ANZSBS Articles

China sourcing articles for NZ and AU buyers

Practical China sourcing guidance for NZ and AU buyers.

Clear notes on supplier checks, company registration checks, product checks, factory verification, spare parts planning, packing checks, consolidation readiness, larger-product sourcing, and freight handoff preparation.

Before payment Check the supplier, product, parts, packing, and shipment pathway before sending money.
Guidance library

Practical sourcing articles for buyer decisions.

ARTICLE | 2026-07-20

Tooling and Mold Costs in China Manufacturing: Who Pays, Who Owns

When you commission a custom or modified product from a China factory, the first significant cost you hit is usually tooling. That means molds, dies, jigs, or fixtures — whatever…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-20

Product Safety Standards for Imports into NZ and Australia: What Every Importer Needs to Know Before They Order

You Are the Responsible Party — Not the Factory When a shipment of imported goods arrives at an Australian or New Zealand border, the compliance obligation sits with the importer.…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-20

Import Duty, GST and Landed Cost: What NZ and AU Buyers Really Pay

The price on a Chinese supplier’s quote is not your cost. It is the starting point. By the time your goods clear customs and reach your warehouse in Auckland, Sydney,…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-20

Sea vs Air Freight from China to NZ and Australia: How to Decide

Most first-time importers make the freight mode decision too late. By the time they realise the goods are sitting in a factory in Guangdong and their shelf date is three…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-19

Incoterms for NZ and AU Importers: EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP Explained

When a Chinese supplier sends you a quote, somewhere in that document there will be a three-letter code. It might say ‘FOB Ningbo’, ‘EXW Factory’, ‘CIF Auckland’ or ‘DDP Sydney’.…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-18

How Product Sourcing From China Actually Works: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sourcing a product from China involves a lot more than finding a supplier on a trade platform and sending a deposit. There are several distinct stages between deciding what you…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-18

Payment Terms with Chinese Suppliers: How to Structure Deposits and Protect Your Balance

Payment terms are not administrative paperwork. They are a negotiated allocation of risk between you and your supplier, and every dollar you send before goods are confirmed correct is leverage…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-18

Pre-Shipment Inspection in China: What to Check Before Your Order Ships

Supplier verification tells you the company is real, registered, and operating from a genuine facility. It does not tell you whether the goods currently sitting in the factory warehouse match…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-17

How to Run Supplier Checks Before You Order From China

Finding a supplier online or through a trade platform is the easy part. Working out whether that supplier is actually who they say they are, operates from the address listed,…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-16

Supplier Checks to Complete Before You Send Payment to China

The moment right before you wire a deposit is the highest-risk point in any China sourcing deal. Not first contact, not negotiations, not even signing a contract – the moment…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-10

How to Evaluate Canton Fair Product Samples Before Placing Bulk Orders

Introduction Attending the Canton Fair is a crucial step for many New Zealand and Australian businesses sourcing products from China. One of the most valuable outcomes of your visit is…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-08

How ANZSBS Supports Buyers After the Canton Fair to Reduce China Sourcing Risk

Introduction Attending the Canton Fair is often the exciting part—walking the vast halls, spotting new suppliers, and ticking off products is the easy 20%. But once the Fair ends, the…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-03

Avoid Canton Fair Scams: A Practical Guide for NZ & Australian Buyers

Introduction Attending the Canton Fair is often the first step for many New Zealand and Australian buyers looking to source products directly from China. With thousands of legitimate exhibitors, the…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-02

Practical Steps After Collecting Canton Fair Supplier Contacts

Introduction Attending the Canton Fair is often considered the exciting part of sourcing from China, but the real work starts once you’re back at your desk. Many New Zealand and…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-02

Avoid These Common Canton Fair Mistakes When Sourcing from China

Introduction Every Canton Fair season, business owners from New Zealand and Australia head to Guangzhou hoping to secure great deals directly from Chinese suppliers. While the Canton Fair presents a…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-02

How to Verify Suppliers You Meet at the Canton Fair Before Committing

Introduction Meeting a supplier at the Canton Fair is an exciting first step in your China sourcing journey, but it is far from proof that you can safely place an…

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ARTICLE | 2026-07-02

Essential Canton Fair Sourcing Tips for New Zealand and Australian Buyers

Introduction The Canton Fair is Asia’s largest China sourcing trade fair and a key event for many New Zealand and Australian businesses looking to expand or diversify their product lines.…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-26

China Product Sourcing for NZ & Australian Businesses: What to Check Before You Order

China Product Sourcing for NZ & Australian Businesses: What to Check Before You Order Sourcing products from China can offer significant advantages for New Zealand and Australian businesses — competitive…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-26

How to Verify a Chinese Supplier Before You Pay: A Practical Checklist for NZ & AU Buyers

Sending money to a Chinese supplier you have never met, in a country with a different legal system, a different language, and different business norms, is one of the higher-risk…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

Import Requirements and Customs Documentation to Confirm Before Paying a Chinese Supplier

Once a Chinese supplier and their quote check out, there is one set of questions many NZ and AU buyers leave until after payment: can these goods actually enter your…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

How to Compare China Supplier Quotes

Comparing China supplier quotes on price alone is one of the most common sourcing mistakes NZ and AU buyers make. The cheapest quote is often not the best value, and…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

Packing Checks Before Freight from China

Packing problems discovered after goods have left China are expensive to fix. Packing problems discovered before freight handoff cost almost nothing to address. These are the practical packing checks NZ…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

China Factory Verification vs Supplier Promises

Chinese suppliers make promises. Some keep them. Factory verification is the process of checking what a supplier claims against what can actually be confirmed. For NZ and AU buyers placing…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

How to Check a Chinese Company’s Registration, Name and Business Scope

Most China supplier fraud and supplier mismatch problems happen before the first payment leaves your account. A polished website, a Gold Supplier badge, and a few confident-sounding messages are not…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

Spare Parts Planning in China Sourcing

When NZ and AU buyers source products from China, spare parts are usually an afterthought. They should not be. Planning spare parts before production or shipment is one of the…

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ARTICLE | 2026-06-21

A Clear China Sourcing Process for NZ and AU Buyers

Most problems in China sourcing happen because buyers skip steps. A clear process — run in the right order — reduces guesswork, protects your money, and improves what arrives. This…

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