Canton Fair in Guangzhou Guide 2024

What is Canton Fair all about?

The Canton Fair is China’s largest and most comprehensive trade show that is held twice a year since 1957. Held in the spring and fall of every year, the trade show is also split into 3 different phases, lasting 5 days each.

When is Canton Fair 2024?

The 136th Canton Fair is scheduled to be opened on October 15th, 2024.

Phase 1: October 15th to 19th 
Phase 2: October 23rd to 27th 
Phase 3: October 31st to November 4th  

When is the Canton Fair in 2025?

Spring session: April 15–19 (Phase 1); April 23–27 (Phase 2); May 1–5 (Phase 3).

Autumn session: October 15–19 (Phase 1); October 23–27 (Phase 2); October 31–November 4 (Phase 3).

What are the Three Phases?

Phase 1: Consumer Electronics and Information Products, Household electrical appliances, Spare parts, Lighting Equipment, Electronic and electrical products, Hardware, Tools.

Phase 2: General ceramics, Household items, Kitchenware & tableware, Weaving, rattan and iron products, Gardening products, Home decorations, Festival products, Gifts and premiums, Glass artware, Art ceramics, Clocks, watches & optical instruments, Building and decorative materials, Sanitary and bathroom equipment, Furniture.

Phase 3: Home textiles, Carpets & tapestries, Men and women’s clothing, Underwear, Sports and casual wear, Furs, leather, downs & related products, Fashion accessories and fittings, Textile raw materials & fabrics, Shoes, Cases and bags, Food, Sports, travel and recreation products, Medicines, Health Products and Medical Devices, Pet Products & Food, Toiletries, Personal care products, Office supplies, Toys, Kid’s wear, Children, Baby & Maternity Products.

Make sure to plan your trip according to the correct phase you intend to visit. Unless you are a trading company dealing with many different products, it is not necessary to visit all 3 phases. We will be part of Phase 3 in Section 15.4 for Fabrics.

How much is the entry fee?

It is actually free to attend the Canton Fair if you register in advance online. If you register at the fair, it will cost 200 RMB or about 30 USD. However, unless you already are in China, already have a Visa to China, or you’re edible for the 144 hour visa-free transit policy for visitors from 53 countries listed here, you will absolutely need to register in advance online to receive an invitation letter required for your visa to China. Read below on how to register for the Canton Fair and obtain your visitor badge.

How to Register for the Canton Fair & Get Your Visitor Badge

If you need a visa to enter China, you will need to first get an invitation letter from the Canton Fair which will help you obtain your travel visa. Visa requirements per country varies so check with your local embassy. Here is a step by step guide on how to register for the Canton Fair.

1. Visit https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/index and click on “Overseas buyer registration” to create your account
   
2. After creating your account, enter all your personal information including your passport information and submit all required documents
   • They will ask for a passport photo but you can provide a photo taken from your phone, just ensure the background is white and your face is visible, as if you were taking a passport photo
     
3. After submitting your personal information, you will need to click on “Create a Company” and submit all your company information
   • If you do not have a company, you can fill out the company information with your own name as a Sole Proprietor
   • Gmails for company email are fine
   • Only the boxes denoted with a red asterisk is a mandatory field, the rest can be skipped
     
4. After creating your personal profile as well as your company, you then need to “Pre-register” for your buyer badge. Click “My Buyer Badge” > “Pre-registration” > Which brings you to a new screen in which you scroll down and click “Pre-registration”
   
5. In account role select “Administrator” and for status of buyer’s badge select “Did not apply yet” and then hit “Query”. This will cause your name to pop up underneath along with a check box that you need to click and choose where you will pick up your badge then hit submit.
   • Don’t worry about the areas of interest because your badge allows you to enter all 3 phases of the Canton fair.
   • You can pick up your badge at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, select hotels, or at the trade show. To see which hotels are eligible, click here.
     
6. You have successfully registered for the Canton Fair but the organization will first need to review your registration. In the next screen, click on “Browse” which is where you will obtain your Invitation Letter which is crucial when you are applying for your Visa to China. You can click and download the PDF and print it for your visa application. Make sure your application name matches your passport. Your registration is usually approved in 1-2 days.
   • Good news, China has reinstated a 144 hour visa-free transit policy for visitors from 53 countries listed here. This includes USA, Canada, U.K., and Australia to name a few.

Where is Canton Fair?

The China Import and Export Complex (aka Canton Fair Complex, Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center, and Pazhou International Exhibition Center) is located at:

Address in English：No. 380, Yuejiang Zhong Road, Guangzhou, China Address in Chinese: 中国广州市海珠区阅江中路380号 [Map]

How to get to there?

You can take a taxi to the Canton Fair but the traffic can get quite bad due to the number of visitors going to this area. We suggest taking public transit via subway to avoid the crazy traffic. Take the subway to Pazhou or XinGangDong, Line 8. The subway has signs in English and is very convenient, you just need to be mindful of the direction you’re going which is usually shown by the terminal station of that line. You can get off the subway at Exit A, XinGangDong Station if you are heading for Area A of Pazhou, and Exit B or Exit C, Pazhou Station for Area B or Area C. You can also use Alipay to pay for your subway fare. The app can generate a QR code that you scan to enter the subway.

Is Canton Fair worth going?

For any business owner that sources from China, it is clear that the Canton Fair is an amazing opportunity that anyone with the means to, should attend. There are many reasons why over 200,000 people from all over the world attend this fair every session.

Pros & Cons of the Canton Fair

Pros

1. Quality of Suppliers and Manufacturers
   • To be an exhibitor at the Canton Fair, the manufacturer must meet the requirements set out by the exhibition which includes export revenue over an established amount, OEM & ODM capabilities, certifications, and reputation. This is not to say every manufacturer is fully vetted by the exhibition, but you can expect a high calibre of manufacturers who are experienced in export and customization.
     
2. Discover new products
   • New products, solutions, and technologies are showcased every year at the Canton Fair. Beat out your competitors with the first movers advantage when bring new products to your country.
     
3. Sheer number of options
   • You will not find any other fair where you can compare over 400-1000+ different manufacturers side by side in each category. You can easily compare prices and customization abilities. If you are an experienced buyer, it is a great opportunity for you to find new suppliers and negotiate prices.
   • If you don’t have a specific niche, this is the perfect place to explore several categories. For example, phase 2 has all sorts of unique household items, gifts, and even holiday products.
     
4. Meet suppliers face-to-face
   • Being able to meet your supplier in person and develop a meaningful relationship is really important because you want to know who will be responsible for quality assurance, meeting your customization requirements, and you can assess if they possess the qualities you look for in a supplier.
   • You can assess the quality of the products in-person and even take some samples home which eliminates the often tedious and time consuming process of obtaining samples.
     • Hot tip: During the last day of each phase, suppliers often give away or sell their samples at a heavy discount rather than paying to ship it back to their showroom. Ask the supplier if they can reserve the sample for you so that you can come back on the last day and get it for free or at a large discount.

Cons

1. Cost
   • Although the Canton Fair itself is free to attend, the cost of hotels and flights during this time period can be quite expensive which definitely will impact your decision. However, there are many budget hotels and deals that can be found online. If the hotel is bookable through major websites such as Expedia and Trip.com, then you don’t need to worry about the hotel’s ability to accept foreigners.
     
2. Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)
   • Each factory will have a different MOQ but for the Canton Fair, it is known that some suppliers will raise their MOQ and may not bother with small orders. This may be a little disheartening to hear but not all suppliers will do this and you may still find suppliers that will take small orders. In fact, due to the poor economic climate, you may find that in 2024 and 2025 that suppliers may fight for your business by lowering their prices and MOQ.
     
   • If you’re looking for polyester knit fabric, make sure to visit our booth at the Canton Fair. We manufacture and dye our fabrics in-house and produce ready stock goods for wholesale. We keep our prices and MOQ low to be accessible to anyone and everyone. If you are interested to learn more about us or find out where our booth is, shoot us an email at guangzhoufabric@outlook.com and visit our website here.

Other considerations

1. Product Price
   • It is difficult to say if you will get a better price in person than online suppliers from Alibaba and such. The price of a booth for an exhibitor is about $20,000 USD so suppliers might increase their prices in order to cover this cost. There have been instances where a supplier will take down their Alibaba listing to hide their usual MOQ and cost so that they can mark it up higher during the Canton Fair. However, many suppliers have also decreased their prices to beat out their neighbouring competitors as they know it is incredibly easy for visitors to compare prices between manufacturers since they are all within the same space. Make sure to compare prices between manufacturers at the fair as well as online from Alibaba or Made-In-China.
     
   • If you are looking for polyester knit fabric, make sure to visit our booth because we will not raise our prices for visitors. We promise that our prices are the same as our in-store wholesale price. If you are interested to learn more about us or find out where our booth is, shoot us an email at guangzhoufabric@outlook.com.

How to prepare for your trip

Did you know there is an online platform where Canton Fair exhibitors can upload their products? You can also browse the list of exhibitors for each category which would also tell you their booth number. If you do not have a lot of time and you already know what you’re looking for, we recommend you to do your homework first by going through this online platform and make yourself a list of suppliers you must visit.

Apps you need to Download for China

1. WeChat – this is China’s version of WhatsApp, LINE, Messenger, etc. All supplier’s will use WeChat so it is crucial that you do as well.
   
2. Alipay – China is a cashless society due to Alipay and WeChatPay but Alipay’s International version has allowed foreigners to link their foreign bank cards and credit cards to be used anywhere in China. You can use it to pay for goods at any store or restaurant, pay for public transportation, and even order food.
   
3. Didi – this is China’s Uber / Grab. In fact, Uber used to compete with Didi in the rideshare market but eventually lost and Uber China was bought out by Didi. There is an International version of this app as well. Remember to save your hotel’s name in both English and Chinese.
   
4. VPN – LetsVPN, AstrillVPN, and ShadowRocket all work in China to bypass the firewall so you can access blocked apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, and Youtube. If you intend to get a Chinese SIM card, we highly recommend downloading a VPN before arriving in China because the Google Play Store is blocked.
   • Hot tip: You can use an e-SIM such as Airalo which will allow you to use your data freely without a VPN in China. Make sure to do your research before purchasing the e-SIM as this may change at any moment! Use code JIN6605 for $3USD off Airalo.
     
5. Google Translate / Other translation softwares – Canton Fair sales representatives will all be able to speak English. However, outside of the fair is a different story. 95% of restaurants will not have an English menu so if you’re looking to experience local cuisine, Google translate has a great function where you can use your phone’s camera to translate any image as long as the writing is clear.
   • Hot tip: Download the Chinese (simplified) language pack so that you’ll be able to use it even without internet or when your VPN doesn’t work.
     
6. Baidu Map / Apple Map – Google Maps has not been updated in over 10 years in China and should not be relied on. Instead, use Apple Maps for an English mapping software or Baidu Maps which is in Chinese but you can use a translation software such as Google translate to help you navigate.

What to bring

1. Visitor badge – remember your badge if you’ve picked it up from the airport or hotel.
   
2. Comfortable shoes – the venue is massive and you’ll do lots of walking. Look out for the shuttle buses between halls.
   
3. Notebook, pen, stapler – Canton Fair veterans often recommend to staple business cards to a notebook where you can jot down prices, MOQ, and other details you don’t want to forget.
   
4. Small luggage – rather than carrying a bag, it is more convenient to roll around a small luggage where you can put your samples in, especially since it will get quite heavy.
   
5. Power bank – ensure your phone doesn’t run out of battery so you can take pictures of the products, booth, and of course to add the supplier’s WeChat!

Ending Notes

Remember to bring a positive attitude and try to develop deeper connections with these suppliers. We hope this article has helped you in some way and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

Guangzhou Xin Qin Yuan Textile was founded in 2014 and specializes in polyester knitted fabrics used in fashion garments such as shirts, dresses, pants, and outerwear. We also manufacture nylon knitted fabrics ideal for yoga, active wear, and athleisure. With a diverse range of options, our product lineup is designed to meet the various needs of our global clientele while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Come say hi at Canton Fair Phase 3!