MOQ — minimum order quantity — is usually the first number a wholesale buyer asks about, and the answer varies wildly in the wall art industry: from 10 pieces to 500 pieces per design. Here is why that number exists, and how a factory like ours keeps it as low as 10.
Why suppliers set MOQs at all
Every design change requires stopping the printer, calibrating colour profiles and re-running test sheets. Setup time is roughly the same whether you print 10 canvases or 300. If the batch is small, the setup cost per piece becomes significant — that is the whole economics of MOQ.
Three ways factories lower their MOQ
- Digital printing over rotary printing. Modern eco-solvent printers need minutes of setup, not hours, so small batches stay profitable.
- Standard sizes. If you choose popular sizes like 40×60, 50×70 or 60×80 cm, frames and stretcher bars are already in stock and no custom cutting is needed.
- Mixed-carton ordering. Some suppliers let you combine several designs in one carton as long as the total volume fills a carton or a pallet.
What MOQ you should actually start with
For market testing, 10–30 pieces across 3–5 designs is enough to measure demand and photograph products for your store. Once a design proves itself, reorder in 100–300 piece batches to unlock better unit prices — the price drop from 10 to 100 pieces is typically 15–25%.
Hidden costs to ask about
Low MOQ means nothing if the supplier compensates with inflated per-piece prices or handling fees. Always ask for a tiered price list (10 / 50 / 100 / 300 pcs) and confirm there are no extra charges for small batches, mixed designs or custom barcodes.
Our own tiers are published in the product catalogue, and you can request the full PDF price list with your contact details.
