Buying from 1688: Samples, Minimum Orders and Quotes

MOQ has a scope

WorldFirst’s 1688-related guidance notes that some offers permit quantities as low as one or two items. That is a possibility, not a universal entitlement or proof that any particular listing accepts samples. Source: WorldFirst supplier-payment guide.

Ask whether the minimum applies to the whole order, one design, each colour or every size. “Twenty pieces minimum” is incomplete if you need four sizes in three colours. Ask for your proposed combination to be accepted explicitly. Keep that written mix with the quote rather than relying on an informal “yes, wholesale.”

Use the sample to answer a defined question

Decide what the sample is meant to establish: fit, appearance, construction or suitability for a particular use. Order the version and specification you intend to repeat. If the sample uses different fabric or hardware, record that limitation before using it to approve a batch.

Ask whether a sample fee can be credited later and under what conditions, but budget on the basis of the answer you receive. A sample approval should identify the sample reference, acceptable differences and which details must remain unchanged. It is not a promise that every future item will be identical.

Quotation worksheet

Copy these fields into your enquiry. “Not yet confirmed” is a useful answer when it prevents an assumption.

• Item or internal reference: [ ]; requested material and construction: [ ].
• Sample quantity and specification: [ ]; sample price and currency: [ ].
• Bulk quantity: [ ]; colour/size breakdown: [ ]; MOQ scope: [ ].
• Unit price for each requested quantity: [ ]; charges excluded: [ ].
• Domestic delivery destination and charge: [ ]; packing per item and per carton: [ ].
• Dispatch or production lead time, its start event and any conditions: [ ].
• Quotation expiry: [ ]; permitted substitutions: [ ]; process for discrepancies: [ ].

When a tier price is a useful saving

Compare the same version at the same specification. A quote for more units but thinner material is a different offer, not a volume discount on the original item. Ask the supplier to confirm which quantities qualify, whether different sizes count together, and whether the quoted price includes the packing you need.

Try a two-quantity comparison: the amount you can reasonably use first, and the next price break. Calculate the extra cash needed to reach that break. A lower unit price does not compensate for buying colours or sizes that you have no use for. The cost-per-usable-item example shows this calculation without assuming a sales forecast.

Keep the agreed version intact

Before approving the larger request, compare it with the sample record line by line. A changed closure, lining, measurement tolerance or dispatch condition deserves a separate answer. Do not let a new price message silently replace the specification.

Use our 1688 research hub to organise the questions, then add published catalogue items to a site quote. State whether you want a sample or a bulk enquiry and include the proposed size mix. The response still needs to establish availability, scope and the actual payable amount.

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