Paris 2024 Boosts Sales of Yiwu-made Merchandise

楚天都市报极目新闻记者 张奇

翻译：黄蕾 陶然 卫拉（湖北大学）

Reporter: Zhang Qi, JIMU News

Translators: Huang Lei, Tao Ran, Lisa M.K (Hubei University)

巴黎奥运会即将到来，受奥运赛事驱动，浙江义乌的商家们早早地就已接到了大量相关订单。据义乌海关统计，今年1月—2月，义乌对法国的出口额达5.4亿元，同比增长42%，其中体育用品的出口同比增长了70.5%。

With the Paris Olympic Games around the corner, business owners in Yiwu, a city in China’s Zhejiang province well known for its massive wholesale markets, have been flooded with orders for the upcoming games. According to data provided by Yiwu Customs, exports to France reached a whooping 540 million yuan ($74 million) in the first two months of 2024, marking a year-on-year growth of 42%. Meanwhile, exports of sports equipment were up by 70.5% compared with the same period last year.

连日来，极目新闻记者来到义乌进行探访。生产巴黎奥运会授权产品的一位商家表示，相关产品从去年底开始投产，目前成品已经陆续运抵巴黎。因为奥运会订单的带动，自家公司有一个季度的销售额相比往年同期增长了30%。也有经销奥运相关产品的商户称，自家经销的乒乓球产品，是巴黎奥运会乒乓球的独家供应商，这极大提升了他们经销商的信心。

Jimu News reporters recently spent several days in Yiwu. One merchant, a supplier of the official Paris 2024 licensed merchandise, said that they began production at the end of 2023, and the finished products have since successively made their way to Paris. This Olympic rush has welcomed a 30% increase in the company’s sales in one quarter compared to the previous year. Another merchant added that their company is the sole supplier of table tennis balls for Paris 2024, a huge confidence boost for their distributors.

奥运会增加了义乌与法国等欧洲国家的贸易往来。有经营户认为，奥运会这类综合赛事对欧洲的旅游业会有所带动，是拓展客户的好机会。有外贸公司负责人称，今年出口欧洲的销量有所增长，正考虑进一步拓展欧洲市场。

The Olympics have increased business partnerships between Yiwu and European countries like France. As such, some businesses hold that such events will stimulate European tourism, and avail great opportunities to expand their clientele. Noting the surge in Europe bound exports this year, the head of a foreign trade company revealed that further expansion into the European market is currently in the works.

奥运会指定产品质量要求更高

Strict quality check for official Olympic merchandise

7月16日，极目新闻记者来到义乌国际商贸城，五个区块内满满当当的商铺摆放着各式小商品，类目多元。不同肤色和穿着的采购商穿梭在不同的玻璃房之间，寻找着想要采购的商品。

On July 16th, reporters from Jimu News visited the Yiwu International Trade City, hailed as China’s largest wholesale market complex. The market, divided into five distinct complexes called districts, was packed with shops showcasing a range of small commodities. Buyers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities could be seen roaming through the glass booths, in search of items they wished to purchase.

周坚经销的2024巴黎奥运会专用乒乓球  Zhou Jian shows a sample of the official 2024 Paris Olympics table tennis balls

商户周坚的门面位于国际商贸城三区体育用品区二楼，主营各类比赛用球。记者刚进店，周坚就向记者展示了一枚印有“2024巴黎奥运会乒乓球独家供应商”字样的纪念品。“今年巴黎奥运会要用的乒乓球，都是我们代理的这个品牌生产的。”周坚拿出一盒印有“ITTF PAR40+”字样的巴黎奥运会专用乒乓球，一盒装有6只球，球整体呈乳白色。

Zhou Jian's store, which specializes in an assortment of sports balls, is located on the second floor of the Sports Equipment section in District Three of the Yiwu International Trade City. As soon as the reporter entered the store, Zhou Jian presented them a souvenir bearing the words ‘Sole Supplier of Table Tennis Balls for the Paris 2024 Olympics’.“All the table tennis balls used during this year's Paris Olympics are manufactured by our partner brand,” she said, taking out a box labeled ‘ITTF PAR40+’ containing a set of six milky-white Olympic-grade table tennis balls.

周坚称，这款巴黎奥运会专用乒乓球是相关标准中质量最高的，甚至是同等标准中最优的。她代理品牌生产的这款“PAR40+”是2024巴黎奥运会比赛官方指定用球。这款乒乓球的圆度、弹跳均匀度、吃球感、色度等参数，都比原有基础上升了一个高度，满足了多个国家选手的不同需求。

Zhou Jian said that these specific Paris Olympics table tennis balls are of premium quality according to relevant standards, and are overall the best. The ‘PAR40+’ balls, official table tennis balls for the 2024 Paris Olympics, feature new and improved parameters to ensure stable performance during games, while also meeting the diverse needs of international athletes.

周坚又拿出一盒该品牌出品的奥运纪念球，看上去更为精美。她介绍，自己经销体育用品已有30年，作为该品牌在义乌的唯一代理商也有二十六七个年头，此前也销售过专业乒乓球赛事用球，现在店里都还有相关产品在售。2023年下半年，品牌方获批之后，她家就开始销售巴黎奥运会用球，业务主要在国内，她家主要经营实体店，也会销给一些网店。普通的乒乓球最便宜的0.6元一个，而巴黎奥运会专用球的售价一度卖到39元每盒，相当于6元多一个。

She then displayed another box of Olympic-themed commemorative table tennis balls from the same brand, which appeared more elegantly packaged. Zhou Jian, who has sold sports equipment for 30 years and been the sole agent for the brand in Yiwu for nearly 26 or 27 years, has supplied professional table tennis balls for other major tournaments. Her store still stocks merchandise from previous games. After her partner brand was approved in the second half of 2023, she began selling the Paris Olympics table tennis balls, mainly catering to the domestic market. Zhou runs a physical store but also supplies to online retailers. Regular table tennis balls sell for 0.6 yuan each, while a box of six Paris 2024 balls go for 39 yuan, or over 6 yuan per piece.

有厂家季度销售额因奥运订单增长30%

Manufacturers welcome 30% increase in quarterly sales from Olympic orders

7月15日，在义乌一处不起眼的仓库，林道来所属公司生产的手环存放在这里。本次巴黎奥运会，林道来成功获得一款奥运会指定硅胶手环的生产资格。他办公桌上摆放着的巴黎奥运会指定硅胶手环共有白、黄、红、蓝4个颜色，手环上均印有“PARIS 2024”字样，包装上还有巴黎奥运会相关标识和专用标签。

On July 15th, stored in an unassuming warehouse in Yiwu were wristbands produced by Lin Daolai’s company. Lin had successfully obtained the rights to manufacture an official silicone wristband for the upcoming summer games. Displayed on his desk were wristbands in four colors: white, yellow, red, and blue, each with the writing ‘PARIS 2024’ in packaging featuring the official Olympic logo and special taglines.

林道来展示自家生产的巴黎奥运会指定硅胶手环  Lin Daolai displays official silicone bracelets for the Paris Olympics, manufactured by his own company

林道来介绍，他做手环生意已有15年。去年6月前后，与他合作了十多年的老客户发来一份图稿，让他打样。他注意到，这是巴黎奥运会的官方手环。他打听后得知，客户获得了奥运会组委会授权，而接到打样工作的有包括他家在内的三家公司。他很重视这次机会，经过与客户几个月的沟通，最终谈成了这笔订单。

Lin Daolai shared that he has sold wristbands for 15 years. Around June last year, a long-standing client who had worked with him for over a decade sent him a design and requested a sample. Lin noticed it was for the official Paris Olympics wristband. Upon further inquiry, he learned that the client had received authorization from the Olympic Committee, and his was one of the three companies selected to produce samples. Cherishing this valuable opportunity, Lin spent several months in discussions with the client and eventually finalized the deal.

林道来告诉记者，能从三家公司中胜出，除了他深耕手环产品十几年外，一个很重要的原因是他的性价比更高。在他看来，手环的制作流程很简单，不需要太难的技术，原材料价格在行业内是透明的，手环的价格也很低。他家手环的生产工厂在广东东莞，但包装、经销都在义乌，因为义乌的包材价格便宜，他再给客户让点利，在质量相同的情况下，最终将这笔订单拿到手，“义乌的包材是全国最专业的，产业链和工艺是最先进的，出货速度又快。”

Lin Daolai told reporters that his victory over the other two competitors stemmed not only from his decade-plus years of experience in the wristband industry but also from offering better value for money. He pointed out that the production process for wristbands is straightforward, requiring no complex technology, and that the costs of raw materials are transparent within the industry, keeping prices low. His production facility is based in Dongguan, Guangdong, but all packaging and distribution are conducted in Yiwu due to the lower cost of packaging materials there, allowing him to offer his clients a discount. Offering affordable rates without compromising quality is what helped him secure the contract. “Yiwu’s packaging materials are the most professional in the country, and the supply chain and craftsmanship are the most advanced, which speeds up delivery,” he said.

谈成奥运会指定手环的订单后，林道来的工厂于2023年12月投产，到2024年春节前已基本完成了大部分工作。与别的手环不同，这款手环采用的是凹刻工艺，能保证印刻的图案和文字在使用中不易被磨损。截至今年4月份，他陆续将100万个奥运手环分两批运至巴黎。据他透露，这100万个手环，让他一个季度的销售额比往年增加了30%，2023全年的销售额增加了一到二成。

After securing the contract for the Olympic-branded wristbands, Lin’s factory commenced production in December 2023 and had completed most of the work by the Chinese New Year of 2024. Unlike other wristbands, these utilize a printing technique that ensures the patterns and text are resistant to wear and tear. By April of this year, Lin had delivered one million Olympic wristbands to Paris in two shipments. He revealed that these orders increased his quarterly sales by 30% and his annual sales by 10-20%.

有商家正考虑进一步拓展欧洲市场

Businesses are eyeing further expansion into the European market

除了巴黎奥运会指定的体育用品，含有法国元素的周边产品也在义乌畅销。义乌国际商贸城相关部门工作人员告诉极目新闻记者，因为巴黎奥运会即将到来，不少商户都生产了与奥运会相关的周边产品。

In addition to the official sports equipment for the Paris Olympics, merchandise featuring French themes are also experiencing robust sales in Yiwu. Employees at the Yiwu International Trade City told reporters from Jimu News that many merchants have ramped up the production of Olympic-themed merchandise in anticipation of the upcoming Games.

义乌商贸城球衣厂商温从见告诉记者，今年奥运会与欧洲杯、美洲杯等大型赛事时间上差不太多，因此他今年重新设计了足球球迷服。他在欧洲的客户订购了大量法国足球球迷服，截至目前，他家今年的销量相比往年同期提升了20%至30%。接下来，他也将重视欧洲市场。

Wen Congjian, a football jersey manufacturer in Yiwu’s trade city, explained to the reporters that this year's Olympic Games will coincide with other major sporting events like the European Championship and Copa America. This prompted him to redesign jerseys for soccer fans. His European clients have placed large orders for their French soccer fans, leading to a sales increase of 20% to 30% over the same period last year. Moving forward, he intends to prioritize the European market.

据央视财经报道，义乌国际商贸城三区集中了800余家体育用品行业商户，主要经营球类球拍、体育器材及配件、训练健身器材、运动防护用具等产品。今年上半年，各种体育用品吸引了不少海内外客商下单，商户切身感受到巴黎奥运会为市场带来的机遇。“前段时间，我店里每天至少卖出3000个足球。”足球经销商陈绍美说，“我有好几个做助威棒的外贸朋友，都接到了巴黎奥运会的大订单，加之当下正好是旺季，出口量大。目前，大部分订单都已经在上个月（2024年6月）完成并发往海外了。” 在义乌国际商贸城，有商家售卖的经典款埃菲尔铁塔，已经连续补了好几次货。一名荷兰采购商接受媒体采访时称，欧洲客户喜欢的产品包括珠宝、各类包、时尚配件等，义乌都能提供。有经营户认为，奥运会这类综合赛事对欧洲的旅游业会有所带动，是拓展客户的好机会。

According to a CCTV Finance report, district three of the Yiwu International Trade Market hosts over 800 sports goods merchants, who mainly deal in sports balls, rackets, various sports equipment and accessories, fitness and training equipment, as well as sports protective gear. In the first half of this year, a wide range of sports products garnered considerable orders from both domestic and international buyers, availing to traders the commercial opportunities brought on by Paris 2024. “Lately, my store sells at least 3,000 footballs daily,” noted Chen Shaomei, a football distributor. “Several of my friends who export thunder sticks have received large orders due to the Paris Olympics. Coupled with the current peak season, there has been a substantial increase in exports. Most orders were completed and sent overseas in June 2024.” Additionally, traders supplying ornaments of the iconic Eiffel Tower have had to restock numerous times. A Dutch buyer mentioned in an interview that products popular among European customers, like jewelry, various types of bags, and fashion accessories, are readily available in Yiwu. Some traders believe that international sports events like the Olympics, which boost European tourism, offer a great opportunity to expand their customer base.

义乌国际商贸城一家外贸公司主营各种奖杯、奖牌，老板叶德模告诉极目新闻记者，原本他家订单主要集中在中东地区，也有一些出口欧洲，今年来自法国周边国家的采购商多了一些，包括西班牙、阿尔及利亚等。据他估算，今年以来，他们出口欧洲的产品销量相比往年增长了10%。叶德模认为，欧洲国家的体育氛围比较好，他正在考虑进一步拓展欧洲市场。欧洲与中东地区客户的需求有些差异，包括产品的色彩、材质等方面，要销往欧洲的话，需要按欧洲客户的需求生产新的产品。

A foreign trade company based in the Yiwu International Trade Market specializes in various types of trophies and medals. The owner, Ye Demo, shared with Jimu News that typically, most of their orders were concentrated in the Middle East, with some exports headed to Europe. However, this year has seen an increase in buyers from countries neighboring France, including Spain and Algeria. Ye estimates that since the beginning of the year, their product sales to Europe have increased by 10% compared to previous years. He notes that the sports culture in European countries is comparably better, prompting him to consider expanding further into the European market. However, given the differences in consumer preferences between European and Middle Eastern markets, with regard to color and materials used, catering to the European market requires developing new products that address the demands of European customers.

当地重视推动产品品质提升和品牌出海

Enhancing product quality while building brands to transcend borders

受巴黎奥运会推动，义乌对法国的出口实现大幅增长。公开资料显示，据义乌海关统计，今年1月-2月，义乌对法国的出口额达5.4亿元，同比增长42%，其中体育用品的出口同比增长了70.5%。

Driven by the Paris Olympics, Yiwu’s exports to France have seen a substantial increase. According to statistics from Yiwu Customs, from January to February this year, Yiwu’s exports to France amounted to 540 million yuan (($74 million), marking a year-on-year increase of 42%, with exports of sports goods alone rising by 70.5%.

中国小商品城运动器材体育休闲商会会长王强接受浙江媒体采访时称，每次大型赛事，义乌都在行动。事实上，早在去年夏天，商会就召集不少企业和经营户商谈营销策略，抢抓巴黎的这次奥运经济，成效日渐显现。“（今年）一季度，行业整体销售额同比增长了30%至35%，有部分企业甚至翻了好几倍。”今年4月，王强表示，“不少经营户的工厂订单已经排到五六月，这意味着接下来几个月内，特别是巴黎奥运会临近和举行期间，订单量可能会进一步增长，迎来高峰。”

Wang Qiang, the president of the Sports and Leisure Equipment Chamber of Commerce in China's small commodity city, during an interview with Zhejiang media, commented that Yiwu is always busy at work during large-scale sports events. In fact, as early as last summer, the Chamber had convened numerous enterprises and merchants to discuss marketing strategies to capitalize on the economic opportunities of the Paris 2024 Games, and the results have been increasingly positive. “In the first quarter of this year, the industry’s overall sales grew by 30% to 35% year on year, with some companies even seeing their sales increase multiple folds,” Wang noted in April. He also mentioned that many suppliers have factory orders booked through May and June. This entails in the upcoming months, particularly nearing and during the Paris Olympics, the volume of orders might increase further, reaching a peak in sales.

不过，在极目新闻记者走访过程中，有多名商户坦言，包括自家在内，义乌不少商家的商品获得国外采购商青睐的一个重要因素，是因为性价比更高。有商户告诉记者，一旦因为质量提升，生产成本和定价也随之上涨的话，对采购商的吸引力或许就会变弱。

During the visit by Jimu News reporters, several merchants openly acknowledged that one crucial factor behind the preference of Yiwu goods among foreign buyers, including their own products, is the unmatched bang for their bucks they get. One merchant explained that if production costs and prices increase due to improved quality, it could potentially diminish their appeal to purchasers.

据《人民日报》报道，义乌国际商贸城有关负责人表示，大型体育赛事是商贸城的体育用品经营户让自家产品“名声在外”的良机，但想要在众多同类型产品中脱颖而出、畅销海外，靠打价格战提升销量不是长久之计，良好的品质和品牌出海才是坚实基础和重要保障。“为帮助辖区企业走好品质之路，今年以来，杭州海关所属义乌海关联合义乌商城集团、义乌工商学院等单位开展‘品牌出海海关护航’系列活动，提升企业知识产权意识。不少商户开始注重产品的创新，设计原创品牌，销量稳步提升。”该负责人说。

According to People’s Daily, officials from Yiwu International Trade Market expressed that major sports events offer merchants an excellent opportunity to establish their products and brands internationally. However, they cautioned that relying solely on competitive prices to increase sales is not a sustainable strategy if they are to stand out or achieve success overseas. They emphasized that high-quality and international branding are an integral part of a solid foundation and guaranteed business. “To support local businesses in enhancing product quality, Yiwu Customs, under the jurisdiction of Hangzhou Customs, has collaborated with Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd., and Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College, among others, to launch a series of events themed ‘The Path to Global Branding with Yiwu Customs’ this year,” an official stated. These efforts aim to raise awareness of intellectual property rights among enterprises. Many merchants have started focusing on product innovation and developing original brands, resulting in a steady increase in sales.

审校：孙喆  彭媛苑   Reviser：Sun Zhe  Peng Yuanyuan