MOQ is the smallest run a factory will make at a given price. It exists because setting up a line, cutting wire, preparing logo plates and printing packaging all cost the same whether you order 300 units or 3,000.
There is usually more than one minimum
- The base product minimum, set by the production line.
- The branding minimum, for example a laser etched logo or a custom colour.
- The packaging minimum, which for printed boxes is often the highest of the three.
Factory listings often quote a reference MOQ in the hundreds for wire products like baskets and grids. Treat any published figure as a starting point. The real number depends on your branding and packaging choices, and it is confirmed in the quote.
Ways to start smaller
- Brand the tag or sleeve rather than the box.
- Use a stock box with a branded sticker for the first run.
- Choose a product the factory already makes in volume.
- Join a pooled order, where several retailers share one production run of the same base product.
Questions worth asking
- Is the MOQ per product, per colour or per packaging design?
- What does the unit price do at double the quantity?
- Can a first order be split across two products?