The Importers Guide to Guangzhou: Wholesale Markets, Visas & More

Are you an importer or Amazon seller planning to visit Guangzhou, China? In this article, we explain everything you must know before your visit, and how to get there.

• What kinds of suppliers can I find in Guangzhou?
• List of Guangzhou Wholesale Markets
• Trade Shows in Guangzhou
• Ports in Guangzhou
• How to get to Guangzhou
• Visa Requirements

What kinds of suppliers can I find in Guangzhou?

Guangzhou is China’s original export hub, and among the first to see a boom when China opened up in the 1980s. While some may say the capital of Guangdong province has been surpassed by Shenzhen in recent years, it still has a huge and highly diversified manufacturing base covering the following categories:

• Textiles
• Electronics
• Jewelleries & Accessories
• Moulds & Tooling
• Kitchen Products
• Printing & Packaging
• Home & Furniture

List of Guangzhou Wholesale Markets

Guangzhou is also famous for many of its wholesale markets. Below follows an overview:

Baima Clothing Wholesale Market

Baima Clothing Wholesale Market is one of the most famous markets for retail and wholesale. Here, you can find garments from clothing, hats, shoes, etc. It is a shoppers’ paradise if you are looking to find products of the latest fashion trend.

If you are looking for a rather fun shopping experience in these wholesale markets, you should definitely try bargaining. In China, there is a famous culture of bargaining with the shopkeepers in markets.

Unlike any regular retail outlets, when you show interest in any items in the stores, the shopkeepers would passionately try to sell that item in any way they can before you walk out of the shops. Sometimes, they would walk after you to negotiate the price after you have left the store.

In terms of travelling, it only takes a few minutes to walk from the Guangzhou Railway Station, which is fairly convenient to get there. As a result, if you will be visiting China, then you should definitely go to this market.

Products

• Private Label T-shirts
• Scarves
• Shoes
• Hats

Address: No. 16 Zhannan Road, Guangzhou, China

Shahe Clothes Wholesale Market

Are you looking to explore one of the three biggest clothing wholesale markets in China?

Are you someone who is looking for the most professional distribution centres for jeans?

Then you should definitely visit the Shahe Clothes, Wholesale Market.

This market is a hotspot for the garment trade. Every year, millions of people from China and abroad come to Guangzhou to visit Shahe for the latest jeans fashion.

It is particularly popular among people from Africa and Middle-East, who are looking to buy products from a low to medium grade wholesale/retail price.

Products

• Jeans
• Sportswear
• Pants
• T-shirt

Address: No. 143 Huanshidong Lu, Guangzhou

Sanyuanli Leather Product Wholesale Market

Are you a fan of leather products? Then you should definitely visit Sanyuanli Leather Product Wholesale Market.

The Sanyuanli Leather Product Wholesale Market is located in the Baiyun district of Guangzhou. From just a short walk from Sanyuanli subway station, you will immediately enter the Sanyuanli Dadao area.

This market is well-known for the numerous suppliers of leather products, which is a must visit place if you are planning on crazy leather shopping.

You can buy fabric at price from around a couple of hundreds of RMB and even have it dyed at no extra cost.Next time when you are in Guangzhou, you should definitely check out some leather products there.

Products:

• Leather Shoes
• Leather Jacket
• Leather Wallet
• Leather Phone Case
• Leather Key Chain

Address: Sanyuanli Subdistrict, Baiyun District, Guangzhou

Gunagzhou Zhan Xi Lu Garment Wholesale Market

Zhan Xi Lu Garment Wholesale Market is a clothing distribution centre of China, which plays a crucial role in China’s apparel wholesale business.

In here, you can find well-known manufacturers with their own factories for production. Customers from all over the world also come here looking for the latest fashion trend in the clothing business.

Zhan Xi Lu Garment Wholesale Market is also a famous fake products paradise in Guangzhou if that’s what you are also interested in as well.

In terms of commuting, you can go there by either Guangzhong Railway Station or provincial bus station.

Products

• Jeans
• T-shirts
• Children’s Clothing
• Skirts
• Boots

Address: Zhan Xi Rd 1-4, Yuexiu, Guangzhou

Guangzhou Zhongda Fabric Market

Looking for special types of material for clothing and accessories production? You should come to visit Guangzhou Zhongda Fabric Market aka Zhongda Fabric and Accessories Market.

While it is not an actual market, it is located within an area with more than 15 buildings. Here, you could get lost with the infinite choices of fabric.

Zhongda Fabric Market is also easy to get to, which is just next to the Zhongda Railway Station. You can also walk there, considering that it is located close to other famous wholesale markets.

Want to avoid busy traffics when visiting the market? It is recommended that you go to the market between early morning till early afternoon (3 PM) because after 3 o’clock to evening is the rush hour in this area.

Products

• Zippers
• Buttons
• Beads
• Ribbons
• Sew-on Patterns

Address: 114 Xingang West Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou

Guangzhou Metropolis Shoes City

Fancy some new sneakers to replace your old ones at home? Stay tuned, because you are about to enter the magic world of shoes in China – Guangzhou Metropolis Shoes City.

This market has the largest variety of shoes, heels, boots, literally, any kind of shoes can be found here. Who knows? You might even find a look-alike pair of Dorothy’s magic red slippers from the Wizard of Oz but at a more affordable price.

It is easy to get there. Well, not by Aladdin’s flying carpet of course. Simply take the Guangzhou metro from Line 2 or 5 and reach to Guangzhou Railway Station Exit F. This area is quite comfortable to shop around as it is not very crowded there.

Products

• Boots
• Flip Flops
• High Heels
• Sandals
• Sneakers

Address: Jiangnan road no. 88, Yuexiu Area, Guangzhou

Guangzhou Jeans Wholesale Market

Have you ever heard of Lana Del Ray’s famous song ‘Blue Jeans’?

“Blue Jeans, White Shirt…” It’s a must-have fashion item in everyone’s closet since you can style almost anything with jeans. Simply a white tank top or t-shirt, then you are ready to go.

Guangzhou Jeans Wholesale Markets is one of the biggest jeans wholesale markets, it’s also called the Xintang International Jean City for a reason – it literally looks like a city with jeans and denim textiles everywhere. Here, you can find all sorts of denim fabric in different patterns.

From the European Countries to Hong Kong, almost 40% of jeans sold worldwide are made in Xintang. Thinking of exploring the denim magic further? Then you should go to this city of Jeans.

Products

• Denim Jeans
• Jean Textile
• Short Jeans
• Denim Caps and Hats

Address: Guangshen E Ave, Xintang, Guangdong, China

Which products should I avoid at the wholesale markets?

Many products sold at these wholesale markets are primarily made for the domestic Chinese market. As such, most products are not made to comply with mandatory safety standards and labelling requirements in other countries, such as the US, EU or Australia.

While leather goods and textiles can be relabelled, we suggest that you don’t attempt to buy electronics, children’s products or other strictly regulated items for resale in the US, EU or Australia at these wholesale markets.

Export agents

Moreover, you will also need an export agent to help you facility payments and ensure that the products can be legally cleared for exports. Most wholesalers lack both foreign currency bank accounts and export licenses, as they are focused on either the domestic market – or selling materials to local export manufacturers.

Trade Shows in Guangzhou

A. Canton Fair

The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) is one of the biggest trade show launched in 1957 that happens in Guangzhou every year.

This year, the Canton Fair is divided into 3 different phrase shows.

Phase I:

• Electronics
• Lighting Equipment
• Vehicles and Spare Parts
• Chemical Resources
• Energy Resources

Phase II:

• Consumer Goods
• Gifts and Toys
• Home Decorations

Phase III:

• Textiles, Apparel, Garments
• Bags
• Shoes
• Health Products & Medical Devices
• Office Supplies

B. Other Trade Shows

Other than the Canton Fair, Shoes & Leather – Guangzhou is also another large trade shows and international exhibition that you should attend.

Over 800 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions will be attending this year’s Shoes & Leather – Guangzhou, where visitors are from 70 countries around the world.

Ports in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is well-known for being one of the biggest port cities in South of China. The Port of Guangzhou is the main and largest comprehensive hub port of Guangzhou city, situated 150 km northwest of Hong Kong.

Nansha Port Area

• Location: Huangge, Nansha District, West Bank of Pearl River
• Phase I:  Grain multi-purpose Terminal
• Phase II: Multi-purpose Terminal
• Nansha Automobile Terminal
• 3 Petrochemicals Terminal

Xinsha Port Area

• Location: East Bank of Pearl River
• Import Port for Auto-mobiles: Toyota, Hyundai, BMW vehicles

Huangpu Port Area:

• North Bank of Pearl River from Nansha Port Area
• Import Port for Containers, Large Bulk, Heavy Pieces and Oil Products

How to get to Guangzhou

a. Fly directly to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Flying from your country to Guangzhou directly is pretty convenient and the fastest way to reach there as well. If you plan to do a round trip around China, flights are even cheaper considered that you’re only flying in between mainland.

b. Travel from Hong Kong to Guangzhou

Are you someone who would rather spend a dime on shopping than on travel expenses? Here are some alternative ways to get to Guangzhou from Hong Kong. Of course, you can also fly from Hong Kong International Airport to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which won’t be as expensive as flying from your country.

Consider going to Guangzhou with the fastest way? You can take the high-speed trains from the Kowloon Train Station, which only takes 50 minutes to reach Guangzhou. Or you can also take the normal train at an even cheaper rate, which takes you 2 hours to arrive in Guangzhou.

To go from Hong Kong International Airport to Kowloon Station, simply take the Airport Express train, and you will arrive there in 20 minutes.

Another way to go to Guangzhou you can simply purchase a bus ticket at $250 that will take you from the Hong Kong International Airport to the Border Control at Shenzhen Bay.  Remember that you will need to get off the bus with your personal belongings and luggages, follow local staffs to guide you to taking the correct bus to downtown Guangzhou.

Visa Requirements

Unlike the two Special Administrative Regions which are Hong Kong and Macau that has their own set of border control policies and also visa requirements. Most nationalities need to apply for visa to enter the People’s Republic of China.

Unless your countries are exempted from visa requirements, all visitors to all cities and provinces in China are required to enter with a valid visa.

If it is needed, please ensure to obtain one before going to Guangzhou. If not, you will be denied entry from the Chinese government.

Most importantly, make sure to check out the useful guides for more essential information:

Finding the Right Clothing Manufacturers

Cost When Importing from China

Finding the Right E-commerce Product