Christmas export season is coming and correspondingly, the Christmas production market in Zhejiang is a kind of bellwether of it. 

Usually, it is supposed to be in May or even in June that a large number of Zhejiang enterprises begin to launch their grand "Christmas carnival". However, this year's commencement has been delayed. 

What information does the delay reveal to the public or to the international economy? 

(Christmas products in the Yiwu International Trade City, photo via Zhejiang News App)

Several months ago, Wu Jianping, a businessman who runs a business on Christmas paper production had been waiting for the Christmas orders for a long time. However, it was not until May that some big customers began to place orders. Wu said that if the orders came later, the clients would have missed the promotion.

Huahong Holding Group Co., Ltd. mainly produces crafts such as photo frames and picture frames, and Christmas orders account for the bulk of the annual sales. The company has frequently contacted its foreign clients since March and April. Many clients said that they wanted to wait until the epidemic situation got better. It was not until the end of April that they received the first order of this year.

The same thing happened to Jinhua Enjoy and Wonderful Inc., which mainly produces party tableware, and supplies foreign large supermarket chains such as Target, Michaels, and Kroger. Xu Xianjuan, the company's sales director, said that their first Christmas order this year also came a month later than in previous years.

(Employee of Huahong Holding Group Co., Ltd. is working. Photo via Zhejiang News App)

"At present, the merchants engaged in the export of Christmas products in the Yiwu market have reduced their orders by an average of 50%," said Cai Qinliang, secretary-general of Yiwu Christmas Products Industry Association.

"On the one hand, there are fewer new customers in the market. On the other hand, the willingness of many old customers to place orders is also significantly reduced." Cai Qinliang said that especially in Brazil and other South American markets, a large number of merchants simply gave up placing orders. Therefore they organized enterprises to explore new markets, focusing on Europe, Southeast Asia, and other areas with better epidemic prevention and control.

"As an enterprise specializing in curtains and lace fabrics, Zhejiang Yongli Warp Knitting Co., Ltd. also regards Christmas as the most important sales opportunity in a year. "Many foreign families will change curtains before Christmas, so sales from September to November can generally account for 40% to 50% of the whole year." Hu Ligang, the sales manager, said that this year, the United States, their biggest export market, did not pick up.

Fortunately, the European market has recovered. Hu Ligang said that due to the good epidemic prevention and control, Europe has surpassed the United States to become the most important export market of their company this year. Hu Ligang said that it was also thanks to their participation in the Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH in January this year where they met a number of potential customers. During the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the company took Europe as the key development target and gained new orders.

Rising Sun Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. in Taizhou also received large orders due to the effective control of the European epidemic. Ding Ying, general manager of the company, said that they have received orders of US$ 2.6 million in recent two months, mainly from northern Europe.

Cai Qinliang said that in Britain, Italy, Spain, and other European countries, the per capita Christmas consumption reached five or six hundred euros. In the Christmas Articles Zone of Yiwu International Trade Center, there are more than 400 Christmas goods merchants, and 80% of the world's Christmas goods come from here. Despite the overall decline in market demand this year, international merchants still place orders here by mail and telephone.

Many enterprises felt the big pressure from Christmas ordering and accelerated the innovation of marketing methods. Hu Ligang and many salesmen of Yongli Warp Knitting sold goods through live broadcast. In the Canton Fair, they showed the latest products to foreign merchants through live broadcast and recorded broadcast.

Some enterprises have started their product innovation. "Now we will launch hundreds of new products every month." A manager of the foreign trade department of Zhejiang Huaxin Home Textile Co., Ltd. told reporters that their orders dropped by 40% from February to May this year. In response, they improve the product style and process to ensure that new products are launched every month and displayed to customers through the network, so as to enhance customers' willingness to place orders.

Taking the initiative, some enterprises are reaping unexpected results. Lv Jianfeng, sales manager of Zhengyang Technology Co., Ltd., said that they had started preparing one month before this year's Canton Fair. On the one hand, they invited professional teams to train sales staff; on the other hand, they sent electronic invitations to 300-400 overseas buyers and put advertisements on Google, Facebook, and other platforms. As of June 22nd, Zhengyang Technology had received an intention order of about 4.4 million US dollars.

(Compiled by Xu Yuhong, translated by Tao Mingzhou, edited by Ye Ke)