TMTPOST--The 2024 European Championship is in full swing, with own goals among many “stunts” capturing the attention of viewers. Chinese corporate sponsors made to the billboards on the borderline of the arena.
Thousands of miles away, Yiwu, a county-level city in southeastern China’s Zhejiang province and the world's largest wholesale market of small commodities, is equally closely linked to the sport event, just like the Chinese companies. As the European Cup coincides with the Copa America and precedes the Paris Olympics—a rare trifecta of sporting events occurring every four years—Yiwu emerges as a pivotal player when it comes to spicing up the atmosphere.
Major global sports events invariably sheds light on Yiwu's manufacturing prowess. Buyers worldwide flock to Yiwu well in advance to procure a diverse array of sports products. Whether it's the latest jersey designs or top-quality footballs, Yiwu satisfies with its wide selection and reliable supply. Merchants are busy fulfilling orders to ensure fans worldwide receive these dazzling products promptly.
The anticipation surrounding the upcoming Olympics on July 26 has spurred many merchants to strategize on how best to capitalize on sports-related sales both domestically and abroad. The sports goods section of Yiwu International Trade City, especially, buzzes with competitive spirit. From basketballs to footballs, and from sportswear to trophies, merchants proudly display their wares.
This season marks a milestone for football legends like Luka Modric and Robert Lewandowski, who stage their final performances on the European Cup, while Lionel Messi embarks on his first intercontinental journey defending Argentina's honor since joining Miami International. This confluence of events has ignited widespread fan enthusiasm.
Since the energetic kickoff of the 2024 European Cup on June 15, Yiwu's sports product sales have been booming, underpinned by its reputation for high quality, competitive pricing, and efficient supply chains. Yiwu Customs reports 4.1 billion yuan in the first five months, representing a year-on-year increase of 44.4% in exports of sports goods and equipment.
A woman surnamed Liu, the owner of Yiwu Xinglong Crafts, said: "Because of the European Cup, the bottle openers we produce have been receiving an influx of overseas orders since April, an increase of 20-30%. Our bottle openers are very advantageous in terms of craftsmanship, quality, and price, and we can also offer customized national characteristics. They like to drink beer when watching the European Cup, and they often use our bottle openers. Recently, we have been receiving bottle opener orders from Portugal and Spain, and we have already designed the products for them. The factory workers are busy working on weekends, and the workshop is full of goods ready to be shipped to Europe."
Wen Congjian, the founder of Yiwu Dannasi Import and Export Co., Ltd., who has been in the jersey business for nearly 20 years, said that this year's European Cup, Copa America and other football events have increased his foreign trade order sales by 30% compared to the previous year. The merchant selling footballs is also busy packing and shipping, saying that he has a cabinet of goods in his warehouse to be sent to France, and a Spanish customer has already re-ordered, expected to be shipped on July 1.
Regarding the traffic of the European Cup, he said: "In fact, since last year, many foreign customers have been placing orders for our football socks because of the European Cup, and they also ask us to customize some football socks with European national elements. Since the beginning of this year, the order volume has surged, and we’ve already sold two or three million pairs of young football socks."
According to some merchants, since the beginning of June, toys that can make sound and light have become indispensable props for watching the European Cup, and three-stage horns, foam sticks, and hand bells have also become popular peripheral products for this European Cup.
Moreover, as the tournament progresses, domestic e-commerce platforms are witnessing a shift from bulk exports to individual retail sales. Items like sound-emitting toys and novelty items such as three-stage horns and foam sticks have become must-have accessories for fans following the European Cup.
In recent years, Yiwu's small commodities have gained significant traction in the global market, facilitated by the rise of cross-border e-commerce platforms.
Taking the official partner of the European Cup, AliExpress, as an example, to shorten the distance between overseas consumers and Chinese manufacturing, AliExpress and Cainiao have jointly opened the "European Cup special line", landing an integrated European special warehouse in Dongguan, Guangdong province, specifically undertaking cross-border goods sent to Europe, simplifying the shipping process, and achieving "global 5-day delivery".
A variety of Chinese products can quickly and conveniently reach European consumers. This not only meets their demand for high-quality and diverse products, bringing a better shopping experience to overseas consumers, but also wins more international market recognition for products made in China.
AliExpress's robust sales data underscores the success of this partnership, with football product sales soaring and substantial increases in shipments to Europe from Cainiao's warehouses. Such initiatives not only meet consumer demand for quality and variety but also elevate the global standing of Chinese manufacturing.
Crucially, efficient logistics management remains pivotal for Yiwu's merchants amid fierce competition. Optimal logistics strategies not only reduce operational costs but also bolster customer trust and market reputation. Cainiao's extensive global logistics network plays a crucial role here, facilitating seamless international deliveries and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
Li Yaping, the General Manager of Cainiao International Express Business Development Division, introduced that Cainiao plans to open Merchant Centers in seven core cities across the country within a year, and gradually expand to 14, covering the industrial belts of East China, South China, North China, and Central China. Point-to-point service for more than 100,000 cross-border merchants, to create inclusive international express solutions suitable for China’s small and medium-sized merchants.
"We choose Yiwu because the city is a frontrunner of (China’s economic) reform and opening up and the cross-border e-commerce," said Li.
Once upon a time in Yiwu, merchants walked the streets with rattle drums, exchanging low-value items such as brown sugar for chicken feathers transported from other places, and then made chicken feather dusters and other items for sale to earn a certain profit. Over time, Yiwu's chicken feather exchange for sugar gradually developed into a regional economic model with local characteristics, which not only promoted the development of the local economy but also created employment opportunities and sources of income for locals.
Today's Yiwu has become the world's largest small commodity market, with trade relations with more than 230 countries and regions, and more than 560,000 overseas merchants come to Yiwu for procurement every year.
Official data show that there are more than one million market entities in Yiwu, of which about 300,000 are cross-border e-commerce entities. In 2023, Yiwu's cross-border e-commerce transaction volume reached 121.1 billion yuan, and Yiwu's express delivery volume reached 10.58 billion items, with about 30 million express deliveries going to all parts of the country on a daily basis.
As global economic integration deepens, Yiwu's success story offers valuable insights into local economic development and the transformative power of globalization. Its well-established industrial ecosystem and innovative spirit continue to drive the "Made in Yiwu" brand forward, showcasing China's manufacturing excellence on the world stage.