Can you buy branded goods from China for UK resale?
Yes, but genuine goods are not automatically cleared for UK resale. Stock first sold in China needs a separate check of the brand owner's UK import consent, alongside authenticity and toy safety evidence. Supplier enquiries and physical checks in China can be coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Why a branded platform listing is not enough
For branded plush toys on Taobao or Chinese wholesale platforms, treat authenticity and authorisation as unresolved until checked. A listing can show copied branding, genuine stock offered outside its authorised sales territory, or unsupported claims of factory surplus. Brand photographs, tags and a seller's promise do not distinguish these situations. Permission to manufacture does not establish permission to sell leftover production.
Do not assume that an apparently identical toy comes through the brand's wholesale supply chain. Ask for the stock's origin before comparing prices or ordering samples. Our Chinese wholesale platform purchasing service can support purchasing enquiries, but the platform itself does not establish the seller's brand authorisation.
Genuine goods and UK resale rights are separate
The Intellectual Property Office says the UK retains its UK+ exhaustion regime. Broadly, goods put on the European Economic Area market by the rights holder, or with its consent, can usually be parallel imported into the UK without further permission. Exhaustion means the relevant intellectual property rights can no longer be used to stop further distribution or resale. It is not a worldwide resale permission.
Applying that territorial rule, stock first sold in China does not automatically qualify. Being made in China is different from being first put on the market there. Ask where the particular stock was first sold and obtain the brand owner's confirmation of UK import and resale consent where needed. A Chinese distributor's domestic authorisation alone does not resolve that question. Have a UK intellectual property solicitor assess unclear rights before payment.
Check the distributor and the actual stock
Start with the brand's own distributor list, if it publishes one. Use contact details found independently on the brand's website to confirm the seller's status. Request the complete letter of authorisation and check the company name, products, territory, sales channels and validity. Ask the brand to confirm that the proposed UK transaction falls within the permission.
Request invoices tracing the offered stock back to the brand or its confirmed authorised supply chain. Match product models, batch references and quantities to the stock offered, including clearance goods. A generic authorisation letter and an unrelated invoice are insufficient purchasing evidence. Use our counterfeit avoidance guide for the detailed document and supplier checks.
Counterfeit stock can be seized at the border
Border Force seizes counterfeit goods. Official guidance explains that its specialist teams work with brand owners to establish whether detained goods are genuine; fake goods are usually destroyed. Do not build a resale plan around the expectation that a parcel will pass through customs.
If authenticity becomes doubtful after payment, pause shipment or sale, separate affected stock and preserve invoices, messages and samples. If Border Force contacts you, keep the notice and obtain advice on the actual consignment. Our supplier problems service can help coordinate enquiries in China.
Choose a supply route you can document
For genuine branded stock, approach the brand's UK or EU wholesale programme and ask which supplier serves UK resale businesses. Request trade terms, permitted sales channels and invoices identifying the goods. For clearance stock, ask why it is being cleared and trace it through the same supply chain. An EU supplier's address alone does not prove where the goods were first put on the market.
If authorised branded supply is unavailable, consider an unbranded plush toy or an original design. Brief the factory on the intended customer, materials, construction and packaging, and avoid copying another brand's characters, logos or distinctive presentation. Compare the buying routes in sourcing agent versus wholesaler versus platform before deciding who will purchase and import the goods.
Importing genuine toys still brings safety duties
For Great Britain, a UK business placing toys from China on the market is an importer. Before sale, check that the manufacturer has completed conformity assessment, the declaration of conformity and technical documentation, and applied the relevant conformity marking. Check your importer name and postal address are provided as required, normally on the toy, with permitted exceptions for packaging or accompanying documents. Brand authorisation does not replace these checks.
Importer duties also include protecting compliance during storage and transport, sample testing marketed toys, recording complaints and taking corrective action, including withdrawal or recall where appropriate. Keep the declaration and ensure technical documentation is available to authorities for the required retention period. Use our toy safety guide for the wider checks. This paragraph covers Great Britain; check the separate official guidance before supplying Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Can I resell genuine branded toys bought in China?
Possibly. Genuine stock first sold in China does not automatically qualify for UK exhaustion. Check the brand owner's consent to UK import and resale, and obtain specialist advice where the rights are unclear.
Does a Taobao seller's authorisation letter prove the stock is legitimate?
No. Confirm the letter directly with the brand, including the products, territory and proposed UK sale. Also obtain invoices tracing the particular stock through the authorised supply chain.
Is genuine branded clearance stock safe to buy?
Clearance describes why stock is offered, not its authenticity or UK resale rights. Trace the goods, check permission where needed, and assess toy safety evidence before committing.
Do I have toy importer duties if I only resell the goods?
Yes, if your UK business places toys from China on the Great Britain market. Reselling does not remove importer duties covering conformity evidence, identification, traceability and corrective action.