epic sourcing nz
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.
the problem
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.
about
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.
We negotiate directly with your supplier in Mandarin or Vietnamese to bring minimum order quantities down to a level that works for your business.
Sometimes the best MOQ negotiation is finding a better supplier. We identify alternative manufacturers who can meet your spec at lower minimums.
We help you structure your first order to minimise risk — right product mix, right quantities, right payment terms.
Once you’ve placed a few orders and built a track record, MOQs naturally come down. We help you manage that relationship over time.
the difference
| Feature | Going It Alone | With Epic Sourcing |
|---|---|---|
| Language | English emails into the void | Native Mandarin & Vietnamese speakers |
| Leverage | Unknown buyer with no track record | Established agency with ongoing supplier relationships |
| Market Knowledge | You don’t know what’s reasonable | We know what MOQs are standard for your category |
| Alternatives | Stuck with one supplier | We source competing quotes to create leverage |
| Time | Weeks of back-and-forth | We handle the negotiation end-to-end |
| Commission Risk | Trading companies pad their margins | Flat project rate — no incentive to inflate your order |
| Success Rate | Hit and miss | Proven results across dozens of product categories |
our process
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.
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.
We identify what MOQs other suppliers in this category are offering. This gives us leverage and a realistic target before we open negotiations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
nz compliance
Lower MOQs don’t mean lower standards. Every order we facilitate — regardless of size — goes through the same compliance checks.
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.
Smaller orders are sometimes incorrectly classified, leading to unexpected duty costs. We ensure your goods are correctly documented and tariff-coded every time.
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.
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.
is this for you?
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.
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.
Your business is real and growing, but you don’t have the cash flow to absorb a 500-unit minimum on every new SKU.
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.
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.
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.
real results
“The supplier told us 500 units, non-negotiable. Epic got it down to 150. That was the difference between us placing the order and walking away. We’re now on our third reorder.”— NZ eCommerce Business Owner, Homewares
“I’d been going back and forth with a Chinese factory for weeks and getting nowhere. Epic sorted it in a few days. Turns out it’s all about how you ask — and in what language.”— Kiwi Entrepreneur, Fitness Products
frequently asked questions
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.
get started
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.
get in touch
We’re here to make sourcing simple and a whole lot less stressful.
0800 883 742 — Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
1 Drake Street, CBD, Auckland 1010
Choose a time that works for you and connect with one of our sourcing specialists. No pressure, no obligation — just a friendly yarn.
Ready to get that MOQ sorted? Fill in the form on our contact page or give us a bell. We’ll get back to you within one business day.
our services
Our pricing is built for growing businesses — clear, flexible, and packed with value.