Free tool · Canton Fair, autumn 2026
Your supplier notebook for the Canton Fair
Log every booth as you walk the halls, check each supplier’s business licence code on the spot, ask the key questions in Chinese, and take home a sorted shortlist. It all stays on your phone, and once you’ve opened this page it works without a signal.
The fair
- Phase 1 · 15–19 OctoberElectronics, household appliances, industrial equipment, hardware and tools, building materials, new energy, vehicles and parts
- Phase 2 · 23–27 OctoberConsumer goods, gifts and home decoration
- Phase 3 · 31 October – 4 NovemberTextiles and clothing, shoes, office and school supplies, health and leisure, food, medical
China Import and Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou. Buyer badges are free if you pre-register online. British citizen passport holders can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days until 31 December 2026 (GOV.UK).
2 Your shortlist
3 Ask it in Chinese
Tap a question to show it large on your screen, then turn the phone round to the supplier.
At the fair: what to watch for
- A booth is not a factory. Many exhibitors are trading companies. That can be fine, but ask, and check the business licence: under 9, a second character of 1 means an enterprise, 2 an individual business.
- Fair prices are a starting point. Note the price terms (FOB or EXW), the minimum order and what’s included, so you can compare quotes properly afterwards.
- Photograph business cards and samples and note the photo in the supplier’s entry. Photos stay in your camera, not in this page.
- After the fair, put the best quotes through the quote comparer and check each supplier before paying anything.
Your entries are saved in this browser only (not sent to anyone, including me). Private browsing or clearing site data deletes them, so download the spreadsheet at the end of each day. The questions were written for this page; if anything is unclear, show the English too.
More free tools for importers
- Supplier checkDecode the code on a Chinese business licence and run the warning signs before you pay.
- Payment safety checkCheck the bank details before you pay a supplier, and what to do if they change.
- Request for quotation builderWrite a clear request suppliers can quote on like for like.
- Plan my importFour short steps give one plan: landed cost, UK rules and documents, the order-by date and supplier checks.
- Landed-cost calculatorDuty, anti-dumping duty and import VAT for your product, from live UK Trade Tariff rates.
- Quote comparerPut up to four supplier quotes side by side and see which is really the cheapest to land.
Questions about the Canton Fair
When is the autumn 2026 Canton Fair?
The 140th Canton Fair runs in three phases at the fair complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou: 15 to 19 October (electronics, appliances, industrial equipment, hardware and tools, building materials, new energy, vehicles), 23 to 27 October (consumer goods, gifts, home decoration) and 31 October to 4 November (textiles, clothing, shoes, office and school supplies, health and leisure, food, medical).
Do I need a visa for the Canton Fair from the UK?
Until 31 December 2026, standard British citizen passport holders can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for business, according to the UK government’s travel advice. Check the current rules before you book. You also need a buyer badge, which is free if you pre-register online.
Is a supplier at the Canton Fair automatically a real factory?
No. Many exhibitors are trading companies, and a booth is not proof of a good supplier. Ask for the business licence, check the code, and inspect before you pay the balance.
Does the companion send my notes anywhere?
No. Everything you log stays in your phone’s browser. Export a spreadsheet before you clear your browser data or change phones.
Can’t go, or want help after the fair?
I can shortlist exhibitors before you go, work from the exhibitor list if you can’t travel, and follow up afterwards: samples, supplier checks and a landed-cost comparison.
How I help with the Canton Fair ->