With the current economic situation in Nigeria, the need to have multiple sources of income has become a prerequisite for many young people. And for most, it’s having a small business that can grow and make a considerable profit. But running a small business in Nigeria isn’t always easy, and the heavy reliance on importation plays a part in whether or not people eventually decide to go on to launch the business they either always dreamt of launching or even had to in need to sustain themselves.
Because of the need for importation, China is always the first option for many young entrepreneurs, based on some of the following factors:
1. Availability of desired products
With sourcing goods from China, unlike sourcing from Nigeria, there’s an almost constant promise that the goods you require, however niche, will be available because of the manufacturing presence in China. Even if they are unavailable when you need them, you can always check that you’ll eventually get them later.
2. Cost
Every young entrepreneur is entering the market with a fixed capital or a figure they are working with, and they know for a fact that sourcing directly from manufacturers in China will keep them closer to their capital than sourcing from plugs in other countries who will have put a markup on the prices of their products for profit reasons. Also, sourcing directly from manufacturers in China helps you price your products better without losing out on your profit or charging your customers unreasonably.
3. Ability to expand inventory
If, at any point, you need to grow your inventory and introduce new product lines to your business, you have access to a market with multiple items that can cater to your clients, their requests and interests and readily purchase those items without breaking the bank.
4. Direct access to great quality products
Because of the presence of actual manufacturers, you can be guaranteed the quality of the items that you’re purchasing within your price point and also opt directly for the highest quality or find a new manufacturer if you’re dissatisfied with the quality of the initial one you have purchased from.
We’ll begin with websites and the most common places to shop wholesale in China
1. Made-In-China
Made-in-China.com is a prominent B2B e-commerce platform that facilitates international trade, connecting businesses worldwide and helping small companies achieve their dreams of easily launching their businesses. Because of the range of customers and countries Made-in-China caters to, the platform promises credibility and reliability of businesses listed on the website. Verified suppliers undergo a verification process to authenticate their identity, business registration, and product quality. This website’s most commonly purchased items include machinery, electronics, apparel, textiles, home goods, and more.
2. Alibaba
Have you been one of the people to shop wholesale in China if you haven’t checked Alibaba to see if they have the items you need to launch your business? Alibaba’s online marketplace offers many shoes, bags, and accessories from manufacturers and wholesalers.
3. Aliexpress
Before the popularity and ease of being able to shop for hair in Nigeria from social media vendors or in the open market, individuals who cared about quality hair went on Aliexpress to source hair for either personal or business use, and up until now, Aliexpress still maintains that reputation. Hair isn’t the only item that can be sourced wholesale from China through Aliexpress; other household products and everyday items can also be shopped on Alixpress at competitive prices.
4. Tmall Global
Tmall Global is a subsidiary of Alibaba, providing a wide range of beauty products and body care items. If you want to start a skincare business or need body care products to add to your inventory, it is a go-to platform to help you source directly from manufacturers. Tmall Global is also price-friendly and easy to navigate. The only con is the website is predominantly in Mandarin. 
5. Shein
Although controversial in production/workplace ethics conversations, Shein is always suitable for people looking to break into the fashion industry, especially for high-demand, fast fashion items. Shein is very fashion-focused and sells many lifestyle items, from phone accessories to home decor pieces, for reasonable prices. Shein constantly runs discounts and has a good reward system.
6. DHgate
DHgates, the home of dupes, connects buyers directly to manufacturers for various fashion items and accessories. DHgates was one of the hidden gems of look-alike designer items until it gained popularity on TikTok for its famous replicas of design items. Although we do not encourage the buying of counterfeit items, a wide selection of items can be bought on DHgates for personal use and never for sale. Fortunately, that’s not all that can be purchased on Dhgates; a wide selection of products, from lifestyle to home items, can also be purchased.
Now that we are done with websites, we have compiled a list of cities/provinces in China for specific needs. It would be helpful to have a direct representative in China who could visit the cities and the manufacturing sites to help you select items that match your taste, quality, and customer requests.
Top Cities/Provinces In China and What They Manufacture
Guangzhou
When you hear someone say they’re going to China, the first place that will most likely come to mind is Guangzhou. This city is located in the south-central part of Guangdong province, a regional centre in southern China. Guangzhou is a significant hub for shoes, bags, hair and accessories in China. The province hosts numerous wholesale markets, including the Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre, the Guangzhou Baima Garment Market and Guangzhou Kabeilu Hair Factory, one of the largest hair suppliers in China.
Shenzhen
If your business is focused on electronics, then Shenzhen is the province for you. Hua Qiang North in Shenzhen is where you can source electronic equipment from China. It is located in the Futian district of Shenzhen City. Shenzhen is so famous for its electronics manufacturing that it has been nicknamed the Silicon Valley of China.
Keqiao
If you are looking to break into the fabric market, from the sale of regular fabric to the sale of aso-ebi, then Keqio is the place to go. Keqiao hosts China Textile City, founded in the 1980s, which currently has 22,000 textile enterprises and over 5,000 textile trading companies. Guangdong, Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangsu are other provinces to purchase textile and clothing items.
Wenzhou
Wenzhou has many industries, but the predominant one is footwear. Wenzhou has over 4,500 shoemaking enterprises, including designing and creating children’s shoes. The alternative city for making sports shoes, however, is Jinjiang City.
What to know and do before you shop wholesale in China.
1. Verify the credibility of the sellers: This is the most crucial part when you shop wholesale in China for your business. Most websites offer credibility checks on the manufacturers and suppliers they host. But, if you want to shop directly from the manufacturer, there are many things you need to do to verify the authenticity of the products. E.g., requesting a sample or, importantly, having a trusted representative in China to perform quality assurance work.
2. Reading reviews: One of the perks of shopping online from a manufacturer is seeing genuine reviews from people who have bought and used those products. Some of those reviews are either pictorial or written, but in whatever form they are presented, you must pay attention to them before paying money for your purchase.
3. Cost: Ensure that there are no hidden charges and that the agreed price is all you will be paid, except if there is a change in terms and conditions on your end.
4. Shipping: This is where we come in!!!
Now you have all your items, how can you efficiently ship them to Nigeria from China? Let Topship help you.
Firstly, the perks of using Topship to ship from China to Nigeria
1. Payment includes customs duty. Imagine shipping all the items for your business and not paying a dime for customs on your items. That’s a massive deal for many business owners. Your shipping cost is all-inclusive, and you won’t, for any reason, be told to pay customs fees.
2. Fast enough delivery: Shipping with Topship from China to Nigeria promises a faster delivery timeline than all our competitors. You know, once you book your shipments, the day your order will arrive in Nigeria.
3. No weight limit: It’s neither too big nor too small for us to ship it. Whatever the weight of your order is, we will ship it to Nigeria for you from China.
How to ship from China to Nigeria on Topship:
Step 1: On the Topship dashboard, go to ‘Book Shipments -> Book an Import-> China Imports.’ Then, fill out the shipment booking form
Step 2: Complete payment and get our partner’s address in China
Step 3: Inform your supplier to ship your goods to the China address provided
Step 4: You will be notified when your shipment arrives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Step 5: Additional charges apply for delivery to the final destination after the items are delivered in Lagos.
In conclusion, shipping directly from manufacturers in China might have seemed tedious in the past. Still, with this article, we have been able to help you identify better ways to shop wholesale in China and, most importantly, the best and most affordable way to ship your goods from China to Nigeria with Topship.
🛳️ Get started with your international and local shipping today. Start here
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