Glossary: Order rules
MOQ
Minimum order quantity (MOQ) is the smallest number of units a seller will accept for an order or for one product. Sellers set it to cover handling and production costs, and buyers must meet it before they can check out.
In detail
An MOQ protects the seller's margin. Every order costs money to pick, pack, invoice and ship, and a very small order can lose money even at a healthy unit margin. Manufacturers also set MOQs because a production run has a fixed setup cost, so a minimum keeps the cost per unit sensible.
MOQ is counted in units. It can apply per product, per variant, per order across all products, or per case. A minimum order value (MOV) is the money version of the same rule, such as $250 per order. Many sellers use both: an MOQ of 12 units per product and an MOV of $250 per order.
To choose an MOQ, work out the cost of handling one order, divide it by your margin per unit, and round up to a pack size buyers understand. If an order costs you $15 to process and you earn $0.80 per unit, you break even at about 19 units, so an MOQ of 24 leaves a buffer and matches a case pack of 12.
Keep the rule easy to see. State the MOQ on the product page and in the cart, explain it in one sentence, and think about exceptions such as a smaller sample order for a first-time buyer. Rules that apply to every product the same way are easy to explain, and rules that differ by customer group need clear labels so buyers know why their minimum differs.
Example
A supplier sets an MOQ of 24 units per product. An order of 20 units is not accepted, and a buyer who adds four more units can check out.
On Shopify
Shopify's native B2B has quantity rules: a minimum, a maximum and an increment for a product or variant. Rules apply to each variant on its own, not to variants combined, and you set them in the Catalogs section. For example, an increment of 10 means buyers must buy 10, 20, 30 and so on. Quantity rules and quantity price breaks 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 and products 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.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MOQ and MOV?
MOQ counts units, for example at least 24 units. MOV counts money, for example at least $250 per order. Sellers often use both so that small orders of cheap items and small orders of one expensive item are both covered.
Does Shopify support a minimum order quantity natively?
Yes. Shopify's B2B quantity rules let you set a minimum, a maximum and an increment per product or variant, on all plans. Each rule applies to a variant by itself (Shopify Help Center, read 2026-10-04).
What MOQ should I set?
Start from your cost to process one order and your margin per unit, then round up to a pack size. If an order costs $15 to handle and you earn $0.80 a unit, you break even near 19 units, so 24 is a sensible minimum.