How to Visit the Yiwu Fair 2025

As an importer, you are always chasing two things: cheap prices and product variety. Fortunately, the Yiwu Fair offers both to its visitors. It is a global product sourcing stop where importers and locals meet to trade.

But when does the Fair hold, and how do you navigate it?

This article has answers. Keep reading to know how you can visit the Yiwu Fair and benefit from it.

Does Visiting Fairs Give Any Benefit to Buyers?

Yes, attending trade fairs has several benefits for importers. The Fair hosts approximately 3,800 international booths and 2,500 exhibitors. The annual exhibition area often reaches up to 100,000 square meters.

At the event, there are a variety of products, from consumer goods to toys and appliances. Here is a run-down of the benefits you can expect when you visit the Yiwu Fair this October:

1) Find and Compare Products First Hand

Imagine all the major companies coming together to present their products to you! The Yiwu Fair allows you to see, touch, and inspect products firsthand. This experience beats the typical exposure you get from Alibaba or 1688.

Also, you can direct your questions to the manufacturers. You also get to do quality control in China firsthand.

2) Source for New Suppliers

The Yiwu Fair attracts each industry’s crème de la crème to one spot. Hence, visiting is one of the best ways to connect with the top China suppliers. If you are sourcing from a new, reliable supplier, you have a better shot at getting it at the Yiwu Fair. Their work is on display.

You can compare and make an informed decision. The structure of the Yiwu Fair also makes it easy to find a top China import company.

3) Better Negotiation

Face-to-face negotiations are way more effective than negotiating over Chinese wholesale websites. They are more compelling, making you more likely to forge a deal. Moreover, there are several suppliers with products on display. Hence, you can bargain well and pick the best price.

4) Learn the Latest Trends

One of the best ways to know the trends is to visit trade fairs in China. Attending the Canton fair and the Yiwu fair provides invaluable insights. There, you learn of the new product developments and top products imported from China. This knowledge can help you stay ahead in your local market.

Can You Attend Multiple Yiwu Fairs in One Trip?

Yes! Many importers plan to attend multiple fairs in one trip. It only requires careful and methodical planning. You have to consider the timing and location. Fortunately, most of the Yiwu Fairs occur in the Yiwu Expo Centre. But the fairs are a little more varied. However, there is often an overlap.

Examples are;

The Yiwu International Commodities Fair (October 21 to 24, 2025)
The Yiwu International Forest Products Fair (October 31 – November 03, 2025)

A three-week visit means you can attend both Yiwu Fairs.

When Will the 2025 Yiwu Fair Be Held?

The Yiwu Fair this year will be held from the 21st to 2the 4th of October, 2025. However, there are several other Yiwu Fairs around the exact date that you can attend.

They include the Yiwu International Forest Product Fair and the Yiwu Cultural and Tourism Products Trade Fair. These events occur in early November and mid-October, respectively.

Step 1: Get a Visa for China

If you are familiar with international travel, you’ll know you need a Visa to enter China. Here is how to go about it for a seamless experience:

1) Invitation letter: How to request from the fair organisers

You will need an official invitation letter for a business visa (M or F). You must register as a buyer or exhibitor on the Yiwu Fair Website to get this. Then, request the invitation through their buyer services or WebChat mini-program. An alternate route will be from a sourcing agent or supplier attending the fair.

2) Type of visa required (Business Visa – M or F category)

The M visa is ideal for commercial and trade visits, like fairs and meeting suppliers. However, the F visa is for when you attend conferences and academic events. For the Trade Fair, the M visa is a theme.

3) Where and when to apply

You can apply at your local Chinese Visa Application Service Centre. Starting this process 4 to 6 weeks before your visit is best. The Visa processing time is usually around 4 to 7 business days. However, you can speed it up with the express option. Here are the documents you will need:

Completed online visa form
Passport
Recent passport photo
An invitation letter with all your details
Company documents

Step 2: Note the Key Dates of Yiwu Fairs in 2025

Here are the key dates and kinds of Yiwu Fairs.

Fair Name	Dates (2025)	Product Focus	Ideal For
Yiwu International Hardware & Electrical Appliances Fair	April 20–22	Tools, machinery, home appliances	Hardware stores, electronics retailers
Yiwu Jewellery & Accessories Fair	May 15–18	Fashion jewellery, accessories, and personal items	Fashion retailers, boutique owners
Yiwu International Textile & Garment Fair	September 5–7	Fabrics, garments, fashion materials	Apparel brands, clothing importers
Yiwu Cultural and Tourism Products Trade Fair	October 13–15	Handicrafts, souvenirs, travel items	Gift shops, tourism-related businesses
Yiwu International Commodities Fair	October 21–24	General consumer goods, daily use items	All-purpose importers, sourcing agents
Yiwu International Forest Products Fair	October 31 – November 03	Wood products, bamboo, and eco materials	Eco-product businesses, furniture suppliers
Yiwu International Commodities Fair – Export Goods	November 13–15	General goods	Exporters, global wholesalers

Note: These dates are based on the official schedules but may change at any time. To stay updated, contact us and our team at OwlSourcing will add you to our special importer list. We will keep you informed with the latest fair dates and on-ground updates.

Step 3: Register for the Yiwu Fair 2025

Here is a guide to registering for a smooth China product sourcing process:

1) Pre-registration vs. on-site registration

Two options for securing a trade badge are pre-registration and on-site registration. The pre-registration option is via the Yiwu Fair buyer portal or the WeChat platform. After submission and verification, a confirmation letter is sent to your email or SMS.

On-site registration is the other way you can apply for a trader badge. Carry your passport and business card to the venue’s registration desks. Also, owning a Canton Fair trade badge may give you a free badge at the overseas Buyer’s Registration Spot.

2) What are the Required Documents?

Prepare the following documents upon registration:

A valid passport (for locals, the equivalent is the national ID)
Your pre-registration confirmation: email or SMS
Business card with accurate details

3) Language support options

Yiwu Fair offers English support on-site. Also, the online interface is available in English during pre-registration. Hence, if you are unfamiliar with Chinese, you can still navigate the registration.

4) Badge pick-up tips

Leverage the Green channel: Leverage the green channel at the Buyer’s Registration Spot. If you have pre-registered traders with the confirmation message, go there straight away. It helps speed the process and escape queues.
Register Early: Register online to avoid queues. Registering on-site takes longer and is not worth the trouble.

Step 4: Know the Travel Options to Get to Yiwu

The Yiwu Fair is held at the Expo Centre in Zongze Rd, China. The spot is close to many transportation routes, making the Fair accessible. Here is how you can get there;

1) Nearest airports

There are three airports near the Yiwu Expo Centre where the Yiwu Fair is held. The Yiwu Airport is roughly 5 km from the Yiwu centre. You can land at spots from other major airports in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It is a 5-minute shuttle ride from the airport to the Expo Centre.

There is also the Hangzhou airport. This spot is much farther from the Yiwu Expo Centre, about 100 km away. A taxi from Hangzhou airport to the exhibition centre will take you about 1 hour. A faster alternative is the city’s high-speed train.

Finally, there is the Shanghai Airport, located about 300 km from the Expo Centre. This airport is popular among most importers, so it made a place in our list. It is a lot farther, so you might spend several hours in transit.

2) Watch out for Bullet train routes

A bullet train from the Shanghai airport to Yiwu is a suitable option for its speed. To leverage its perks, you need to know its routes and schedules. There is a fixed number of train rides to Yiwu daily. Research the train schedule beforehand to avoid delays.

3) Travel time and approximate costs

The travel time and cost depend on where you land and the mode of transport. If you stop at Yiwu Airport and take a straight taxi, transit is only about 10 minutes and costs a couple of bucks. However, landing at either Hangzhou or Shanghai Airport costs you more. We aren’t discussing direct pricing as these values change with seasons.

Step 5: Know Where to Stay in Yiwu

A visit to the Yiwu Fair is not a one-day experience. For the best visit, you need about two to three days. Here are accommodation tips that can help you settle once you land:

1) Hotels near the International Expo Centre

There are three massive hotels near the International Expo Centre. They are the Expo Centre Hotel, Kasion International Hotel, and Yiwu Shangcheng Hotel. Each of the hotels is standard with the necessary amenities. The cost per night ranges from 60$ to about 200$, depending on your chosen room.

2) Business hotels versus apartments

Both options are great, but consider your needs before deciding. Business hotels have features such as meeting rooms and business centres. However, they are often more expensive than an apartment and offer less space.

An apartment provides more space for bigger teams and is less costly. But they are often farther from the fair and offer fewer house-cleaning services.

Step 6: Understand Daily Fair Routine

So, how do you make the best of the Yiwu Fair visit? Here are tips:

1) What to carry

Get your business card and a notebook. Also, keep a power bank, water bottle, etc. These tools can come in handy for a better visiting experience.

For instance, the power bank is to ensure your phone is always charged. The brochures will hold your cards, and a water bottle will keep you hydrated.

2) Fairground map availability

Before the trip, download the map from the official website. You can also get it on-site. The map includes the layout of the fair, which would help you move around better.

3) When to visit booths for in-depth talks

The mornings are the best. Avoid contacting the suppliers in the late afternoon, as they are often exhausted. The best strategy will be to scout on the first day and return early the next day to talk.

Yiwu Market vs. Yiwu Fair: Should You Visit Both?

While both Yiwu market and fair share the same prefix, they differ. And yes, you can visit both, but not on the same trip. The Yiwu Market is open daily except during the New Year break. However, the Yiwu Fair is held annually from October 21 to 24.

Yiwu Market, also known as the Yiwu International Trade City, has a much wider variety than the Yiwu Fair. The location has about 70,000 booths and millions of product types. It is for both international and local sourcing. However, the Yiwu Fair is much smaller and focuses on daily consumer goods.

Although the Yiwu Market is bigger, the Yiwu Fair is more suitable for importers. The system is tailored to suit international buyers. Hence, there is better English support and structure. The market one-ups this perk with its much lower prices and custom products.

Overall, you can leverage the Yiwu Fair to navigate the market better. Use the Fair to build rapport with Chinese suppliers, get prices, and see new products. Then, you can visit the market with this motive for a better sourcing process when you import from China.

On the Ground at Yiwu – What They Don’t Show in Brochures

I remember a time walking into the Yiwu Expo Centre. It wasn’t the lights or the crowd that stood out. It was the silence between the booths that created a quiet tension between opportunity and hesitation.

Most visitors looked lost. I found them overwhelmed by thousands of products. It was like they were unsure how to tell a reliable supplier from a reseller with a shiny booth.

One man approached me that day. He had flown in from South Africa. His first words were: “I thought coming here would make things easier. But now I don’t know who to trust.”

Fairs like Yiwu promise access to endless products. However, the real work happens in the details.

Factory visits! Supplier background checks! Testing samples! Negotiating after the exhibition is over. Visiting any trade fair involves many tasks.

I’ve done it all. I’ve stood in a dusty warehouse at 7 a.m. checking packaging standards. I’ve interpreted contracts line-by-line with factory owners who don’t speak a word of English. Even more, I’ve called out fake samples right on the fair floor because, yes, those still happen.

Visitors assume that finding the “best” supplier is all about the booth size.

But in reality, it’s about knowing;

Who makes the product
Who subcontracts
Who sells catalogue photos they don’t own?

At OwlSourcing, we are not just another agent name written on a booth. Our team has walked these fairgrounds countless times. We have built supplier networks that go beyond the event floor.

Because the truth is, anyone can attend the Yiwu Fair. But not everyone can turn a handshake at a booth into a profitable relationship.

Remember – Finding a Supplier at the Fair Is Just Step One

Many importers attend the Yiwu Fair expecting to get ready-to-ship deals quickly. But sourcing doesn’t end when the booth closes; it begins.

You might find a great product at the fair. But how do you ensure the same quality in mass production? Who confirms the supplier is the actual manufacturer, not a middleman? What happens if deadlines slip or the factory changes materials to cut corners?

OwlSourcing knows it very well. We take full ownership of the sourcing process.

Most fair visitors rely on handshakes and hope. However, our clients rely on field-tested systems and local expertise. Whether or not you attend the fair, our team ensures you get better deals.

Get true factory-direct sourcing without needing to be in China yourself.

In short, you can attend the fair. Or you can partner with a team that’s already two steps ahead.

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Final Thoughts!

The Yiwu Fair 2025 is a golden opportunity to meet industry-leading China suppliers. However, planning the itinerary and travelling can be a deal-breaker. We understand the struggles of businesses that can’t spare days or weeks for better deals and prices.

The good news is you don’t have to. Our team can be your representative and get the best deals in your absence. We are familiar with the scenery and events and are proficient at navigating the stalls. Contact us today!

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