What is a typical MOQ for a new reseller?

It varies enormously by category — 10 to 50 units is common for jewelry and accessories, 100 or more for apparel, and much higher for anything customised. Compare several suppliers for the same product before deciding what is normal.

Is a lower MOQ always better?

No. A low minimum usually means a higher unit price, which is worth paying while you are testing and not worth paying once a product reliably sells.

Should I ask for a sample before discussing MOQ?

Ask for both in the same message. Sample price and minimum order together tell you whether the supplier is worth continuing with.

Sourcing

Minimum order quantity: what MOQ means and how to negotiate it down

7 min read · published September 17, 2026

Minimum order quantity is the smallest number of units a supplier will sell in one order. It exists to cover their setup, packing and administration costs, not to exclude you. It is often negotiable by paying a higher unit price, mixing colours within one product, accepting stock they already hold, or committing in writing to a larger second order.

Why suppliers set a minimum at all

Every order costs a supplier roughly the same amount of paperwork, packing and communication whether it is 20 units or 2,000. The minimum simply pushes that fixed cost below the point where serving you loses them money.

This is why the answer to 'why is your minimum so high?' is never a discount, but the answer to 'what would you charge me for 50 units instead of 500?' quite often is.

Four things that genuinely move a minimum

In rough order of how often they work:

Pay more per unit. Offer 10 to 25 percent above their quoted price for a smaller first order and say plainly that it is a trial.
Take what they already have. Existing stock, last season's colours or overruns carry no setup cost, so minimums on them are softer.
Mix within one product. Fifty units across three colours is often acceptable where fifty of one colour is not.
Commit to the second order in writing. A dated, specific follow-up quantity is worth more to them than enthusiasm.

When a minimum is real and you should walk away

Custom manufacturing, private-label packaging and anything requiring a mould or print plate have hard minimums, because the setup cost is real and large. So does anything shipped by full container.

If a supplier's minimum is fixed and beyond your budget, do not stretch to it. Note them for later, keep the contact, and find a stockist or distributor for the same product who sells in smaller quantities at a higher unit price.

Get it in writing before you pay

Ask for one message confirming unit price, minimum order quantity, what is included in the price, shipping cost and method, lead time in days, and payment terms. Every dispute later traces back to one of those six items being assumed instead of stated.