Frictionless procurement from China

for Australian businesses that want to make the right call without the heartburn.

Send us your specs
Sound familiar?

We've felt these pain points ourselves. Here's how we close them.

You approve a sample, but who's watching the production run?

Your sample passes inspection, but the batch that ships months later doesn't always use the same materials or workmanship. We stay on the factory floor for you, right through to the last unit.

You don't know who's actually behind the listing.

Is it the factory, a trader, or someone three steps removed from production? You shouldn't have to guess. We shortlist and verify every supplier by hand before they ever enter our database.

Something always gets lost in translation (and we don't just mean the language barrier).

A misread packaging detail can turn into a warehouse full of stock you can't sell. We've worked on both sides of this, in mainland China, Hong Kong, the UK and Australia, so your spec means the same thing to everyone involved.

The quote is never the price you actually pay.

Tariffs, freight and hidden charges show up after you've already committed. We give you the landed cost upfront and hold it once you lock in your order, so there is nothing waiting to surprise you later.

Once it leaves the factory, you're on your own.

Customs, consolidation, delays, it all becomes your problem the moment the goods ship. We stay responsible for your order until it's at your door.

How it works

It's simple.

Five steps from your spec sheet to your door. You only take care of steps one and four.

Send us your specs

  1. Step 1Your part

    Send us your specs.

    No sourcing knowledge required. A drawing, a photo or a line in an email is enough to start.

    Send your specs

  2. Step 2Our part

    We search our vetted supplier network.

    Every supplier is pre-screened by us before they're added.

    [insert stat, e.g. average savings % or days to quote]

  3. Step 3Our part

    See your estimated landed cost straight away.

    Duties, freight and fees included, no hidden extras. If we can't find an instant match, our team steps in and follows up with you directly.

    Try the calculator

  4. Step 4Your part

    Happy with it? Lock in your order.

    Your cost becomes firm at this point. Not ready? Nothing is locked in until you say so.

    When you pay

  5. Step 5Our part

    We handle the rest.

    Sit back and wait for your goods.

Try it out

Calculate your costs.

Pick a product and a quantity, and watch your landed cost update live. Duties, freight and fees included.

Container quote ·

What's in your container

1 item
Item Quantity Units/case Unit price Extended

-
-
-

Pricing several products? Build a full container

Your estimate, duty paid at

-

Excluding GST. Goods, customs duty, ocean freight, insurance and Sydney port charges, all in one number. Delivery to your door is quoted with your confirmed price. Priced .

Goods, duty paid
-
Freight and insurance
-
Sydney port charges
-
Customs fees
-

Your container:

Full by volume 0 of 0 m³
Full by weight 0 of 0 kg
Next step

Estimate

Built from our current supplier prices, freight rates and duty rates. The final figure is confirmed with you before you lock in.

What sets us apart

Built by importers, for importers.

We built this platform to solve a problem for our own family, who run Australian retail businesses. If they were stuck sourcing from China, we knew other retailers were too. What started as fixing our own supply chain became a process we can now offer you.

Send us your specs
Common questions

Straight answers.

Send us your specs
Is there a minimum order?

Not from us. Factories set their own minimums and we tell you what they are before you commit. If your order doesn't fill a container, we can consolidate it with other goods.

What do you charge?

Nothing separate. Our margin is built into the price you see, so there is no fee, no subscription and no charge for getting a quote. If you don't order, it costs you nothing.

What is included in the price I see?

Everything between the factory and your door. Factory price, freight, duties and customs fees are all in that one number.

Who am I buying from, you or the supplier?

You buy from Pontis. One contract, one invoice. If something goes wrong with the goods or the shipment, you deal with us, not a factory in another country.

Can I get a sample before I order?

Yes. Tell us what you need and we arrange it before you commit to anything. Samples are charged at cost plus freight.

When do I pay, and how?

30% when you lock in your order, the balance before the goods leave the factory.

How long does delivery take?

Most orders reach you [X] to [Y] weeks after you lock in. Production takes the bulk of that, and sea freight to Australia adds roughly [Z] weeks on top.

One thing we cannot promise

Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture can hold any container for inspection on arrival, and they give no warning. Most shipments clear without one. If yours is selected, expect a few days, or one to two weeks in the worst cases. We lodge everything ahead of the vessel to make this as unlikely as we can, but no importer in Australia can rule it out. Storage and container detention charges during a hold are payable by you.

How fast will I hear back if there is no instant match?

Within 36 hours, from a person.

Meet our team

The people doing the work.

Photo

Diego

Co-founder
SydneyHong Kong

Formerly a Senior Consultant at ERM, the world's largest advisory firm focused solely on sustainability, advising multinational clients on supply chain compliance and building the data models behind their climate risk reporting. He has since relocated to Sydney to run his family's Australian retail business, which manufactures in China. At Pontis, he runs the commercial side end to end, from sourcing and pricing to logistics and delivery.

Leads Commercial, sourcing and logistics

Erica

Co-founder
Hong KongMainland China

A lawyer at a top New York law firm in Asia, negotiating with institutional investors and structuring complex fund deals for private equity sponsors. Her family runs a retail business in Australia, and watching them struggle to source reliably from China is what led her to help set Pontis up. At Pontis, she sets the strategy and runs operations.

Leads Strategy and operations

Jason

Adviser
Hong KongMainland China

Works in institutional equities and capital raising at an investment firm in Hong Kong, where factory and site visits across the region are a regular part of the role. At Pontis, he leads factory verification and everything on the ground in China.

Leads Factory verification and China operations

Send us your specs

Tell us what you need. We'll price it to your door.

  • No sourcing knowledge required. A drawing, a photo or a description is enough.
  • No fee for a quote. Our margin is in the price. If you don't order, it costs you nothing.
  • A person within 36 hours if there is no instant match.
  • Nothing is locked in until you say so.
Product
Specs, drawings or photos (optional)
    Send us your specs