Yiwu, known as the “World Supermarket,” has always been regarded as the “weather vane” and “barometer” of global commodity trade. This year, with the outbreak of COVID-19, domestic and export business decline, and merchants’ flow blocked, which has impacted the exports of market entities. This year’s Yiwu Fair will vigorously expand the domestic trade market, focusing on inviting domestic department stores, supermarkets (convenience stores), professional needs, and other buyers. Will attract about 1,800 domestic buyers from nearly 20 teams.
Preparing Yiwu Fair
“To participate in the Yiwu Fair, we have prepared a variety of portable soap papers. It’s a flower-shaped paper sheet, and the size is like a piece of tissue. Pull out one piece at a time when using it. Once washed, it becomes a hand sanitizer. It is quite popular among buyers” In Hall D1 of Yiwu International Expo Center, Feng Huahua, the person in charge of Zhejiang Keli Technology Co., Ltd., introduced this “artifact”-soap paper to reporters. Buyer Qiang Yingli was also deeply attracted. She said that this soap paper is not the same as the commonly used soaps. A small piece of paper makes a hand sanitizer. It can not only inhibit bacteria but is also convenient to carry with. The market prospect is outstanding. “I am going to buy some.”
Affected by the epidemic, foreign trade losses and domestic trade compensation have become a topic frequently mentioned by many market operators. Zhejiang Keli Technology Co., Ltd., based initially on foreign trade, has turned its attention to the domestic market. Abide by industry standards formulated by both government and enterprises. It has transformed and developed more portable soap papers, which meet consumers’ needs at home and abroad during the epidemic. The company is also the first time participating in the Yiwu Fair to seek partners.
“At present, innovation is very important to the real economy as well as small and medium sized enterprises.” Feng Xianhua said, “exhibition is very helpful for enterprises to enhance brand awareness and obtain more orders. Until now, as the products cater to the current domestic and foreign consumers demand. We have received many orders, which makes us full of confidence in the internal circulation. At the moment, confidence is more precious than gold.”
More focus on domestic
“Hello everyone, I am the person in charge of Finder Tools. For this fair, we have specially prepared several latest designed hardware tools. The biggest feature of this fruit tree shears is lightness and sharpness…”. 10 o’clock, October 22, in Hall B1 of the Yiwu International Expo Center. Exhibitor Chen Yanzhen has put on delicate makeup and gave her first live broadcast at the Yiwu Fair.
This year is the sixteenth year that Chen Yanzhen has participated in the Yiwu Fair. However, she still attaches great importance to the fair. Whether it is exhibiting products or booth design, she has done her work. Affected by the epidemic, many foreign buyers cannot enter China. Customer communication has become a significant problem. And the hardware industry has also been affected. Coupled with the suspension of offline fairs across the country in the first half of this year and the uncertainty of the Canton Fair preparations in the second half of the year, Chen Yanzhen has greater expectations and enthusiasm for the Yiwu Fair. She believes that the Yiwu Fair is of great significance for further restoring corporate foreign trade business. Opening up the domestic trade market, finding new customer groups, and building corporate brands.
To prepare for the fair, Chen Yanzhen prepared to develop new products for several months in advance. Besides, she has made a lot of effort in the live broadcast, which has become a trend for promoting products, and invested nearly 500,000 yuan in the first half of this year. Whether it is a cross-border e-commerce platform like Alibaba or domestic new media platforms such as Kuaishou and Tik Tok, Chen Yanzhen tries to get involved.
Busy in the exhibition
“What is the wholesale price of this tool?” “Are there other series of this product?” Chen Yanzhen’s live broadcast was less than half an hour, and the number of viewers in the live broadcast room reached 12,000. While the online live broadcast was very rewarding, many merchants consulted and negotiated at the offline booth of Finder Tools. An American purchasing company took a fancy to several products on their booth and intended to sell its products in 15,000 supermarket chains in the United States. A foreign businessman from Syria, Osman also approached Chen Yanzhen with a purchase order of 10 million yuan. “Many of my friends are not very convenient to come to China due to the epidemic, so they entrusted me to help them purchase,” Osman said that this is his first time to the Yiwu Fair and saw many good products at the fair. He and exhibitors added each other on WeChat, and continue to keep in contact.
According to feedback from the person in charge of each booth, many of the customers they received in the past few days are foreign trade companies. “This year we will change the positioning of the customer group from foreign businessmen to foreign trade companies as well as some domestic buyers.” An exhibitor who specializes in luggage introduced.
On the same day, 12 foreign business internet celebrities from France, India, and Arabia also gave real-time live broadcast about the Yiwu Fair through mainstream media platforms in their respective countries. According to the organizer of Yiwu Fair, this is their first attempt to invite foreign internet celebrities to give live broadcasts for promotion. To further shape the image of Yiwu Fair as a professional trade show and increase its overseas exposure and brand awareness.
Belt and road
It is reported that the internet celebrity resources of this cooperation cover the current global mainstream social media platforms such as Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and the average number of fans of each internet celebrity is more than 70,000. They use English, Spanish, Arabic, and other languages, and their fans cover many countries along the “Belt and Road”, Europe, America, and Africa and other countries and regions.
In the future, Yiwu will further enrich the connotation of the Yiwu Fair’s brand and standardized elements. Will continuously improve its influence and economic and trade effectiveness, and help accelerate the formation of a new development pattern.
Yiwu is a cultural city.