On 14 October I fly to China for the autumn Canton Fair in Guangzhou. I'll be there in person for all three phases, with factory visits in between.
I'm going to source for my own projects, but I'll be walking the halls anyway, so it makes sense to look for you too. If you're after a new product, a better supplier or a second source for something you already sell, send me a brief before I fly and I'll hunt it down on the ground.
What the Canton Fair is
The Canton Fair, officially the China Import and Export Fair, has run twice a year since 1957. It's China's biggest trade fair, with more than 30,000 exhibitors, most of them manufacturers rather than resellers.
It's too big to run all at once, so it's split into three phases of five days, each covering different product categories. Knowing which phase your product sits in is the first thing that matters.
What's in each phase
| Phase | Dates | What's there |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 15 to 19 October | Electronics, household appliances, machinery, tools and hardware, lighting, vehicles and new energy |
| Phase 2 | 23 to 27 October | Home products, kitchenware, ceramics, furniture, gifts, decor, garden and building materials |
| Phase 3 | 31 October to 4 November | Clothing, textiles, shoes, bags, toys, office supplies, health and personal care, and food |
I'm covering Phases 1 and 2 myself. Between them, I'll be visiting factories and fulfilment partners in and around Shenzhen. Phase 3 is covered by my contact on the ground, so every category is in scope, whichever phase yours falls in.
Why in person beats a listing
You can find almost any product online. What you can't do from a screen is tell a real factory from a trading company with a nice website, feel the finish on a sample, or put the same question to ten suppliers in one afternoon and compare the answers.
At a stand you can speak to the people who actually make the product, check whether they already sell into the UK and Europe, and get a straight answer on minimum orders, lead times and certification. Suppliers also launch new lines at the fair before they appear online, so it's the first chance to see what's coming.
What to put in your brief
The more I know, the better I can filter. A good brief covers:
- The product. What it is, with photos, links or drawings of anything similar.
- Your target price. What you'd like to pay per unit, and what you sell it for.
- Quantities. Your first order, and what you'd reorder if it sells.
- The must haves. Materials, sizes, packaging, branding, and any certification you need to sell in the UK or EU.
- Your timeline. When you need stock landed.
- What's wrong now. If you already buy it, what you'd change about your current supplier.
If you're earlier than that and just want to see what's out there in a category, say so. That's a valid brief too.
What you get back
From the fair, I'll send photos, prices and minimum order quantities for what I find, straight from the stand. After the fair, you get a shortlist of the best options with clear next steps, whether that's ordering samples, a factory visit or a proper cost breakdown to see what the product will really cost you landed in the UK.
If you're not sure a product will work, it's worth knowing I can also get a prototype 3D printed here in the UK, so you can test it before committing to factory minimums.
The deadline
I fly on 14 October, so briefs need to be in by 11 October. That gives me time to plan the right halls and book the right factory visits.
Send me your brief, or if you'd rather talk it through first, book a 20 minute call.