Yixing local teapot vendor from YIXING TEAMOOD EXIM
Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2019 9:44 am
Hello Tea Mates!
Being requested by fans here and from other platforms since my first head up with some teapots as a Yixing local, and with the request of this forum that my previous posts to be placed to the right spot so that more people can benefit, I finally make up my mind to explore the possibility of starting up a new career besides my current.
I`ll regularly update here with more information I hear and see among our local zisha circles though I'm occupied(managing a whole sales of a exporting company). Any interesting and good choices will also be offered for your choice.
[Background:]
The amaze of tea culture bringing all here, I hope to contribute a little from the aspect of being a local folk from the very origin place of Yixing zisha teapot. Actually, from my previous business occasions I became a fan of oolong leaves BEFORE being more interested in teapots-its own specialty of my hometown .
My family business has been all about teapots but I've been an exception since graduation from university, took a job, burying myself into business of global industrial products in the past 10years during which I've been travelling a lot across the world and occasionally saw various styles of tea shops scattered over the world with zisha teapots on shelves.
I notice that Yixing/teapot is quite a hot topic still and everyone is willing to share with others the personal collections on hand. Also, I notice there's still a gap of acknowledgement about our teapots between tea fans in and outside China. Overseas availability of various teapot styles, designs and high cost-performance ones is quite limited I should say, there maybe three reasons(from marketing perspective of views):
A. Maybe due to the products filtering control by traders on sourcing and procurement guided by their targeted margin with their clients' fixed middle-low level of price acceptance (relatively compared to the price level China domestic market which has increased obviously during the last 6-7 years). Overseas sales costs are definitely higher than our locals, they have international logistic costs , operational team's pay and mainland Invoice taxes (when they try to get the shipment out, this becomes mandatory I think). Deals among our locals basically no taxes at all.
B. Or, our locals wouldn't like to sell extreme low-profit teapots to outsiders, especially not to sell those consuming moderate or good local clays which are of low accessibility. e.g. with certain quantity of stock of clay on hand, one brand or one workshop wouldn't hesitate to make them into teapots or other zisha accessories of higher value and at higher price acceptance by clients.
C. There're still old stock of traders outside Yixing who are aiming for overseas market to consume their burden of previous years' of stock. Global economic problem and zisha-storm(negative) influence both contributed on the later weak demand.
D. The limitation of traders located outside Yixing(some may never been here before) and their successful marketing guidance on clients when valuing the worth of a zisha teapot among 'old/antiques' and 'modern-made'. But I also notice that just as buyers here in China, more and more overseas fan become more realistic and professional on choosing teapots.
After all, whether modern or old, quality of clay, techniques of art skills are both being considered more when purchasing. More, nowadays, local young artists are also creative on designs and the value of their works are being recognized more and more at least both at home and abroad.
Economic development during the last 6-7 years further levelled-up mainland China's ability of spending money. Thus, teapot sales makes good money than long before that. That's why this business attracted more people from other cities here in Yixing. Roughly there're 50,000 people in this zisha ware & accessory business, almost half of them are non-locals who brought with them new decoration techniques and craftmanship from other teaware cultures.
[Scope/purpose]
It's quite a pity that many good and affordable choices are not being presented to people who really have passion on it but having to stay away from it just because of the tagged beyond-budget prices, or limited choices of design and styles, or because with no one can clarifying their many doubts on the raw materials with insight advice.
Hope what I've learned about local zisha business and my subjective passion in this hobby could help people get what they really like from less barriers and have more choices within various budgets.
Being requested by fans here and from other platforms since my first head up with some teapots as a Yixing local, and with the request of this forum that my previous posts to be placed to the right spot so that more people can benefit, I finally make up my mind to explore the possibility of starting up a new career besides my current.
I`ll regularly update here with more information I hear and see among our local zisha circles though I'm occupied(managing a whole sales of a exporting company). Any interesting and good choices will also be offered for your choice.
[Background:]
The amaze of tea culture bringing all here, I hope to contribute a little from the aspect of being a local folk from the very origin place of Yixing zisha teapot. Actually, from my previous business occasions I became a fan of oolong leaves BEFORE being more interested in teapots-its own specialty of my hometown .
My family business has been all about teapots but I've been an exception since graduation from university, took a job, burying myself into business of global industrial products in the past 10years during which I've been travelling a lot across the world and occasionally saw various styles of tea shops scattered over the world with zisha teapots on shelves.
I notice that Yixing/teapot is quite a hot topic still and everyone is willing to share with others the personal collections on hand. Also, I notice there's still a gap of acknowledgement about our teapots between tea fans in and outside China. Overseas availability of various teapot styles, designs and high cost-performance ones is quite limited I should say, there maybe three reasons(from marketing perspective of views):
A. Maybe due to the products filtering control by traders on sourcing and procurement guided by their targeted margin with their clients' fixed middle-low level of price acceptance (relatively compared to the price level China domestic market which has increased obviously during the last 6-7 years). Overseas sales costs are definitely higher than our locals, they have international logistic costs , operational team's pay and mainland Invoice taxes (when they try to get the shipment out, this becomes mandatory I think). Deals among our locals basically no taxes at all.
B. Or, our locals wouldn't like to sell extreme low-profit teapots to outsiders, especially not to sell those consuming moderate or good local clays which are of low accessibility. e.g. with certain quantity of stock of clay on hand, one brand or one workshop wouldn't hesitate to make them into teapots or other zisha accessories of higher value and at higher price acceptance by clients.
C. There're still old stock of traders outside Yixing who are aiming for overseas market to consume their burden of previous years' of stock. Global economic problem and zisha-storm(negative) influence both contributed on the later weak demand.
D. The limitation of traders located outside Yixing(some may never been here before) and their successful marketing guidance on clients when valuing the worth of a zisha teapot among 'old/antiques' and 'modern-made'. But I also notice that just as buyers here in China, more and more overseas fan become more realistic and professional on choosing teapots.
After all, whether modern or old, quality of clay, techniques of art skills are both being considered more when purchasing. More, nowadays, local young artists are also creative on designs and the value of their works are being recognized more and more at least both at home and abroad.
Economic development during the last 6-7 years further levelled-up mainland China's ability of spending money. Thus, teapot sales makes good money than long before that. That's why this business attracted more people from other cities here in Yixing. Roughly there're 50,000 people in this zisha ware & accessory business, almost half of them are non-locals who brought with them new decoration techniques and craftmanship from other teaware cultures.
[Scope/purpose]
It's quite a pity that many good and affordable choices are not being presented to people who really have passion on it but having to stay away from it just because of the tagged beyond-budget prices, or limited choices of design and styles, or because with no one can clarifying their many doubts on the raw materials with insight advice.
Hope what I've learned about local zisha business and my subjective passion in this hobby could help people get what they really like from less barriers and have more choices within various budgets.