1688 MOQ Explained: Samples, Mixed Orders and Small Batches
MOQ means minimum order quantity. Before treating a 1688 listing’s minimum as your buying requirement, confirm what it applies to: one product, each colour or size, an assortment, or a custom production run. A quantity you can enter in a cart is not a substitute for written agreement on the exact items and price.
Ask what the minimum counts
Send the supplier the product link and a list of variants. Ask it to confirm which minimum applies to your proposed order. Keep the response with the quotation, especially if it differs from the listing.
| Term to clarify | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Product minimum | Does this quantity apply to this product across all variants? |
| Variant minimum | Must each colour, size or specification reach its own minimum? |
| Mixed order / 混批 | Which products can be combined, and is the threshold units or order value? |
| Sample | Can I buy a sample separately, at what price and with what delivery charge? |
| Custom version | Do the logo, packaging or material change the minimum and setup charges? |
Test your assortment against the actual rule
Suppose you want 24 unbranded pouches: eight black, eight blue and eight green. This is an illustrative request, not a supplier offer. If the agreed minimum is 20 units of that product with colours combined, your request meets that quantity condition. If the minimum is 20 per colour, it does not. If the supplier uses a minimum order value instead, the unit count alone cannot answer the question.
Also ask whether every requested colour is available and whether the quoted price applies to this assortment. Meeting a quantity threshold does not confirm stock, dispatch timing or the final amount payable.
Compare three ways to test a product
Request separate quotes for a sample, your desired mixed batch and the standard minimum order. Compare the total outlay and the purpose of each option. A sample may help you examine the specification, while a small batch can support a limited selling test. Neither establishes that a later production batch will be identical without an agreed reference and checks.
For each option, record product cost, sample or setup charges, domestic freight and any agent handling charge. Keep onward shipping as an estimate until the packing basis is confirmed. Buying extra units to obtain a lower unit price also ties up money in stock you did not originally need.
Copy this mixed-order enquiry
Hello, for [product link], we need [variant and quantity list]. Can these variants be combined to meet the minimum? Please state the minimum per variant and per order, unit prices for this exact mix, available stock, dispatch timing and domestic delivery charge to [warehouse]. If this mix is unavailable, please quote a sample and the smallest available batch separately. Do not substitute variants without our approval.
您好，关于[商品链接]，我们需要[各款式、颜色、尺码及数量]。这些规格可以混批吗？请确认每个规格及整单的起订要求、上述组合的单价、库存、发货时间，以及发到[仓库地址]的国内运费。如果不能按此组合下单，请分别报价样品和最小可订批量。未经确认，请不要替换规格。
Turn the answer into an order record
Save the final variant list with quantities, prices and the supplier’s confirmation. Resolve phrases such as “similar colour” or “available substitute” before payment. If you are using an agent, have it confirm that the order it places matches this record.
Use quotation template to collect the full offer, then sample and inspection checklist to define what you will check. For an agent-assisted small order, compare the extra charges using the agent-fee breakdown.
Common questions
Can I always buy one piece?
No universal one-piece option is assumed here. Ask whether a separate sample order is available and what it includes.
Does mixed batch mean everything in the shop qualifies?
Do not infer that from the term alone. Ask the supplier to identify eligible products and any variant or order-value conditions.
Will the sample fee be refunded?
Only budget for a credit once its amount, qualifying order and method have been agreed in writing.
Sources and scope
This guide was prepared on 20 September 2026 using community material reviewed on 19 September 2026. The discussions identify buyer questions; they do not establish platform rules or verify suppliers. Examples and message templates below are editorial tools, not recorded transactions.
- Community discussion of mixed-batch orders
- Buyer question about ordering one item from a larger minimum
Our editorial and source standards
Check separate minimums for branded products
If you plan to add a logo or custom box, ask whether the branding process and packaging have different quantity requirements from the base product. Use the detailed enquiry checklist.