How to buy Wholesale toys directly from China

In 2020, the total revenue of the global toy market was over $94 billion, while the average spend on child toys in Europe is around $220.

The toy market is huge and records numerous money flow movements around the world every year, but to do good business, it is important to broaden your horizons, looking to the East.

China is the largest exporter of toys in the world, and that is why it is very important to open up to the Chinese market.

A beginner will certainly encounter some challenges when it comes to importing and buying toys wholesale from China, but with the help of this guide, it will be much easier to understand certain mechanisms and know specific places, such as fairs, cities, and events, where you can buy and import toys of all kinds.

But what are the first difficulties to overcome? Some of these challenges include

unfamiliarity with the market;
poor knowledge of the types of toys to buy and sell at a particular market;
find the right supplier;
compliance and safety regulations;

However, importing and buying wholesale toys from China is not that complicated, if you follow the right advice and pay attention to how you import.

This article will serve as a comprehensive guide, shedding light on how you can research your own market, select the right products and also find the most suitable suppliers.

Wholesale Toys: Use Google Trends to choose what to sell

The first thing to do is choose what to sell and to do so you can use Google Trends. This tool keeps track of the words that people search online giving you an idea of the trends of the moment in a given market segment.

Google Trends will provide you with detailed information about the different search terms and how they have changed over time. For example, it can give you information on which is the most searched version of the same product to understand which is the best model to buy at a certain historical moment.

Keep an eye on your category to keep up to date with the latest news.

Already in April 2015, for example, more and more videos of celebrities and VIPs driving a hoverboard were shared on the Internet, including Jamie Foxx who made his entrance to the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon standing on a hoverboard. This type of phenomenon generates a passive advertising that thanks to the virality of the web creates trends and consequently increases the sales of the product itself. Keeping an eye on viral videos concerning particular products such as toys, is always a good habit if you intend to market toys wholesale.

Where to find manufacturers and suppliers of toys in China?

As with other products manufactured in China, toys have their places of origin. Regardless of where you are in China or if you are looking for Chinese suppliers through online platforms, you need to pay attention to where the suppliers are located.

The toys made in China are mainly produced in 5 places, but the fundamental city is Chenghai. Chenghai is a district of the city of Shantou that is located in the province of Guangdong and is referred to as the world capital of toys.

If you are specialized in toy trading and often shop in huge quantities, then Chenghai is the best place to find the factory or wholesale toys you are looking for.

Obviously to not get as far as China the first thing you can do is search Alibaba for the keywords “Shantou toys” and then choose the supplier category in the search bar.

More than 500 different suppliers will come out and that point is not enough for you to start contacting them.

Chenghai Toy Fair

Another method to find your wholesale toys can be to go to one of the fairs held in China: the most important are:

Canton Fair (23-27 April, 23-27 October 2014)

The Canton Fair, also known as China Import and Export Fair, was founded in 1957, and is a large-scale international trading event with a huge variety of products.

The products usually displayed include:

kid toys
electromotor, remote-controlled toys and watches;
action toys;
educational games and toys;
plush toys and cloth toys;
dolls.
driving toys;
children’s revolver;
wheelchairs;
mini bicycles;
Music toys
Inflatable toys

Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair HKTDC (8-11 January 2018)

Hong Kong Toy Fair HKTDC is usually held in January and includes :

toys and educational games;
electronic and remote control toys;
multiple products of toys;
world of outdoor & Sporting Goods;
paper products and toy packaging;
toys for domestic pets
items for parties and ceremonies;
smart-Tech toys;
Plushies & Dolls
pyrotechnic toys and fireworks;

China-Toy-Expo (18-20 October 2017 in Shanghai)

It is an international fair for toys and children’s items in Asia. It offers international manufacturers access to the Chinese market and allows exhibitors to get in touch with visitors to deepen business relationships.

The products exhibited at the fair include:

toys and dolls;
educational toys
electronic toys;
hobbies and model building toys;
non-electronic plastic toys;
outdoor sporting goods;
pre-school education;
wooden toys;
indoor and outdoor playground.

Wholesale safety compliance and regulations for toys

Since we are talking about products that will then go into the hands of children on all toys, certificates and specific safety regulations are required. However, since this category can include a wide range of products, listing all applicable European directives is very difficult, what we can say is that in general we must pay attention to:

Restrictions on substances
Regulations concerning electrical products or electrical parts of a toy
Physical / mechanical properties that may put safety at risk

In Europe, toy safety standards are regulated by the EN71 directive, which takes into account factors such as:

Mechanical
Noise
Flame retardant properties
Chemical composition
Electrical safety
Hygiene
Radiation

Complying with this standard is absolutely necessary to import wholesale toys from China is why it is good to make sure that

the chosen supplier manufactures products that comply with the directive
the product bears the CE mark
in the box there is an instruction manual
has done and passed the laboratory tests
the name and address of your company is printed on the product and on the packaging

It is good to be very careful because not all Chinese suppliers sell goods that comply with EU regulations and often also tend to write on their online pages that they have certifications that they do not have.

If you buy non-conforming toys, we risk not only being seized by customs, but you risk a fine for not complying with European rules, in fact, you must keep in mind that the importer always has the responsibility to ensure the conformity of the products.

In addition to the safety requirements, you must also pay attention to the labelling requirements, where not only the origin of the product must be written, but also the certifications and warnings for its correct use of the article.

Importing wholesale toys is easy

After reading this article, did you get discouraged? Do you have neither time nor money to go to China to visit factories or fairs? You don’t think you can check all the certifications needed to import toys. Don’t worry, there’s a quick and easy solution called Yakkyofy.

Yakkyofy provides a 360° service that helps you in the sourcing of wholesale products from China, in the control of certifications and quality control, up to the organization of shipping, customs clearance and home delivery.

We can help you: