The numbers of shoemakers in Wenzhou city have been dropped to current 3035 from 4,000 at the height of period, what are the reasons to blame for such declining?

Mr. Zhu Jianbin, one of Wenzhou’s shoe wholesalers said now buyers come to Wenzhou reduced placing orders, more and more of them buy shoes in Hebei, Henan And Hunan provinces as 8 yuan less in these areas than that in Wenzhou city. 
 
The shoemaking industry in inland areas recorded a rapid growth that challenges the position of shoemakers in Wenzhou. Based on advantages of lower costs of labor and water and power supply the shoemakers in inland areas gain more and more shares of low-end shoe market in China and cause a great panic to the shoemakers in Wenzhou city, where is named as Shoe Capital of China.

According to an interview with an owner of wholesaler in Wenzhou Shoe Market, the correspondent of Wenzhou Evening News said the original shoe market pattern has been changed, shoes made in Wenzhou city is no longer dominate the internal market, the correspondent also found booths for selling Wenzhou shoes became less in this market, some of booths were empty or turned to warehouses.  

As a mater of facts shoemakers in number have been continued to shrink for several years, current numbers are 3035 that declined more than 1,000 in past seven years.

source: china leather .org