Yiwu makes windfall gains from Olympic orders
巴黎奥运给义乌带来商机
With the Paris 2024 Olympics around the corner, orders for sports merchandise have inundated Yiwu, the world's largest wholesale market for small commodities located in East China's Zhejiang province.
2024年巴黎奥运会临近，体育用品订单涌入位于中国东部的浙江义乌，全球最大的小商品批发市场。
Over the years, businesses in Yiwu have expanded their presence in the international market by participating in major global sporting events and accumulating a wealth of experience. This has enabled them to seize market opportunities and stay ahead of the competition, experts said. According to statistics from Yiwu Customs, the export value of sporting goods came in at 4.1 billion yuan in the first five months, marking a year-on-year growth of 44.4 percent.
多年来，义务企业参与全球重大体育赛事，积累了丰富经验，拓展了国际市场份额。专家表示，义务企业进而能够把握市场机遇，保持竞争优势。据义乌海关统计，今年前五个月义乌体育用品出口额达41亿元人民币，同比增长44.4%。
A convergence of multiple sports events this year has created a unique opportunity for Yiwu, allowing merchants to tap into a wider customer base and land new orders, said Xu Yan, president of the Yiwu Cross-border E-commerce Association. Businesses specializing in sporting goods have experienced a substantial surge in order volumes, with many witnessing an increase of over 30 percent compared to earlier periods.
义乌跨境电商协会会长徐俨表示，多项体育赛事都在今年举办，为义乌创造了独特机会，商家能够接触更广泛的客户群体并接到新订单。体育用品企业订单量大幅增长，很多企业订单比前期增长了30%以上。
At the Yiwu International Trade Market, covering an area of more than 4 million square meters and housing over 62,000 booths, a shop is displaying silicone bracelets bearing the official emblem of the Paris Olympic Games. "This bracelet is manufactured by our factory under official authorization," said Lin Daolai, a merchant.
在占地400多万平方米、坐落着6.2万多个商铺的义乌国际商贸城，一家店正在展示印有巴黎奥运会会徽的硅胶手环。商家林道来说：“这款手环是我们工厂经官方授权生产的。”
In October last year, his company won the bid for an order to produce 1 million Olympic bracelets, Lin said, adding that he and his team wasted no time when they received the order. Production started in December, and by the time the Chinese New Year ended in mid-February, the first batch of 500,000 bracelets had been flown to Paris. The remaining bracelets were all dispatched before May.
林道来的公司在去年10月中标了100万条奥运手环的生产订单。接到订单后，他和团队从12月开始加紧生产。到2月中旬春节结束之前，首批50万条手环已空运至巴黎，其余手环已在5月前全部发货。
The increased visibility and credibility gained from being an official supplier of Olympic merchandise have translated into a 30 percent growth in overall sales for the flag-themed bracelets, Xu said.
徐俨表示，成为奥运商品官方供应商后，义乌知名度和可信度进一步提高，国旗主题手环的总销售额因此增长了30%。
Wang Qiang, president of the Yiwu Sports and Fitness Supplies Industry Association, said the association swiftly took action and began convening enterprises in the summer of last year to discuss marketing strategies, optimize the supply chain, and seize the business opportunities presented by the event. The city's production and supply systems are renowned for their efficiency and the ability to adapt to the unique needs of buyers. This adaptability has positioned Yiwu as a preferred destination for sourcing relevant products for major sporting events, Wang added.
义乌市体育健身用品行业协会会长王强表示，协会迅速采取行动，从去年夏天开始召集企业讨论营销策略，优化供应链，抓住奥运带来的商机。义乌的生产和供应系统以其高效性和适应性而闻名，能够适应买家的独特需求。王强补充道，这种适应性使义乌成为采购大型体育赛事相关产品的首选目的地。
The scope of sports events encompasses a diverse range of product categories, allowing businesses to tap into new avenues of growth. In addition to sporting-related merchandise, the demand extends to commemorative items, catering supplies, and hotel products.
体育赛事涵盖了多种产品类别，企业因而能够开拓新的增长途径。除体育相关商品外，需求还扩展到纪念品、餐饮用品和酒店用品。
