Import & Export Guides
Where to Source in China: Yiwu, Canton Fair and the Major Markets
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China is not one market — it is hundreds, each known for different products. Knowing where a product is made or traded helps you buy it better and cheaper. This guide maps the main places Bangladeshi importers source from, from giant wholesale markets to trade fairs and online platforms, and how DE International — with our own team based in Shenzhen — buys from all of them on your behalf.
Yiwu: A Giant Wholesale Market
Yiwu is famous for small commodities in huge variety:
- Known for: household goods, toys, stationery, accessories, gifts and daily items.
- Why buyers go: enormous variety and low prices for general merchandise.
- Best for: mixed containers of many small products rather than one specialised item.
The Canton Fair: A Massive Trade Show
- What it is: a huge trade fair held in Guangzhou, covering almost every product category.
- Why it matters: a place to meet many manufacturers and see new products in person.
- Best for: finding manufacturers and serious suppliers across industries.
Shenzhen: Electronics, Hardware and Machinery
- Known for: electronics, gadgets, components, hardware, and a dense industrial machinery supply chain in the surrounding Pearl River Delta region.
- Why buyers go: one of the densest manufacturing and supply-chain hubs in the world.
- Best for: electronic products, hardware, and industrial machinery.
This is also where DE International’s own China-side team is based, which is why we work this region especially closely — we’re not coordinating remotely from a different city, we’re on the ground where a large share of the machinery we source is actually manufactured.
Online: 1688, Alibaba and Direct Factories
You do not have to fly to China to source from it:
- 1688: China’s domestic wholesale platform with the lowest prices, in Chinese and aimed at local buyers.
- Alibaba: the international platform, in English, built for export buyers.
- Direct factories: dealing with a manufacturer directly once you know who makes your product.
Buying online has its own risks — read our guide on how to buy from 1688 and Alibaba safely before you pay anyone.
Which One Is Right for You?
| What You Need | Best Source |
|---|---|
| General merchandise, mixed loads | Yiwu |
| Meeting manufacturers, new products | Canton Fair |
| Electronics, hardware, industrial machinery | Shenzhen / Pearl River Delta |
| Buying without traveling | 1688 and Alibaba |
Whichever you choose, the basics stay the same: verify the supplier, order a sample, and plan your landed cost.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Where to Source
- Assuming Yiwu-style low prices apply to industrial machinery. Machinery sourcing is a different market with different players — don’t expect Yiwu wholesale-market pricing dynamics to apply.
- Treating 1688 like Alibaba. 1688 is in Chinese and built for domestic buyers — export logistics, English support, and buyer protections work differently than on Alibaba.
- Going straight to a factory without verification just because you found their direct contact — direct doesn’t mean automatically trustworthy.
- Not accounting for regional specialization. Sourcing electronics from a region known for textiles, for example, often means working with a trading company rather than a true specialist manufacturer.
How DE International Sources from All of Them
DE International sources across markets, fairs and online platforms — including buying from 1688 and Alibaba on your behalf, verifying factories, and consolidating everything into one shipment to Bangladesh. You do not need to speak Chinese, hold a Chinese bank account or travel. Start with our beginner guide to sourcing from China.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to visit China to source products or machinery?
No — a sourcing partner with people on the ground can verify factories, negotiate, and inspect goods on your behalf. This is exactly the gap a China sourcing agent service is built to close for buyers who can’t travel.
What’s the difference between 1688 and Alibaba?
1688 is China’s domestic wholesale platform, in Chinese, generally with lower prices but built for local buyers rather than exporters. Alibaba is the international-facing platform in English, built specifically for export buyers with more built-in buyer protections.
Is Shenzhen a good source for industrial machinery, not just electronics?
Yes — the wider Pearl River Delta region around Shenzhen has a dense industrial supply chain covering machinery well beyond consumer electronics, which is part of why our China-side team is based there.
Can I source from multiple regions in one order?
Yes — consolidating products from different regions or suppliers into a single shipment is one of the more valuable things a sourcing partner handles, since coordinating that directly yourself is genuinely difficult.
Not sure where your product comes from? Tell us what you want to buy and we will find the best source, verify it, and quote sourcing plus delivery. See our services, our China sourcing and buying agent service, or contact us.
