Importing for the First Time? Here's Everything You Need to Know.
The Fear Is Real — and Completely Normal
Every experienced importer was once a first-timer. The difference is they had someone who explained how it all works before they made expensive mistakes. That's exactly what Epic Sourcing does.
Importing from China or Vietnam for the first time involves a lot of moving parts — finding a manufacturer, placing a sample order, managing production, arranging freight, clearing NZ Customs, and meeting MPI biosecurity requirements. Mess up any one of these steps and you're looking at delays, extra costs, or goods that don't match what you ordered.
Epic Sourcing has guided hundreds of Kiwi businesses through their first import. We know where things go wrong, and we've built a process specifically designed to prevent it.
The Most Common First-Timer Mistakes
- Buying from a trading company, not a manufacturer — Alibaba is full of traders posing as factories with no QC and inflated prices
- Skipping the sample stage — ordering bulk without an approved sample is one of the most expensive mistakes
- Ignoring MPI biosecurity requirements — wood, natural fibres, leather, bamboo all carry biosecurity risk
- Underestimating total landed cost — factory price is just the start; add freight, duty, GST, port charges
- Getting MOQs wrong — over-ordering or not finding factories that accept small orders
How Epic Sourcing's First-Time Importer Process Works
Step 1: Discovery Call (Free) — understand your product, budget, and timeline
Step 2: Scope and Quote — flat project rate, agreed upfront
Step 3: Factory Search — verified manufacturers, shortlisted with notes on capability and MOQs
Step 4: Sampling — sample coordinated, inspected, and reported back with photos and quality notes
Step 5: Production and Quality Control — pre-shipment inspection before container is loaded
Step 6: Freight and Compliance — all documentation correct, MPI biosecurity certificates arranged
Step 7: Arrival and Clearance — customs broker handles NZ Customs clearance and GST
Ready to Take the First Step?
Book a free discovery call. Tell us what you want to import and we'll tell you whether it's viable, what it'll cost, and what the process looks like.
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