Sourcing products
Thinking about importing items to sell on Trade Me?First, identify items you think would sell well. Ideally, these will be products you have a reasonable knowledge of so to help you market and understand their sell value. This also makes the process more fun.
Check Trade Me to see if similar products are on the site. This will help you gauge demand, pricing and how crowded the market is.
Once you've picked something to sell, make sure it’s not going to land you in any trouble. Have a read of the Trade Me Trust & Safety Blog and the list below:
- Trade Me’s Banned & restricted items list.
- Trade Me’s intellectual property rights rules – counterfeit items aren’t allowed.
- Business.govt.nz 'Ten tips before you import'
- Visit the NZ Customs website to check any import tax and duty obligations, get advice on restrictions and understand the legalities of imports.
- Check with The Ministry of Primary Industries and make sure there aren’t any quarantine regulations.
Once that’s done, think about where to source your stock. Check out our tips for finding a supplier and make sure you consider details such as:
- Location of the item (some products are unique to certain areas)
- Stability, size and weight of the item
- Minimum/maximum quantities available
- Insurance costs
- Shipping/freight costs
We recommend starting with small purchases in order to minimise risk while you learn the ropes. That way, you'll get a feel for the quality of products and the reliability of sellers.