The Christmas Shopping Season Is Coming Early

Early in the morning, Jiang Yuelan, an operator in the first district of Yiwu International Trade City, started a video chat with Li Shuai, a customer far away in Europe. Looking at the new product, inquiring about the price, and soon, Li Shuai on the other end of the video placed an order of more than 100,000 yuan. Jiang Yuelan told reporters that since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic in 2020, foreign merchants who cannot come to Yiwu will use this method to purchase.

In another Christmas supplies store not far away, operator Long Xijin is sorting out a batch of quotations for Christmas supplies, which will be sent to customers in South Africa by mail. In order to attract customers, they will prepare more detailed pictures and quotations to give to customers.

Long Xijin, the operator of Zhejiang Yiwu International Trade City: We took pictures of the size and weight, so that customers can understand the product more intuitively. If the customers still feel that the color or texture cannot be grasped, we will send samples abroad to give Guest confirms.

The reporter learned that last year, due to the instability of the shipping cycle, some Christmas supplies failed to arrive at the port on time, resulting in unsalable products. This year, foreign merchants have obviously advanced the procurement period.

Weng Weizhen, operator of Zhejiang Yiwu International Trade City: We started to prepare materials last year, and the quotations were all prepared a year ago. It feels like we received orders 1-2 months earlier than last year.

At present, many operators have already received orders for August, and it is expected that by the next month, they will stop accepting orders and fully deliver goods.

Raw material freight rates rise

Operators respond to market changes in multiple ways

Although many overseas old customers place orders remotely, their business has been affected this year due to factors such as changes in international trade and rising shipping prices.

The reporter learned that the cost of some Christmas items mainly composed of plastic and cloth has generally increased by about 30% this year. However, many operators said that although the profit has been compressed, for some old customers and customers who have already determined the price, the price increase has not been passed on to the downstream.

Long Xijin, the operator of Zhejiang Yiwu International Trade City: There may not be too many plush dolls in a box. Now some customers ask us to help him pack compression bags, so that the volume of a box can be reduced by at least about 30%. , reduce shipping costs.

In Niansanli Street, five kilometers away from Yiwu International Trade City, there are many Christmas supplies manufacturers. A company that ships more than 100 million Christmas balls around the world every year. Luo Youqiang, the person in charge, told reporters that they are expanding new customers.

Luo Youqiang, General Manager of a Christmas Craft Co., Ltd. in Yiwu, Zhejiang: We moved to the South American market, and we still need to develop the market there. So we went to design some styles that they liked according to the preferences of the South American market.

The person in charge said that in the face of new customers, they have increased investment this year, hoping to use more high-quality products to enhance their competitiveness. In the company's workshop, the reporter saw that each inkjet printer was busy working, painting complex and beautiful color patterns for each red Christmas ball. This kind of machine can spray 1,500 Christmas balls per day, which is three times more efficient than the 500 per person per day.

Autumn and winter fabric orders are coming?

In previous years, orders for the Christmas season were concentrated in September and October, mainly for autumn and winter fabrics, while those in March, April and May were mainly spring and summer fabrics.

However, in the past two years, due to the lack of transportation capacity due to the epidemic, it is difficult for many goods to be delivered in time. Sometimes there are emergencies. In order to make timely delivery, the boss even chooses air transportation, which is very cost-effective.

After two years of experience accumulation, traders have also begun to choose a more stable way of placing orders in advance. Textile enterprises should also make changes and adjust product varieties in time.

In addition, in the current environment, the global shipping market is unstable, with port congestion, suspension and port jumps, delays in shipping schedules, etc.! Here is a reminder, if there is a shipping plan in the near future, please make a shipment as soon as possible, so as not to affect the shipment!