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The Factory Said 1,000 Units. We Got It Down to 200.
Minimum order quantities are the number one barrier stopping Kiwi businesses from importing direct. Too high, and the cash risk is unbearable. Too low, and factories won’t take you seriously. We negotiate MOQs with Chinese and Vietnamese suppliers every day — and we know how to get the number down without burning the relationship.
MOQ Shock Is Real — And It Kills Good Business Ideas
You’ve found the right product. You’ve found a supplier who can make it. Then you see the minimum order quantity — and your stomach drops.
500 units. 1,000 units. Sometimes more.
For a large multinational, that’s nothing. For a Kiwi SME testing a new product line, that’s tens of thousands of dollars tied up in stock you’re not sure will sell. It’s the kind of number that makes perfectly good business ideas die on the drawing board.
MOQs are not fixed. They’re a negotiating position. And the people who get them lowered are the ones who know how to ask — in the right language, at the right time, with the right leverage.
That’s where we come in.
How We Help You Win on MOQ
Cut through the “sorry, minimum is minimum” rubbish. We’ve got the language skills, the relationships, and the market knowledge to actually shift the number.
MOQ Negotiation
We negotiate directly with your supplier in Mandarin or Vietnamese to bring minimum order quantities down to a level that works for your business.
Supplier Alternatives
Sometimes the best MOQ negotiation is finding a better supplier. We identify alternative manufacturers who can meet your spec at lower minimums.
First Order Strategy
We help you structure your first order to minimise risk — right product mix, right quantities, right payment terms.
Ongoing Relationship
Once you’ve placed a few orders and built a track record, MOQs naturally come down. We help you manage that relationship over time.
Negotiating Yourself vs. Using Epic Sourcing
Our MOQ Negotiation Process
Discovery Call
Tell us about your product, your target supplier, and the MOQ you’ve been quoted. We’ll tell you straight if we can get it down and what a realistic target looks like.
Supplier Assessment
We review your supplier’s profile, production capacity, and existing relationships. We establish whether they’re a factory or a trading company — it matters for how we negotiate.
Market Benchmarking
We identify what MOQs other suppliers in this category are offering. This gives us leverage and a realistic target before we open negotiations.
Direct Negotiation
Our Mandarin or Vietnamese-speaking team contacts your supplier directly. We present a compelling case — volume trajectory, brand credibility, long-term potential — to bring the MOQ down.
Alternative Sourcing
If the supplier won’t budge, we identify alternatives and use competitive quotes to go back and apply pressure. Competition is the best negotiating tool there is.
Deal Confirmation
We confirm the agreed MOQ, pricing, and terms in writing. You get a clear summary of what was agreed and what to expect for your first order.
First Order Support
We’re here for the first order to make sure everything goes smoothly. Get one order under your belt and the whole relationship gets easier from there.
Smaller Orders, Same Compliance Standards
Lower MOQs don’t mean lower standards. Every order we facilitate — regardless of size — goes through the same compliance checks.
MPI
Biosecurity
Even small orders can trigger MPI holds if the wrong materials are included. We spec your products correctly from the start to avoid biosecurity dramas at the NZ border.
NZ Customs
Clearance
Smaller orders are sometimes incorrectly classified, leading to unexpected duty costs. We ensure your goods are correctly documented and tariff-coded every time.
Quality
Control
A smaller first order is actually the perfect time to do a pre-shipment inspection. It’s a low-cost way to verify your supplier’s quality before you scale up.
Consumer
Guarantees Act
Products sold to NZ consumers must meet acceptable quality standards. Getting the MOQ down is great — but not if it means cutting corners on spec.
This Is For You If…
The First-Time Importer
You’ve never imported before and you’re not ready to commit to 1,000 units of anything. You need a starting point that doesn’t bet the house.
The Product Tester
You want to test a new product with real customers before going all-in. A lower MOQ means you can validate demand without a warehouse full of slow-moving stock.
The Small Business Owner
Your business is real and growing, but you don’t have the cash flow to absorb a 500-unit minimum on every new SKU.
The Private Label Starter
You want your own branded product but you’re not sure how many you’ll sell in year one. Lower MOQs make private label viable.
The Frustrated Importer
You’ve been trying to negotiate directly and getting nowhere. Every email gets a polite “sorry, minimum is minimum.” You need someone who can actually shift the needle.
The Multi-SKU Retailer
You carry a wide range of products and can’t afford to tie up capital in large quantities of each. Negotiating lower MOQs across your range frees up cash for growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions to help you get the information you need.
Depends on the product and the factory type. Standard manufactured goods typically start at 300–1,000 units for a new customer. Custom or private label often starts higher. Trading companies sometimes offer lower MOQs but charge higher unit prices.
Not always — we’ll be straight with you about that. Some factories have genuine production minimums that can’t be shifted. But in our experience, most quoted MOQs have room to move.
Then we find you a supplier who will. One of the most powerful tools in MOQ negotiation is simply having alternatives.
We charge an hourly rate — not a percentage of your order. You’ll know the cost upfront before we start.
Sometimes. Factories do sometimes bump the unit price when volumes come down. We work to minimise that trade-off and find the sweet spot.
Absolutely. We also negotiate on unit pricing, payment terms, lead times, packaging specs, and sample costs.
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Send your questions to our friendly team.
Let’s Get That MOQ Down to Something That Actually Works
You shouldn’t have to choose between a supplier that’s right for your product and an order quantity that’s right for your business. Book a 30-minute discovery call and let’s talk about what’s possible. No obligation. No hard sell. Just straight answers.
Let’s Make It Epic
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