Hey,
I am also a NZ based importer, and, like you guys am just starting out. I would recommend starting on something small like trademe.
Trademe is a small, but very concentrated market, it is an excellent stepping stone for first time importers.
I have to agree that Salehoo is an absolute godsent. I cannot believe there is so much money to be made from importing.
Although I don't have a huge amount of experience, I recomend starting small, perhaps with accessories, then building.
There are alot of sites that offer great bargains, but as far as accessories go, China is the best place to import from.
The shipping isn't the cheapest in the world, but the bargains more than make up for it.
I think I may have struck on something pretty good right now (forgive me if I don't tell you what it is), and my only advice would be to start small.
Dropshipping works well if the customer is prepared to wait a little while. The other down side is that you cannot inspect the product before it reaches the seller. If by chance it is broken, then you may find some unhappy customers.
Hope to keep in touch with all the New Zealand importers.
Snow in Wanaka is awesome right now!
Cheers,
Tom