantled car parts supply cluster. The well-known Chentian Auto Parts Market (陈田汽配城) has now been demolished, and most former Chentian suppliers have moved to Huadu Kaitong Auto Parts City (花都凯通汽配城).
For specific categories like used tires, the supply chain can be different. Shandong Linyi has the largest used tire market in China. We have visited this market to help African clients source used tires.
What to consider when buying second-hand goods from China
Unlike new products, the second-hand industry usually lacks a unified industry-wide grading standard. Different suppliers may use different quality grading systems.
Experienced importers often visit China regularly to check product condition, confirm grading standards, evaluate suppliers, and build long-term relationships with reliable ones.
On-site inspection is extremely important for second-hand sourcing. Work with experienced inspectors who understand the second-hand product category, because the key inspection points can be very different.
New buyers usually start with a small trial order, either online or through a trusted local agent. This helps reduce risk and evaluate the supplier’s reliability.
Do not rely only on the supplier’s verbal description. Try to verify the supplier through multiple channels, such as real-time video calls, actual product photos, packing lists, export records, or an on-site visit when possible.
Final thoughts
Hope this guide gives you a clearer idea of China’s second-hand markets. If you still have questions, or if you need help sourcing used clothes, used machines and more from China, feel free to leave a comment or contact us.
We’re JingSourcing, a leading sourcing company in China. Over the past 10+ years, we have helped clients source and customize products across many categories, including overstock goods and selected second-hand products.
