Glossary: Order rules
Maximum order quantity
A maximum order quantity is the largest number of units a buyer may order of a product in one order. Sellers set it to protect limited stock, share supply fairly across buyers or stay within limits set by suppliers and carriers.
In detail
A minimum order quantity stops orders that are too small, and a maximum stops orders that are too large. Used together they define the range a buyer can order, for example at least 12 and at most 120 units.
Sellers set a maximum for several reasons. Stock may be limited, so each account gets a fair share. A popular item may need a cap per account so one buyer does not clear the shelf. A cap also stops resellers buying out a product to sell it elsewhere, and it catches typing mistakes, such as 1,000 entered instead of 10.
Decide what the cap counts. It can apply to one variant, to a whole product or to the full order, and it can count units or money (a maximum order value). Different buyer groups may need different caps: a distributor can have a higher limit than a small shop. A cap per month or per season is harder to run, because it needs a running total across orders.
Tell buyers about the limit before they hit it. Show it on the product page, and make the error message say what the limit is and how to ask for more. A maximum is not a promise of stock, so keep inventory counts accurate as well.
Example
A brand allocates 200 units of a limited-edition set to its trade accounts. It sets a maximum of 12 units per order, a minimum of 6 and an increment of 6, so each buyer can order 6 or 12.
On Shopify
Shopify's native B2B quantity rules let you set a maximum as well as a minimum and an increment: maximum quantity rules define the greatest number of a product that can be purchased at one time. Quantity rules are listed on all plans.
Sources: Shopify Help Center: Quantity rules and volume pricing (read October 4, 2026); Shopify Help Center: Shopify B2B features by plan (read October 4, 2026).
In BSS B2B apps
BSS B2B Solution's Order Limits set a minimum or maximum order quantity or amount for the customers, products and markets you target. The rule is checked in the storefront cart and Buy it now button, not in Shopify's checkout, so a buyer who opens the checkout link directly can skip it. Treat it as a guide for buyers, not a hard block. Order Limits is on paid plans, see the pricing page.
Learn more
Read the Order rules and terms hub for guides, use cases and setup docs, or the complete Shopify B2B guide.