Aug 4, 2026Buying Guides
low MOQ? A First-Time Buyer's Guide
You're a startup founder. You want branded gifts for your first 100 customers. You find a supplier. They say: "Minimum order: 5,000 pieces." Your heart sinks.
Why Do Suppliers Set Minimum Order Quantities?
To be honest, we didn't fully understand it either until we started making products ourselves.
Think about baking custom cookies. You need to:
- Buy flour, sugar, butter (raw materials)
- Preheat the oven (machine setup)
- Test the first cookie to see if the shape is right (sampling)
- Whether you bake one tray or ten, the preparation time is almost the same
Factories are no different. Whether it's 100 pieces or 5,000, these steps are always required:
- Machine calibration (takes time every single batch)
- Color mixing (to match your specific Pantone color)
- First article inspection (the first product must be tested)
- Quality control testing (every batch must be checked)
These setup tasks cost time and money. If the order is too small, the setup cost gets spread over fewer units – making each unit either too expensive for you, or unprofitable for the factory.
Cheap Has a Cost
You might think: "Then I'll find a supplier with no MOQ."
We have seen customers do exactly that. They paid a lower unit price and ordered fewer items. What happened?
- Printing was blurry, making the brand look cheap
- Products broke after two days – customers thought the brand made poor quality products
- Delivery was late – they missed their event
- When problems came up, the supplier stopped responding
Eventually, they came back to us. In the end, they saved $200 but lost $2,000 worth of business opportunities.
What We Do Differently
We set our MOQ at 100 pieces – not because we're "generous", but because it's the right balance between quality and accessibility.
- Below 100 pieces, the per-unit cost becomes too high to be competitive
- Above 100 pieces, many small brands get locked out
100 pieces is enough to test a new product idea. And it's enough to make the factory take your order seriously.
You Can Mix Products
One thing many people don't know: you can combine different products in one order.
- 30 tumblers + 30 tote bags + 40 notebooks = 100 pieces total
- Three colors, three logos – all in one order
That way, you don't have to order 100 of the exact same thing just to hit the minimum.
Be Honest: You Don't Need 5,000 Pieces
If you're an established brand with millions in revenue, 5,000 pieces makes sense. You already have data. You know what works.
But if you're just starting out, or testing a new category – order 100 pieces first.
- Give them to your most important customers
- See how they react
- If they love them, scale up
- If they don't, you only lost a small amount
Not Sure Yet? See It First.
We do free mockups. Send us your logo. Within 2 hours, you'll see exactly what it looks like on a tumbler, tote bag, or notebook.
No cost. No commitment.
