The Yiwu wholesale market is the world’s largest trading hub for small commodities, attracting over 600,000 overseas buyers yearly, with 21,000 calling Yiwu home.

I was born and raised in this wonderful city, and as someone who knows it inside out, I’m so happy to share everything about Yiwu with you. This isn’t just about business. It’s my hometown, a place I love deeply and feel so proud of. There’s so much to share about the Yiwu market, so I’ve divided it into sections. Take your time and explore whatever interests you most.

How to find "the one" among thousands of Yiwu suppliers?
Why buyers like Yiwu?｜How it rose as world’s supermarket?
How to pay? RMB or USD? Cash?
Who sources in Yiwu and what’s their business?
How to inspect and ship goods from Yiwu?

Guide to Yiwu Wholesale Market

When talking about “Yiwu Market” or “Yiwu Wholesale Market”, it actually includes:

Yiwu International Trade City: The core and most famous market in Yiwu, also known as Futian Market.

5 niche markets: Covering production materials, clothing, furniture, building decoration materials, and timber distribution.

10+ specialized streets: Clusters of stores outside the markets, lining entire streets. They mainly sell raw materials, surplus stock, etc.

Below is a detailed list of these markets. If you’re taking a taxi, you can show the driver the Chinese names, like 国际商贸城1/2/3/4/5区. I’ve included the Chinese names and addresses for each market below for your convenience.

Yiwu International Trade City (Futian Market) 义乌商贸城 (福田市场)

Yiwu International Trade City is the largest wholesale market in Yiwu, covering 6.4 million square meters and offering over 2.1 million types of products. Here, you can find almost any product you can think of.

It has 5 districts with 75,000 booths, mostly trading companies and some factories, specializing in various product categories. If you visit each booth one by one, it would take over three months to finish!

  • No.69, Chouzhou North Road, Yiwu (义乌市稠州北路69号).
  • 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Five niche wholesale markets in Yiwu

1. International Production Material Market (国际生产资料市场)

Unlike the Futian Market, the International Production Materials Market focuses on machinery and equipment. It also serves as a hub for lighting products and leather goods.

  • No.1566, Xuefeng West Road, Yiwu (义乌市雪峰西路1566号)
  • Click to enlarge the screenshot below to explore the product categories.
International Production Materials Market--product category info-1
International Production Materials Market--product category info-2

2. Huangyuan Clothing Market (篁园服装市场)

It is located in the most prosperous business circle, Xiu Hu. And it is the largest professional clothing market in the middle zone of Zhejiang, complementing wholesale and retail business.

Huangyuan Clothing Market in yiwu
a frontal view of Huangyuan Clothing Market
Huangyuan Clothing Market in yiwu
a glimpse inside Huangyuan Clothing Market
  • No.180, Jiangbin Middle Road, Yiwu (义乌市江滨中路180号)

 

F1pants/jeans
F2men’s wear
F3women’s wear
F4sportswear/evening dress
F5children’s clothing
F6Korea imported clothing city

3. Yiwu Furniture Market (义乌家具市场)

Located in the core area of the west of Yiwu City, it is the only large-scale professional furniture market approved by the Yiwu government. It is a modern furniture market with the largest single scale, the highest grade, the best environment, and complete supporting facilities in Zhejiang.

Yiwu furniture whoelsale market
a frontal view of Yiwu Furniture Market
  • No.1779, Xicheng Road, Yiwu (义乌市西城路1779号)

B1standard home and office furniture
F1upholstered furniture, rattan, metal, glass furniture
F2modern panel furniture, kids’ bedroom sets
F3European, classical, mahogany and solid wood furniture
F4 wonderful space management fine furniture
F5cupboard, bathroom, wallpaper, solar energy, deco products

4. Yiwu Material Market (物资市场)

Yiwu material market has become a large-scale market for building decoration materials, and a distributor center for aluminum, stone, and ceramic products. It has around 350 booths here.

a frontal view of Yiwu Material Market
  • No.199, Xicheng Road, Yiwu (义乌市西城路199号)
  • 4 trading areas for metal materials, stone, ceramics, lighting hardware.

5. Zhezhong Timber Market (浙中木材市场)

It is the largest and highest-grade timber distribution center in central Zhejiang, featuring over 500 booths.

a frontal view of Zhezhong Timber Market
  • No.266, Xicheng Road, Yiwu (义乌市西城路266号）
  • Plywood, cladding panels, wood strips, decorative hardware, logs, etc.

14 specialized streets in Yiwu

Many suppliers aren’t in the market buildings but are spread across various streets. I’ve summarized 14 streets that gather numerous raw materials and stock lot product suppliers. Stock lots are surplus goods from overproduction or canceled orders, sold to specialized wholesalers at 80% off factory prices to clear space.

1. Meihu stock street (梅湖库存专业街)

  • Intersection of Meihu Stock 2nd Street and Binwang Road, Yiwu (义乌梅湖库存二街与宾王路交叉口）

2. Wuai stock street (五爱库存专业街)

  • No. 1, Unit 1, Building 58, Zone C, Wuai Village, Yiwu (义乌五爱村C区58幢1单元1号）
  • Meihu and Wuai are close to each other and offer similar inventory products: clothing, costume jewelry and accessories, toys, shoes, suitcases, bags, stationery, etc.

3. Changchun ornament street 1-7 (长春饰品专业街)

  • Changchun Community 1, opposite the West Gate of Yiwu International Trade City District 1 (义乌长春一区，商贸城一区西大门对面)
  • Natural stones, crystals, pearls, glass, shells, ceramics, wooden beads, along with silver pieces and various copper and alloy fittings.

4. Xingzhong jewelry street (兴中珠宝小区)

  • No. 800 Chouzhou North Road, Yiwu (义乌稠州北路800号)
  • Hair accessories, claw clips; rhinestone jewelry (cubic zirconia); beading supplies, zippers, and accessory materials.

5. Futian district 3 (福田三区)

  • No. 1061, Gongren North Road, Yiwu (义乌工人北路1061)
  • Scarves, hats, and gloves.

6. Huangyuan bra & underwear street (篁园内衣街道)

  • Lane 6, Huangyuan Road, Yiwu (义乌篁园路6弄)
  • Bras, pajamas, underwear, and base layers.

7. Huangyuan eyeglasses street (篁园眼镜专业街)

  • No.190, Jiangbin Middle Road, Yiwu (义乌江滨中路190号)
  • Sunglasses, optical glasses, driving glasses, protective glasses, and related accessories such as lenses and frames.

8. Zhanqian furniture street (站前家具专业街)

  • No.247, Chengzhong North Road, Yiwu (义乌城中北路247号)
  • Traditional Chinese furniture, modern minimalist furniture.

9. Binwang cosmetics street (宾王化妆品专业街)

  • No.238, Binwang Road Yiwu (义乌宾王路238号)
  • Skincare products, makeup, perfumes, and beauty tools like makeup brushes.

10. Sunshine community (阳光小区专业街)

  • No. 408, Zongze North Road, Yiwu (义乌宗泽北路408号)
  • Culture, gifts, New Year paintings, calendars.

11. Zhaozhai street (赵宅专业街)

  • Zhaozhai Village (1 to 5 Sections), near Chouzhou North Road in Yiwu (赵宅一到五区，稠州北路附近)

Section 1digital products, mainly computers with fewer mobile phones.
Sections 2 & 3paintings, photo frames.
Sections 4 & 5smoking kits and accessories, lighters.

12. Chengxin district 1 (诚信一区)

  • Opposite Gate 67, Yiwu International Trade City, Chengxin Avenue (义乌国际商贸城67号门对面诚信大道)
  • Wigs, plush toys, knitted and non-woven fabrics, lace, and other garment accessories.

13. Chouzhou north gift street (‌稠州北礼品街)

  • No.601, Chouzhou North Road, Yiwu (义乌稠州北路601号）
  • Gifts and gift packaging.

14. Futian district 2 gift street (‌福田2区礼品街)

  • Near No.882, Gongren North Road, Yiwu (义乌工人北路882号附近)
  • Crafts, Christmas gifts, and festive supplies.

Why do buyers like Yiwu？

Buyers love Yiwu for its low prices, centralized suppliers, the most comprehensive product range, and convenient shipping.

Yiwu is a central city in Zhejiang province on the East China Sea coast. Together with the nearby Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta industrial chains, Yiwu currently has 2.1 million factories for production and supply.

Yiwu is known for its numerous small factories with high efficiency. For example, 80% of the world’s Christmas decorations are made here—from raw materials to finished products and global delivery, all with unmatched supply chain efficiency.

Yiwu is close to Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and Shanghai Port, the top 3 largest ports in China. Combined with the Yiwu-Madrid China-Europe Railway Express, cargo shipping is incredibly convenient.

Yiwu encircled by industrial clusters and close to Ningbo Shanghai ports
Yiwu-Madrid China-Europe Railway Express (Photo/Xinhua)

As for product costs, I can’t say Yiwu Market always offers the lowest price for every item, but overall sourcing costs are definitely the lowest, along with high sourcing efficiency. 

Yiwu Market covers almost every product category. If you’re looking for a specific product, you’ll find all related suppliers grouped in one area, offering hundreds of styles to choose from. This way, you can quickly compare prices from dozens of suppliers, test samples, place orders, and arrange shipping—all in a short time.

This comprehensive, one-stop sourcing experience in Yiwu saves you both time and money, something hard to match in other cities. Even in Guangzhou, the markets are scattered across different locations. On the other hand, Yiwu is compact, and driving between the farthest markets takes only about 20 minutes.

So far, Yiwu has traded with over 230 countries and regions worldwide. Every year the Yiwu International Commodities Fair is held here.

Interested in more Yiwu info? Check out our

Yiwu Resource Hub (transport, entertainment, hotel…)

Who sources in Yiwu and what’s their business?

Most buyers run offline businesses.

Most frequent visitors to Yiwu Market are offline chain store owners and wholesalers from developing regions like Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. For example, many African wholesalers are very familiar with the market, selecting products with ease. Their goods are shipped directly to local showrooms and large warehouses, where they are distributed further.

For businesses with showrooms, their sales channels are usually local retail shops and small wholesalers. Additionally, some businesses open stores in downtown areas. For example, many of our Sri Lankan clients in the clothing and textile industry have their own stores, which they use for further distribution or local promotions.

Most buyers purchase in-stock products in bulk rather than customizing.

Usually, buyers choose from ready-made styles, saying, “I want this, I want that,” then noting the box volume. They simply buy stock in bulk—five boxes, ten boxes—straightforward and without customization.

Keep in mind that the minimum order quantity in Yiwu International Trade City is usually high, and suppliers are not good at customization. They might agree to stick logo labels for you, but if you want to print logos on the product or customize packaging like boxes or cards, most suppliers won’t be willing to do it.

Working with Yiwu agents is a good solution. Many buyers meet with agents in person to discuss their customization needs. For example, many buyers come to us for help: take them around the market, assist with translation, and handle customization requests. We find separate printing factories for custom logos and packaging.

How to find “the one” among thousands of Yiwu suppliers?

First, you need to know what products you want to purchase. In other words, don’t just wander around buying whatever catches your eye—it’ll only exhaust you and leave you empty-handed. You need to list products. Then, use our map and market guide to find which district your product suppliers are in the market.

Also, you can use Yiwugo, the Yiwu market suppliers’ directory online, to find a supplier’s information and location inside the market. You’ll find more contact info, such as e-mail, phone number, or WeChat ID, about the supplier and view products through 360° panoramic displays on their homepages. Many experienced buyers have the Yiwugo app installed on their smartphones for convenience. 

yiwugo store 360 view & addres

No need to worry about language barriers. Suppliers in Yiwu markets can understand and speak some basic English, such as how much, price, cheap, good, and other simple English words. When you see a product at a booth, you can use your finger to point it out. And then the suppliers will show you the price in RMB with a calculator.

Foreign buyers directly talk to Yiwu market suppliers
Foreign buyers directly talk to Yiwu market suppliers

Buyers directly talk to Yiwu market suppliers.

But suppose you want to further discuss with suppliers how the product is made, or make your private label products. In that case, it’s very necessary to hire a good translator for smooth communication. A translator costs around $45/day. The translator is mainly to help you communicate with the supplier in the market. But as for orders, inspections, and delivery after leaving the market, that’s not their job.

We can link you up with a translator speaking English/Spanish/Russian/Arabic… You’ll work with them directly, and we do this for free.

If you’re looking to purchase in bulk, customize your products, inspect quality, or arrange shipment to your country, you’d better find us to help you every step of the way.

In the Yiwu market, suppliers of the same product category are all situated in the same area. Price comparison is super easy—just check out 10 to 20 stores for a product, and you’ll know the general price. Make sure to remember the store’s number—otherwise, you might have trouble finding it again.

How to pay? RMB or USD? Cash?

If you’re buying something worth a few hundred dollars, suppliers in the Yiwu market only accept payment in cash, in RMB.

If you don’t want to deal with the bank’s tedious procedures, visit the mini gray market in front of the Bank of China at No. 500 North Chouzhou Road (稠州北路500号) for quick currency exchange at similar or slightly higher rates.

For big orders, like a few thousand or even tens of thousands of dollars, most buyers make payments to their cooperative agents via T/T. The agents then transfer the money to the suppliers in the Yiwu market. Typically, buyers only need to pay a deposit of $150 to $300 upfront, with the remaining balance due 10 to 15 days after the goods are shipped.

In addition, a small number of buyers work directly with Yiwu market suppliers, paying both the deposit and the balance as mentioned above. The specific payment details depend on your agreement with the supplier.

How to inspect and ship goods from Yiwu to you？

If you're buying small quantities and planning to bring them back yourself—like many people do when they buy a suitcase full of fashion jewelry—you can simply ask the supplier to deliver products to your hotel after you make the purchase.

If big orders, most buyers find agents to source products in Yiwu markets and ask them to handle QC, warehousing, plus shipping.

A small number of buyers work directly with freight forwarders. Here’s how it works: buyers place orders at the supplier’s booth and ask the supplier to deliver products to their forwarder at a set time. These forwarders specialize in handling orders for buyers from the Middle East and Africa, simply loading goods into containers for shipping without inspection. 

This relies heavily on trust between the buyer and the supplier. Many African buyers prefer to visit Yiwu personally to inspect the goods and supervise the loading process.

If you are from a country along the Yixinou Railway, you can also choose to ship the goods to your country by rail. The “Yixinou railway” starts from Yiwu and passes through the following countries and regions:

  • Kazakhstan
  • Russia
  • Belarus
  • Poland
  • Germany
  • France
  • Madrid

The choice of rail transport saves about half of the cost of time, and its cost is only half or less that of air transport.

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