MOQ (minimum order quantity)
The smallest batch a supplier will make or sell, sometimes per product, color, size, or carton rather than across your whole order.
See it
What it is
MOQ means minimum order quantity: the smallest batch a supplier will produce or sell in one order. A factory might quote 500 units per color, not 500 units spread across the whole range. The minimum usually exists because setup, tooling, material purchasing, and packing have fixed costs that make tiny runs uneconomic.
Use it when comparing suppliers and planning a first production run. Alibaba listings often show an MOQ up front, but the unit, variant split, and price break still need to be confirmed in the quote. A lower MOQ reduces cash and inventory risk, while a larger run may lower unit cost.
Gotcha: the headline MOQ can hide several minimums. There may be one per style, another per color, and a carton multiple for shipping. Ask what can be mixed inside the batch, whether samples count, and what changes at each price tier before treating the number as your order size.
Ask AI for it
Build an Alibaba-style supplier quote and purchase-order form with MOQ rules. Let each supplier offer define a minimum total quantity, optional minimums per color or size, a carton multiple, and quantity price tiers. Use the HTML input min and step attributes for the simple case, but validate every rule again on the server. As quantities change, show which minimum is unmet, the next valid order quantity, units by variant, cartons, unit price, and total commitment. Block purchase-order creation until all minimums and multiples pass, and include a 'round up to next valid quantity' action that never changes the shopper's variant mix silently.