The minimum unit quantity a supplier requires per order — typically 500-1,000 units for most Alibaba-sourced products. MOQ sets a hard floor on the smallest order size a seller can place, which in turn sets the minimum inventory/cash commitment for a launch.
Feeds directly into a Supplier-Quote Comparison Spreadsheet as one of the core comparison fields, and interacts with FBA Launch Budget Allocation (Percentage Split) since a high MOQ can consume most of a limited launch budget on inventory alone, leaving little for advertising (see New-Launch Ad Budget Formula (CPC ÷ CVR × Target Sales)) or contingency.
Apply: factor a supplier's MOQ into launch budget and inventory planning before selecting them, since it sets the smallest order — and smallest cash outlay — you can place.
When comparing candidate suppliers, MOQ should never be requested in isolation — ask every supplier for MOQ, available customization options (color, packaging, logo placement, etc.), and lead time in the same message as the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) price quote, so all quotes are answered on equal terms and directly comparable. See also Supplier-Quote Comparison Spreadsheet.