2026-10-18

How to Import Robots and AI Hardware from China: A Buyer's Checklist

Sourcing a robot or edge-AI device from a mainland-China manufacturer is very doable — thousands of units ship every week to North America, Europe, the Gulf and ASEAN. But the winners of a bad first order pay for it in customs, warranty and re-work. This checklist keeps the deal clean.

1. Validate the product, not just the video

Factory demo videos are polished. Ask the supplier for:

• A written spec sheet (suction/ Pa ratings, runtime, IP rating, sensor list) — not a marketing brochure.
• A firmware/app screenshot showing the region your market needs (Google Play services on Android robots, EU cloud endpoints, etc.).
• Two reference customers in your region who will take a call.

2. Confirm certification for YOUR market

Ask for the certificate PDF and the lab report, and verify the test-house name. A "CE Declaration of Conformity" with no test report behind it means little.

3. Check export control on the China side

Certain robot classes fall under China's dual-use export catalogue (in force since 1 December 2020, updated 1 December 2024): high-payload arms, certain autonomous-navigation and remote-control items, drones and some sensor modules. The supplier, not you, handles the Chinese export licence — but you should:

• Ask explicitly: "Does this model require an export licence under the dual-use catalogue?"
• Get the answer in writing (WhatsApp screenshots count).
• Be aware that sanctioned destinations and restricted end-users are screened per order; a reseller in a free-trade zone does not bypass this.

4. Price like an importer, not a shopper

Factory prices are almost always FOB China — that excludes freight, insurance, duty and VAT/GST. Build your landed cost:

1. FOB unit price × quantity
2. + ocean/air freight (ask for both — sea is 5–8× cheaper per unit, 30–45 days to EU/US West, air 5–9 days)
3. + duty (HS code classification; robotics HS 8479/8508/8517 vary by product and destination)
4. + VAT/GST at your rate

Best practice: ask for a DDP quote (delivered duty paid). Then the WhatsApp price is comparable to your local supplier's.

5. MOQ and the sample order

Most export-ready factories ship single samples (yes, even robot arms). Order one sample, torture-test it for two weeks, then negotiate the batch. Expect sample price at 1.5–2× bulk, often credited back on the first PO.

6. Payment and paperwork

• 30% deposit / 70% before shipment is the norm; use the supplier's corporate account, never personal.
• For first orders consider an escrow-style channel or a small L/C above ~$20k.
• Insist on correct commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin — under-declared invoices shift Chinese-side risk to you and can blow up at your customs.

7. After sales is your side of the desk

Before the PO, agree in writing:

• Warranty term (12 or 18 months is typical) and what "defective" means.
• Spare-parts kit with the batch (brushes, batteries, blades — consumables cost the factory cents).
• Remote firmware support channel and response SLA.
• Who handles RMA — shipping a single robot back to China rarely makes sense; a parts + video-diagnosis model usually does.

Bottom line: a good Chinese supplier welcomes this checklist. A supplier who gets annoyed by it is telling you something.

Next step: every product listed on this site shows its certifications, MOQ and an indicative FOB range on its detail page, and each page has a direct WhatsApp button to the supplier's export team.

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