I went to the Canton Import and Export Fair In Guangzhou China the other day. It’s the Super Bowl of the Trade Fairs. Its a huge complex filled with manufactures competing for your business. They will sell or make you anything. I mostly looked at sporting goods and equipment like bikes, kayaks, boats, etc.
Here are a few things I took away from the Fair.
1) The buildings, crowds, and setup was impressive. I felt like I was in line to watch the world cup.
2) No innovation whatsoever. Same old junk for sale and lots of it.
3) China is not nearly as cheap as it once was. I grabbed some prices and nothing really caught my eye. The product I once imported 6 years ago are double the price now and would be a waste of my time unless I bought the manufacturer and sold the product to others who are willing to take on such small margins. All the products I checked out were already on Ebay, Amazon, or in some cases I could buy a better quality USA made xyz for the same price or less than Wholesale China. Its almost as if China is the drop shipper for USA via Ebay. I think you all knew this already and I think I did too but this was my half a$$ effort to confirm it on a few products.
Keep in mind the Fair runs for 3 weeks for 3 or 4 times a year. I only spent 5 hours on one day and my experience is next to nothing in this industry.
My 2 Cents – Inflation is a killer. China Yuan is starting to take off. It is costing more to be Chinese and it is becoming more difficult for outsiders to walk in and make an easy buck off of their resources.
My Crystal Ball – Chinas Yuan gets even stronger and companies start looking for other places to make their goods, maybe back to the USA in some cases. It just seems hard to believe that shipping products from the other side of the world will always be cheaper than shipping from next door or in your own back yard. The world is flattening.
Oh, and when the Yuan is strong then the Chinese will be encouraged to buy the now less expensive but much higher quality products from the westerners. The Chinese love to show off their import cars like Fords, Buicks, and Porches. I have also seen some American Made Cannondale bikes here too. Maybe I have this all backwards.
And
If Trump was President he said he would tax the junk out of china imports unless they stop regulating the currency to make it way undervalued. Not getting political, Im just saying that things could be unrecognizable in just a short few years. I bet the middle east / Africa would love to take away a few jobs from China with their potentially new democratic unmolested society? And pigs might fly…..
Here are a few things I took away from the Fair.
1) The buildings, crowds, and setup was impressive. I felt like I was in line to watch the world cup.
2) No innovation whatsoever. Same old junk for sale and lots of it.
3) China is not nearly as cheap as it once was. I grabbed some prices and nothing really caught my eye. The product I once imported 6 years ago are double the price now and would be a waste of my time unless I bought the manufacturer and sold the product to others who are willing to take on such small margins. All the products I checked out were already on Ebay, Amazon, or in some cases I could buy a better quality USA made xyz for the same price or less than Wholesale China. Its almost as if China is the drop shipper for USA via Ebay. I think you all knew this already and I think I did too but this was my half a$$ effort to confirm it on a few products.
Keep in mind the Fair runs for 3 weeks for 3 or 4 times a year. I only spent 5 hours on one day and my experience is next to nothing in this industry.
My 2 Cents – Inflation is a killer. China Yuan is starting to take off. It is costing more to be Chinese and it is becoming more difficult for outsiders to walk in and make an easy buck off of their resources.
My Crystal Ball – Chinas Yuan gets even stronger and companies start looking for other places to make their goods, maybe back to the USA in some cases. It just seems hard to believe that shipping products from the other side of the world will always be cheaper than shipping from next door or in your own back yard. The world is flattening.
Oh, and when the Yuan is strong then the Chinese will be encouraged to buy the now less expensive but much higher quality products from the westerners. The Chinese love to show off their import cars like Fords, Buicks, and Porches. I have also seen some American Made Cannondale bikes here too. Maybe I have this all backwards.
And
If Trump was President he said he would tax the junk out of china imports unless they stop regulating the currency to make it way undervalued. Not getting political, Im just saying that things could be unrecognizable in just a short few years. I bet the middle east / Africa would love to take away a few jobs from China with their potentially new democratic unmolested society? And pigs might fly…..
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