MOQ and samples
What is MOQ? MOQ meaning and minimum order quantity for buying from China
Short answer
The MOQ meaning is minimum order quantity, the smallest number of units a supplier will accept in one order. It covers the supplier's setup cost, such as printing plates or a production run. Listed MOQs are a starting point. For custom work the real MOQ is agreed with the supplier.
Liam Cai · Founder, Supplymo
Six years sourcing out of Yiwu, after five years building software.
Updated
MOQ meaning for a small buyer
A supplier's MOQ is the order size below which the deal stops being worth it for them. For stock items it can be one unit. Goods printed or dyed to your spec usually start in the hundreds or thousands, and so do molded parts. The machine setup costs the same for a run of 50 pieces or 5,000.
MOQ can apply per product or per order. Some suppliers count it per color or size. Always ask which one the supplier means. Want four colors at 500 units each and you are already at 2,000 units.
Some suppliers use a minimum order value instead. They don't mind how many pieces you take, as long as the order passes a set amount in RMB. You see this a lot with small accessories in Yiwu, where one piece costs a few jiao and a count-based MOQ would make little sense.
Why suppliers set an MOQ
An MOQ usually comes from something the supplier has to pay for before your order is made. Find out what that is and you know where there is room to move.
- Setup: a new printing plate or mold costs the same for 50 pieces or 5,000.
- Raw material: fabric and printed film are bought by the roll, and custom-colored plastic or silicone is mixed by the batch. The factory buys the whole roll or batch even if your order uses a third of it.
- Machine time: stopping a line to clean it and change color takes the same time whatever the run length.
- Packaging: printed color boxes and polybags have their own minimum at the packaging plant, and it can be higher than the product MOQ.
Knowing the cause helps you design around it. When the MOQ comes from the printed box, a plain box with a sticker usually brings it down. A custom color works the same way: pick one the factory already runs.
Listed MOQ versus the MOQ you actually get
The MOQ shown on a listing is often lower than what the supplier will accept for your order. We sampled 1688 listings to see what the listed numbers look like:
In a Supplymo snapshot of 120 non-deduplicated result/detail rows from 12 selected English searches on 1688, 102 returned a listed minimum order quantity of two units or fewer and 84 returned one displayed price tier; neither field confirms checkout acceptance, a negotiated production MOQ or a final supplier quote.
Source: Supplymo research, 2026-08-02
This figure comes from our own 1688 marketplace study, a snapshot of public listing fields from 1688 search results, published with its method and limits. It describes listings. It is not taken from a conversation with one supplier.
A listed MOQ of one or two usually means stock goods, sold as they are. Ask for a logo or custom packaging and the supplier will usually reply with a new MOQ. The same happens when you change the material.
On 1688 the number next to the price is the start quantity, 起批量. The price tiers step down from there. That quantity is for the goods exactly as listed. Anything you change restarts the conversation.
Per order, per SKU or per color: which MOQ applies
Swipe sideways to see every column →
| MOQ type | What it means | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Per order | All items together count toward the number | Can I mix models and colors to reach it? |
| Per SKU | Each model needs the number on its own | Is that per model, or per color and size too? |
| Per color or size | Each variant needs it, common with dyed or printed goods | Which colors are in stock, and which get dyed for me? |
| Minimum order value | The order must pass an amount, usually in RMB | Does the amount include packaging and domestic shipping? |
| Packaging MOQ | The printed box or bag has its own minimum | What is the MOQ with a plain box and a sticker? |
MOQ on 1688 compared with Alibaba
Swipe sideways to see every column →
| 1688 | Alibaba | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical listed MOQ | Often very low for stock goods | Often higher, set for export orders |
| Price tiers | Many listings show a single price | Tiered prices by quantity are common |
| Custom orders | MOQ agreed in chat, in Chinese | MOQ agreed in chat, in English |
On either site, the useful number is the price at your quantity. Ask for it directly. A tier table that starts at 2 pieces and ends at 10,000 does not tell you what 300 pieces with your logo will cost.
How to get a lower MOQ
- Use the supplier's existing colors, sizes or materials. A custom color is one of the most common reasons an MOQ jumps.
- Offer a trial order at a higher unit price, with the normal price on the reorder. Put the reorder price in writing before you pay.
- Ask for the MOQ to apply to the whole order. Asking for 250 per color across four colors can be easier to agree than 500 per color.
- Buy stock goods first and brand them with a sticker, a hang tag or an insert. Custom printing can wait for the second order.
- Ask whether the factory has a run of the same item planned for another customer. Joining that run avoids a second setup.
- Work with a trading company or agent who already buys from the supplier, so your order sits on an existing relationship.
If you would rather not negotiate MOQ in Chinese yourself, we do it as part of our sourcing service.
When a higher MOQ pays off
Sometimes the bigger order is the better deal. The price break can be large where setup is most of the cost, such as printed packaging or a new mold. It pays off when you are confident the extra units will sell before the product changes.
Illustration: a supplier quotes $1.00 per unit at 500 pieces and $0.85 at 1,000. The larger order saves $150 across 1,000 units. It also needs $350 more cash up front, and the extra 500 units need freight and storage too. If they take a year to sell, most of the saving can disappear.
- Take the higher MOQ when the product has already sold in your market at your price.
- Take it when the goods do not date, so unsold units keep their value.
- Take it when storage and freight for the extra units are small next to the saving.
- Take it when the supplier will not offer the better price at a lower quantity later.
The calculator further down runs this comparison with your own numbers.
MOQ and samples
Samples sit outside the MOQ. Most suppliers sell one or a few units at a sample price, sometimes refunded against the first bulk order. Order samples before arguing about MOQ, so you only negotiate with suppliers whose product is good enough.
A sample tells you whether the product is right. It does not prove the bulk order will match. Keep the approved sample and photograph it. The order should name it as the standard the bulk goods must meet.
Ordering samples only? There is no service fee. You pay the sample price and the shipping.
Questions to ask a supplier about MOQ
- Is the MOQ per order, per model or per color?
- Does it change if I add my logo or my own packaging?
- What is the unit price at my quantity, as opposed to the lowest tier?
- Can I mix variants to reach the MOQ?
- Is the lead time different at the MOQ compared with a larger order?
- Will the reorder MOQ be the same, or lower once the setup is paid for?
Get the answers in writing, in the chat or on the pro forma invoice. A verbal yes from a salesperson can change once the order reaches the workshop.
Free tool
Check what an MOQ really costs you
A low unit price at a high MOQ can tie up more cash than a slightly higher price at a smaller order. Try both cases.
Start with the order you are considering
Enter the supplier MOQ and your intended test quantity. Your report stays blank until you choose Calculate, so an example is never mistaken for your order.
More free tools for this
FAQ
Questions
What does MOQ stand for?
Minimum order quantity: the smallest number of units a supplier accepts in one order.
Is MOQ negotiable?
Often. Using standard materials, accepting a higher unit price or combining SKUs are the usual ways to get it down.
Does MOQ include samples?
No. Samples are sold separately, usually at a higher unit price.
What is a good MOQ for a first order?
One you can sell through without discounting. For many small sellers that means stock goods at a low MOQ first, and custom work only on the second order.
What does 起批量 mean on 1688?
It is the start quantity, the smallest order the listing accepts at the listed price. It applies to the goods as shown. Custom work has its own MOQ.
Why did the supplier raise the MOQ after I asked for my logo?
Your logo means a new plate or setup, plus some units wasted while the machine is set up. The higher MOQ spreads that cost. A sticker or insert usually avoids it.
Want us to handle this for you?
Tell us what you need. Quotes for 1–3 standard products usually take 24–48 hours.