MOQ means Minimum Order Quantity: the smallest number of units a seller will accept on a single purchase order. MOQs are set by the seller per offer (not by the platform), and they vary by category, condition, and counterparty relationship.
Sellers set an MOQ because every order carries fixed handling costs: testing, packing, paperwork and shipping preparation. A minimum spreads those costs over enough units to keep the margin workable. Established buyers often get more flexibility than new ones.
Typical MOQ patterns by channel
There is no universal MOQ, and published figures age quickly, so the patterns below are qualitative. Treat any number in an offer as that seller's rule for that stock.
- Factory-direct and brand-authorised supply: usually the largest minimums, often counted in full cartons or master packs, sometimes a whole production run.
- Distributors: mid-sized minimums tied to pack sizes and product lines. Accounts with a purchase history may negotiate.
- Trader-to-trader lots: the smallest and most flexible. A seller with a single lot may state a minimum per model, a minimum per order, or offer the whole lot only.
- Liquidation pallets: sold by the pallet or truckload, often mixed and as-is, so the minimum is one pallet and the unit count depends on what is on it.
MOQ and price breaks
MOQ is the floor of the price ladder, and many sellers quote lower unit prices at higher quantities. Illustrative example only, not a market price: a seller might offer 50 to 99 units at one price, 100 to 299 at a slightly lower price, and 300 or more at the lowest. Ask whether the break applies per model or across the whole order, because that changes the total. Run the numbers in the wholesale margin calculator, including freight, so a bigger order does not hide a thinner margin.
Negotiating below MOQ
- Combine models or colours to reach the minimum across the order, if the seller counts it that way.
- Offer a slightly higher unit price in exchange for a smaller quantity.
- Propose a trial order with a clear plan to reorder.
- Ask for leftover or remaining units, which sellers often want to clear.
- Offer cleaner terms, such as faster payment or collecting the goods yourself.
Be careful about stretching to meet a minimum just to win the price. Our guide on the MOQ negotiation trap covers how an extra volume commitment can erase the margin it was meant to protect.
How MOQ appears in WTB and WTS offers
On the sell side (WTS), the MOQ is usually written next to quantity and price, for example "500 pcs available, MOQ 50 per model" (illustrative wording). On the buy side (WTB), a buyer states the quantity wanted and often a minimum they accept. The common confusion is whether the minimum applies per model or per order, so state it explicitly. The offer formatter helps lay out quantity, MOQ and price in a consistent way, and our MOQ guide goes deeper. On Aikon, questions and negotiation happen in chat between the two companies, and the agreement is theirs alone.