In different ways, you can call the metropolis of Guangzhou (China). One will say it's a fantasy city, the other is the industrial heart of the Middle Kingdom, the third is the capital of wholesale trade. The most interesting thing is that everyone will be right!
Accelerate City
Who will believe that in the place of the third most populated city in the Middle Kingdom, only twenty years ago bamboo groves rustled? The twenty millionth megalopolis is distinguished by its individual ambitious design. Its architectural appearance today is determined by the world's second highest 610-meter tower Canton Tower, skyscrapers in the Pearl River Delta, the cultural center of the Guangzhou Daily Group, a one-of-a-kind absolutely round skyscraper, striking the imagination of the futuristic opera building.
World Light Industry Center
Guangzhou (China) is the center of light industry on a global scale. According to Forbes magazine, this city is the most profitable for business in the whole country. In 2015 alone, he attracted 2 trillion yuan of foreign investment with a city GDP of 145 trillion yuan.
The city is planned so that a few tens of kilometers from the business center is the national economic development zone, where more than five hundred large enterprises of mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and automotive are operating.
A large river port with a dozen deep berths provides this gigantic industrial conglomerate with raw materials and energy. The level of production achieved by local enterprises has long gained credibility in the world.
Asian Wholesale Center
In Guangzhou, twice a year, in the Pazhou Pavilion Complex with an area of 1.1 million m2 the third world export-import exhibition takes place - the Canton Fair.
If Anton Pavlovich Chekhov lived in our days, then perhaps he would have replayed the phrase: “Everything is in Greece,” when he saw the wholesale markets of Guangzhou. In order for one person, at least briefly, to examine all of them, not even a month's time will be enough. Therefore, here they go for goods purposefully, having previously drawn up a plan and a shopping map.
More than one and a half hundred wholesale markets occupy 50% of the entire metropolis, all of them are specialized in groups of goods and, according to this division, are geographically grouped by urban sectors. It is in this order that consumer electronics, building materials, medical equipment, souvenirs, perfumes are sold in Guangzhou. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the "thematic" markets of the metropolis sell clothes, shoes, leather goods, furniture, and optics.
Due to their sectoral location, the buyer seems to be in the city, which only does that it sells certain goods. After analyzing the reviews of wholesalers, we compiled a thematic (by type of product) rating of the most popular markets.
Guangzhou stores practice seasonal and New Year sales. Moreover, discounts sometimes reach 70–80% of the price. The most profitable purchases are made just during these periods.
Wholesale structure
Wholesale markets in Guangzhou are pleasantly surprised by their prices, but most of the goods sold are of poor quality.
However, among the goods, a segment of premium products stands out, which are practically indistinguishable from the originals. A significant difference between the cost of fashionable products and their brand margin with the practical lack of know-how creates interest among Chinese manufacturers. Accordingly, they are talented in organizing production and hiring qualified personnel, and business tourists from all over the world form an excessive demand for their products.
Brand Counterfeiting Mechanism
Guangzhou brand markets are famous and popular.Today they are part of the global fashion industry. There are no outdated models on their shelves. If you are a successful businessman, and your clothes are entirely from the UK, and shoes from Italy, you can accept our congratulations: both of them are 100% Guangzhou. The secret is simple: the true brands and what they produce here are indistinguishable. In branded markets, you can buy branded T-shirts at prices from $ 5, jeans from 15, a branded jacket from 60, a branded leather bag from 100, shoes from 20. Believe that there are no end to buyers from all over the world in Guangzhou.
How does this brand car function? Consider the mechanism of its work. Let's say an Italian designer displays his new super collection in Milan. Deafening success! Fashionistas from all over the world stare at the dresses of long-legged fashion models, and international dealers sign contracts, rubbing their hands from a hunch of profit.
Bah! Yes, in the midst of this fashionable get-together, there are several Chinese, impeccably dressed and fluent in French, Italian, English. They know everyone here and everyone knows them. Any hit model will not get away from their attention: everything will be photographed, documented. And rest assured, the first cool samples of the collection put up for sale will be with them. Well, then the flywheel of fake brands begins to gain momentum.
Two days - and the purchased samples arrive in the cargo compartment in Guangzhou, the day of the journey - and they are in the model laboratory of the enterprise. A week - and they are unzipped, studied, made patterns, acquire identical tissue. Another week - and an experienced Chinese seamstress sets to work, having received comprehensive instructions and everything necessary for making a high-quality copy. And after three days, trucks with the "Italian brand" will be in Guangzhou. Rest assured, "squeak of fashion" will soon be bought up by Arabs, Slavs, Europeans. The newer the model, the greater the demand for it.
Thus, less than 10% of the Italian supernova brand will actually be produced in the homeland, while its main share will be sold in Guangzhou and most of it will be successfully sold on the world's largest brand-name counterfeit market “Three Horses”.
Wholesale clothing
Among business travelers, the clothing wholesale markets located in Guangzhou enjoy the well-deserved fame: White Horse, Sharik. The goods here are sold only in bulk, even in small ones: ten, twenty pieces. Single purchases are not welcome here.
The Bai Ma Market (White Horse) is rightfully considered the largest in all of Asia. It is a cascade of 8-12 storey shopping centers. Each of the shopping centers is focused on the difference in tastes of Americans, Europeans, Arabs, and Chinese. Some fake stores are specialized by brand.
The aforementioned wholesale complex includes entire streets of cargo offices sending any goods to all corners of the world. There are many companies in the market infrastructure producing exact copies of labels. This service is in demand, as in many Western countries import of branded fakes is prohibited. The technology is simple and reliable: a misinforming trademark is initially sewn onto the shipped goods, and then, in the destination country, it is branded.
Guangzhou's market number 2 is considered to be a comfortable Li-Hua wholesale ("Ball"), featuring the latest design, containing more than a thousand stores. Its infrastructure is adapted for loading and unloading. Bank branches work in it, a catering system is developed.
Very popular is China Jeans Town ("Jeans Center"), which in fact is known to many generations of Soviet people. The first "branded" jeans that were bought in the last century were imported mainly from there.
However, judging by the modern structure of jeans imports to the countries of the former CIS, Guangzhou remains their main supplier. And this is not surprising, because on it the legendary pants of decent quality can be purchased at a price of $ 15.
Furry question
Wholesale Market "Golden Horse" specializes in the sale of fur and leather products.On it, 90% of the goods are made from natural material, the likelihood of counterfeiting is low. Furs are also sold in the largest White Horse market.
Fur prices in Guangzhou are very attractive. Here you can buy a mink jacket (from $ 600), a long coat (from $ 1,050), an elite fox coat (from $ 2,000).
Guangzhou Wholesale shoe markets
Wholesale Market Plaza Shoes City ("City Shoes Plaza") is known in the world, thanks to the sales of classic shoes. It has a reputation as the most civilized market and collaborates with all the leading shoe brands.
An impressive range of shoes is also offered by New Continent, with a 3,000 m retail area2. Ready-made shoes are sold here, as well as materials for their manufacture. "New Continent" is conveniently located for the transportation of bulk goods by rail.
The third largest is the Jin Ma shoe wholesale base. It is half as much as the New Continent in terms of turnover.
Wholesale Electronics
Some business tourists do not go for clothes at all, but for computers, televisions, smartphones go to Guangzhou. A huge electronics wholesale market is located in the city center. Therefore, you can get to it by almost any public transport. To be more precise, it consists of several specialized wholesale markets spaced geographically:
- AT Taiping Yang sell laptops, set-top boxes, spare parts for PCs, software, cameras.
- By the address Dongfeng xilu 9-19 sell a variety of household appliances and electronics.
- Da Sha Tou Market, located near Donghu Metro Line 6, sells all kinds of smartphones and accessories.
However, among those who buy PCs, smartphones, etc. few Slavs. The reason is that in Russian and Ukrainian retail electronics prices are 1.2–1.5 times lower. However, not everything is so sad if you buy accessories. For example, the screen for the smartphone-4 here can be purchased for 100 yuan, and the screen on the iPhone 6+ for 200 yuan.
It may also be beneficial to buy a TV from the Chinese brand GaoPu. By the way, they have Samsung screens installed. Buying a 60-inch TV from this brand will cost only 2,000 yuan.
Wholesale perfumes
The largest assortment in Asia is demonstrated by the wholesale markets of Guangzhou perfume manufacturers. Two of them are most known:
- XingFa Plaza.
- Meibo Cheng.
Their product range is:
- Accessories for hairdressers.
- Aroma oils.
- Bath drugs.
- Cosmetics.
- Manicure accessories.
- Beauty Salon Equipment
- Perfume components.
Perfumes in the markets are presented as one of the goods. However, in order to purchase a solid brand fake, you need to get around more than one store.
However, for those who come to Guangzhou, we recommend buying not fake brands, but the products of the local perfume factory Zuofun Cosmetics Co., Ltd. This is a worthy production, importing 30% to the Middle East, 20% to the United States, and 10% to Western Europe. It produces five brands of Zuofun, Carlotta, Unitary, Fantine, Vendome.
Buying a branded bottle with a complex original aroma will cost only 2.3-3 dollars. Such a purchase is really profitable and enjoyable.
Briefly about other markets
Of particular note are the furniture markets, as well as the optics markets, which we have already mentioned in the above ranking table. In terms of area, they represent entire cities and ensure sustainable exports of the Middle Kingdom.
In the metropolis there are such markets that are not in the vastness of the former CIS. For example, the wholesale market of artificial flowers in Guangzhou. The largest specialized factory in Yiwu manufactures components for their production and sells by weight to manufacturing companies, of which 50-60 are in Guangzhou.
Tourists are interested in the pearl market, located near the Temple of Heaven park, and the silk market, located near the Yong'anli subway station.
Conclusion
Currently, more and more entrepreneurs are discovering the wholesale markets of Guangzhou.Reviews of purchases on them are overwhelmingly positive. Out of competition - solid, brand fakes indistinguishable from the original. Wonderful reviews get acquired fur coats. Quality clothing for $ 10-15, perfumes, pearls deserves praise. The shuttles are not particularly enthusiastic about household appliances, but the whole thing is at a high price, but it makes sense to buy components.
To summarize, it should be recommended to those who decided to go shopping in Guangzhou to plan the route in advance and decide on the markets, because the scale of wholesale trade in a metropolis often leads newcomers to confusion. Here you always need to clearly imagine where you are going and for what. It is important not to fall into euphoria from purchases, but to foresee a procedure for declaring them during export.