Small goods
Wholesale.
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The world's largest wholesale market for small commodities, in Yiwu, Zhejiang, which the World Bank called «the world's largest small commodities market» in 2005; traders come from all over the world, among them thousands of Arab traders. The market began in 1982 as a simple street market of stalls and awnings, one of the first free markets allowed in China, and was expanded and rebuilt several times; by 2013 it drew more than 20,000 buyers a day and sold about US$11 billion of goods a year. Today it spreads over five huge districts with about 75,000 shops, per visitor guides, grouped by product: toys, accessories, artificial flowers, household goods, stationery, clothing, small electronics and more, and seeing it all takes days. Entry is free; shops open about 09:00 to 17:00, and most close for weeks around the Chinese New Year, per visitor guides. Sales are mostly wholesale with minimum order quantities, so bring business cards and use a trusted interpreter or shipping agent. The city has a large mosque on Jiangbin West Road, set in a former silk factory and packed with traders at Friday prayers, and «Exotic Street» near Chouzhou North Road with its halal Arab and Turkish restaurants.
Wholesale.
By product.
From everywhere.
Futian area, northeast Yiwu
Shops open about 09:00 to 17:00, and most close for weeks around the Chinese New Year in January or February, per visitor guides, so plan around it.
Yes: a large mosque on Jiangbin West Road, packed with traders at Friday prayers, and many halal Arab and Turkish restaurants on «Exotic Street» near Chouzhou North Road.