YIWU, China -- Christmas has not yet arrived but trader Jiang Qing is already putting away unsold Santa Claus hats, stockings and other ornaments from her 30-sq.-meter store. For her, the peak Christmas sales period is October and this year has not been bountiful.
"Can't say it is a good year," said Jiang, reflecting on the one-third drop in sales for 2023. Like the other traders in Yiwu Small Commodity Mall, dubbed the world's largest wholesale market, Jiang has a small store front but she derives most of her sales from exports.
