Online trade challenges but the showcase goes on
Buyers from emerging markets push up visitor numbers despite rising production costs
While some visitors to the Canton Fair say online trading platforms and rising costs on the mainland are taking the shine off Guangzhou's oldest trade event, others maintain it still has an edge as a source for products.
The fair's spring session drew 91,935 buyers in the first three days after opening on Monday, a jump of 11 per cent from last autumn's session and the first rise in 2-1/2 years.
While there were only slightly more American buyers and the number of European and Russian buyers fell, merchandisers from emerging economies fuelled the growth, with the number of Indian buyers surging 60.64 per cent, African 30.1 per cent and Egyptian 31.23 per cent.
Despite the rebound in traffic, many traders said the Canton Fair was gradually losing its appeal, as costs escalated and the variety of its exhibits diminished.
"I didn't find anything new or interesting here, and the size of the electronics section has got even smaller," said Vishwanath Kapoor, an Indian buyer who was looking for audio cables and connectors for his Delhi-based audio brand Setmi.
Michael Jenkins, a British merchandiser who helps his European clients source goods and manage their businesses in China, said he did not find anything new, either, but the trade fair still had its value.
Jenkins, who owns a consultancy and sourcing company named after the fair, said some of his clients had switched back to face-to-face sourcing after being cheated by online fraudsters.
