Since the beginning of this year, southern China has experienced continuous rainy weather, with the shortest amount of sunshine in 60 years. Affected by this rare and persistent rainy spell, sales of rain gear such as umbrellas and ponchos have been rising steadily in the Yiwu market, while outdoor gear sales have dropped significantly — a case of “some are happy, some are sad.”
At 3:20 p.m. on March 14, less than an hour before the market closed, Ms. Shao, the owner of Shop 10470 on the first floor of Zone 2 at Yiwu International Trade City, was still busy attending to merchants who came to check out her goods.
Ms. Shao deals in various types of rain gear, including motorcycle ponchos, bicycle ponchos, children’s backpack raincoats, and disposable raincoats, which mostly come from her own rain gear factory. This year, southern China has seen rare prolonged cold and rainy weather, leading to a noticeable rise in rain gear sales across the region. As the world’s largest small commodities hub and a major wholesale market in China, Yiwu has been particularly sensitive to the ongoing rainy conditions.
Ms. Shao told reporters that since the start of this year, her shop’s sales have increased by more than 10% compared to the same period last year, and prices have also risen. For example, a disposable raincoat for adults cost 1.75 yuan per piece last year, but this year it sells for 1.85 yuan per piece. A two-piece rain poncho set now sells for 45–55 yuan per set, with the wholesale price up by about two yuan per set compared to last year. “However, the best-selling item this year is the disposable raincoat because it’s very affordable. Since March, I’ve sold over 10,000 pieces. Thanks to fast-moving wholesale sales, my factory’s output has also increased by more than 10% compared to last year.”
Reporters learned that besides rain gear, warm clothing items such as fleece pants and leggings have also been selling well in the Yiwu market this year. A market vendor said that in previous years, temperatures would gradually rise after the Spring Festival, and vendors would typically just sell off their pre-holiday inventory without restocking. But this year, temperatures remained low after the holiday, with an unusual stretch of cold weather extending the market cycle for warm clothing.
[Background Data] According to the Yiwu · China Commodities Index released by the Yiwu Index Compilation Office on March 12, from March 4 to 10, the price index for rain gear in the Yiwu market was 106.99 points, up 6.00 points from the previous week, ranking first in weekly gains.
Outdoor Gear Sales Are Sluggish
In contrast, sales at shops selling outdoor sports and leisure goods in the Yiwu market can only be described as “quiet.” On March 15, when a reporter visited a shop selling outdoor sports and leisure goods in Zone 2 of Yiwu International Trade City, the owner, Mr. Xu, was idly playing computer games. Mr. Xu said that compared to the same period last year, his shop’s sales have dropped by about 50% this year. Lately, he often goes a whole day without getting a single order. He understands that many shops selling outdoor sports and leisure goods in the market are experiencing much weaker business compared to last year. “With all this rain, who’s going to go outdoors?” Mr. Xu said helplessly.
Mr. Xu said that due to poor business, some vendors of outdoor sports and leisure goods have resorted to price wars. For instance, a 144×60 cm tent that sold for 80 yuan each last year now goes for just 76 yuan. A fully equipped picnic bag that sold for 120 yuan each last year is now being sold for 110 yuan. “There’s no other way. We don’t know when the weather will finally clear up. We can’t just keep waiting — we have to take the initiative. Making a little less is better than having no business at all,” Mr. Xu said.
[Background Data] According to the Yiwu · China Commodities Index released by the Yiwu Index Compilation Office on March 12, from March 4 to 10, the price index for sports and fitness goods in the Yiwu market was 102.23 points, down 1.13 points from the previous week, ranking among the top 10 in weekly declines. Additionally, the price index for travel and sports shoes also fell by 1.7 points compared to the previous week.
Unpredictable Weather, Steady Markets
According to the China Meteorological Administration, many parts of China may continue to experience prolonged rainy weather in the coming period. It is expected that most regions in southern China will remain rainy before April. The unusually long-lasting rainy spell, which shows no signs of ending, has disrupted the sales plans of many market vendors. However, many vendors have already taken measures in response to the weather, while others are seeking business opportunities amid the rainy conditions.
Mr. Xu, who runs a shop selling outdoor sports and leisure goods in Zone 2 of the International Trade City, told reporters that given the recent impact of continuous rainy weather on his business, he is actively taking countermeasures. While maintaining his physical store, he has also increased online sales efforts by moving some of his products online, hoping to boost sales through a combination of brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels to get through the current sales slump.
Ms. Hu, who sells travel and sports shoes on the third floor of Zone 4 in Yiwu International Trade City, said that although the southern part of China has had continuous rainy weather this year, the weather in many northern areas has been relatively good. Therefore, she has stepped up her efforts to expand the northern market. “Although we can’t control the weather, by responding proactively, we can still find ways to reduce the negative impact of the rainy weather.”