The Canton Fair is held in different phases, with each phase focusing on specific product categories and industries. This makes it easier for visitors to plan their trip based on what they want to see or source.
For Singaporean travellers, knowing the Canton Fair phases in advance can help you choose the right dates and avoid spending extra days in Guangzhou. Each phase covers different products, from electronics and machinery to fashion, home goods and food.
The fair is held at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, which is well connected to Guangzhou’s transport network. Here’s a simple breakdown of the Canton Fair phases and what you can expect at each one.
At the Canton Fair, the choice of dates depends on the product category: both the spring and autumn sessions consist of three phases, each featuring a different assortment. First, identify the key item you want to negotiate, then check related categories and verify the dates for the required phase. The table shows where the assortment is concentrated and who each phase is suitable for.
| Phase | 2026 Dates | Top Destinations | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spring: April 15–19, Fall: October 15–19 | Electronics, electrical engineering, transport, new energy, industrial equipment, tools | For technical procurement specialists, importers of machinery and components |
2 | Spring: April 23–27, Fall: October 23–27 | Home goods, furniture, building materials, plumbing, decor, gifts | For home goods importers, retail chains, and marketplace sellers |
3 | Spring: May 1–5, Fall: October 31–November 4 | Clothing, footwear, textiles, baby products, health, cosmetics, food, sports, pet supplies | For buyers of clothing, footwear, groceries, and everyday consumer goods |
The table refers to the 139th spring and 140th autumn sessions. Before paying for your trip, please confirm the dates for your chosen phase on the fair's official website.
The first phase is worth choosing when the goal of your trip isn't a finished collection, but a technical solution: machinery, equipment, transport, components, or an energy system. If your procurement combines a finished product, a production line, and components, it's better to split the search into these three tasks.
The official sections of the first phase cover 20 areas:
After selecting your sections, organise your meetings by zone so you don't mix different technical tasks into a single route. In Zone A, focus on home appliances, new materials, mechanical engineering, new energy vehicles, smart mobility solutions, and construction and agricultural machinery.
Zone B is home to hardware and fasteners, tools, auto parts, and some of the outdoor exhibition areas. In Zone C, you'll find lighting equipment, electrical products, new energy solutions, motorcycles, and bicycles. Head over to Zone D for power and processing equipment, automation, consumer electronics, and service robots.
The layout can change, so be sure to check the pavilion of your chosen exhibitor on the interactive map before you visit.
For equipment, prepare a technical specification, tolerances, certification requirements, MOQ, and installation and service terms. Large-scale equipment cannot be fully evaluated based on a showroom sample alone: clarify the configuration, performance, and acceptance criteria.
Write down models and parameters in advance so you can make objective comparisons between offers from different manufacturers. A technical translator is especially useful during complex negotiations.
In the second phase, suppliers are compared based on samples: material, finish, dimensions, packaging, and private labeling. This is how retail chains, the hospitality industry, and marketplace sellers operate when sourcing for home, interior, renovation, and seasonal collections.
The official sections of the second phase cover 17 areas:
For all meetings, use a single request format: dimensions, material, color, packaging, batch size, and branding. This will allow you to consolidate responses into a table and discuss OEM/ODM and technical documentation for specific models.
The Yiwu market is usually considered when you need a ready-made assortment, small batches, or a mixed purchase from different product groups. However, you shouldn't choose a sourcing location based solely on the price of a sample.
Compare offers based on identical specifications. Clarify MOQ, packaging, branding, certifications, production lead times, and Incoterms. This kind of calculation helps you estimate costs and accurately compare offers from trade fairs versus Yiwu, without assuming in advance that one option is always more profitable than the other.
It is convenient to divide the third phase into four routes: clothing and textiles; children's goods; food and health products; and other everyday consumer goods. This way, importers, specialized chains, and marketplace sellers will be able to compare offers within each product category.
The official program for the third phase includes 23 areas:
Product requirements vary by category. For clothing, check the sizing chart, fabric composition and hardware. For food and health products, review the required documentation and labelling for your target market.
For suitcases and footwear, pay attention to materials, construction and packaging. When comparing suppliers, make sure you are comparing products with the same specifications. Compare suppliers within the same specification.
City markets make it easier to explore the ready-made assortment, small batches, and local prices on the spot. That's why it's worth checking out the markets in Guangzhou for clothing, suitcases, and cosmetics, though they don't replace direct negotiations with manufacturers.
First, define your goal: are you looking for mass production and your own brand, or purchasing an existing collection? Then, compare the MOQ, sample quality, lead times, packaging, and commercial terms.
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Don't think of the inter-phase days as just another part of the exhibition: they are a reserve for working with suppliers you've already found. In the spring, these three-day breaks fall on April 20–22 and 28–30, and in the autumn, on October 20–22 and 28–30.
Leave some buffer time for follow-up negotiations and processing the offers you've gathered. Don't count on getting into the factory without an appointment, and be sure to build in extra time for travel: the commute depends on the address and current traffic conditions.
| Route | Travel time | Purpose of trip | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou South - Foshan West | from 17 min | furniture and interior | Find tickets |
| Guangzhou - Dongguan | from 13 minutes | manufacturers and suppliers | Find tickets |
| Guangzhou East - Shenzhen | from 29 min | electronics and technology | Find tickets |
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The physical Buyer Card is your official, reusable pass: it’s valid across different phases and multiple sessions of the Canton Fair. Still, be sure to double-check the latest registration and entry requirements.
There are 21 calendar days between the first day of phase 1 and the last day of phase 3. Therefore, the decision regarding the second or third phase should not be based on the number of free days, but rather on whether there is a separate purchasing task in another product block.
Distribute priority suppliers across phases. If key meetings are concentrated in one, select it and the nearest break. Add a second one for a separate procurement area, and the entire cycle for several independent product blocks. Compare accommodation costs for each option.
The 21-day cycle fits within the current visa-free stay limit for Singaporean citizens up to 30 days, provided you are using a standard passport and the purpose of your trip is business, tourism, visiting, exchanges, or transit. This policy is in effect until December 31, 2027.
Before you depart, please double-check the requirements for your citizenship, passport, and purpose of travel; if you do not meet these criteria, be sure to obtain the appropriate visa in advance.
The phase selection is complete when all priority product groups and exhibitors fit into the actual meeting schedule. One phase with a working break usually provides a denser program; two or three are needed when procurement is truly divided between different product blocks.
Once the phase is set, double-check the official sections and the exhibitor list, leave a buffer day, and head over to Trip.com to find flights and a hotel for your chosen dates.
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