The China trade-fair calendar for buyers

A trade fair packs thousands of suppliers under one roof, which is why timing a buying trip to the right fair can be worth more than weeks of online searching. But fairs are also the busiest, priciest time to travel, so the calendar is something to plan around deliberately, not stumble into.

This is general guidance. Exact dates move every year, so always confirm the current schedule on the official organiser's website before you book anything around a fair.

The Canton Fair: the big one

The China Import and Export Fair, universally called the Canton Fair, is the largest and most influential in the country. It runs in Guangzhou twice a year, in spring around April and May, and in autumn around October and November, and each session is split into phases by product type. Roughly, one phase leans to electronics and machinery, another to home goods and building materials, and another to consumer goods, textiles and the like.

Because of the phases, check which one matches your goods before you fix your dates. There is little point arriving for the homeware phase if you came to buy electronics.

The autumn sourcing season

Autumn is the dense part of the calendar. From roughly September into November, major fairs cluster across Guangzhou, Yiwu, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, including the Canton Fair's autumn session and the China Yiwu International Commodities Fair, alongside electronics and category-specific shows. A well-planned autumn trip can take in more than one event.

Match the fair to what you buy

• Broad consumer goods and a bit of everything: the Canton Fair, choosing the right phase.
• Small commodities, accessories and gifts: Yiwu and its fair, which pairs naturally with the permanent Yiwu market.
• Electronics: category shows and the Shenzhen Huaqiangbei ecosystem.

A fair is for discovery and first contact. The serious vetting still happens afterwards, the way you would vet any 1688 supplier, before you commit real money.

Treat a fair as a shop window, not a checkout. You go to meet suppliers and see ranges, then you verify, sample and negotiate before a single payment leaves your hands.

Planning a trip around a fair

1. Confirm the official dates and the relevant phase for your goods.
2. Book flights and a room early, because accommodation in Guangzhou fills fast in fair season.
3. Arrange your visa with margin; a fair organiser can often help with an invitation letter.
4. Plan permanent-market visits around the fair so the trip is not wasted on quiet days.
5. Set a follow-up plan for the contacts you make, because the real work starts after.

After the fair, the relationship continues

The contacts and ranges you find at a fair turn into orders over the following months, long after you have flown home. You do not need to return for each one. Once a supplier is verified and terms are agreed, you make a request to pay them in RMB on Alipay from Naira whenever the next order is ready.