MOQ, MOV, and case packs answer different buying questions: how many units you must buy, how much the order must total, and which quantity multiples are allowed. Confirm all three, plus what one priced unit contains, before approving a jewelry order.
Ask for current terms on your proposed assortment
For a Rustic Jewel Co order, send a wholesale inquiry with the exact product links and quantities. Ask what minimum quantity, minimum order value, case-pack rules, and mixed-style or mixed-color options apply to that selection. Include your destination and timing so the reply can address the proposed order.
A useful opening question is: “For these styles and variants, please confirm the priced selling unit, quantity minimums and increments, whether colors or styles can be mixed, the order-value minimum if applicable, and which charges count toward it.” Current wholesale terms require confirmation; the retail catalog does not establish them. The numerical example below is fictional and is not a Rustic Jewel Co offer.
Translate every minimum into a separate buying rule
A wholesale order can meet one minimum and still fail another. The practical solution is to treat minimum order quantity, minimum order value, and case packs as separate constraints before choosing a jewelry assortment. First identify what the supplier calls one unit. Then record the required multiple for that line, the minimum units for that product, and the minimum dollar value for the whole order. Only after those four facts are clear should you total the cart.
Terminology varies across suppliers and platforms. Faire's retailer guide to MOQ distinguishes a unit quantity from an order minimum expressed in money, while also noting that MOQ is sometimes used for case size. Copy each rule exactly as the seller presents it, then ask which products, variants, and charges it covers. None of the numerical examples below state Rustic Jewel Co terms; they are a hypothetical exercise for learning the math.
Keep MOQ, MOV, case pack, and selling unit apart
Use four labels in your worksheet:
- Selling unit: what one priced unit contains, such as one pair of earrings, one brooch, or one boxed set. A pair is one selling unit when the listing says it is sold as a pair; it is not automatically two orderable units.
- Case pack: the number of selling units grouped for ordering or packing. If the case pack is four, an order of five usually does not fit the stated multiple. Confirm whether the seller requires full cases.
- Product MOQ: the lowest quantity allowed for a particular product or line. A product MOQ of eight and a case pack of four means eight is the first eligible quantity; twelve may be the next, depending on the supplier's rules.
- MOV or order minimum: the minimum dollar value required across the eligible lines in the order. Faire's wholesale education describes an order minimum in money; another marketplace or direct supplier may use different wording.
These rules answer different questions. The selling unit tells you what you receive. The case pack controls multiples. The product MOQ controls the starting quantity for one line. The MOV controls the combined order value. Do not combine them into a single “minimum” column.
Build a constraint worksheet before editing the cart
Create one row per exact product and variant group. If different colors or closures have different rules, split them into separate rows. This is a buyer worksheet, not a seller's line-sheet replacement; it translates the seller's confirmed information into an order you can test.
| Field | What to record | Buyer check |
|---|---|---|
| Exact line | Product name, supplier code, and named variant | Can another person identify the same option? |
| Selling unit | Piece, pair, set, card, or box | Does the price apply to that entire unit? |
| Unit price | Confirmed price and currency | Is it current for this order? |
| Case pack | Units per case and whether full cases are required | Is planned quantity divisible by the case pack? |
| Product MOQ | Minimum units for this line | Does planned quantity meet or exceed it? |
| Order increment | Allowed step after the minimum | Can you add one unit, or only another case? |
| Planned quantity | Final eligible units by variant | Does the variant split match the confirmation? |
| Line value | Unit price multiplied by planned quantity | Was the correct unit used? |
Keep unknowns visible. Write “unconfirmed” rather than filling a blank from an old invoice, a screenshot, or another supplier's policy. For planning the wider assortment around these constraints, use the boutique statement jewelry assortment guide; for recording stock after a confirmed receipt, use the separate jewelry inventory worksheet.
Work one clearly hypothetical jewelry order
Assume a supplier has confirmed the following fictional rules. Style A costs $6 per pair, has a case pack of four pairs, and has a product MOQ of eight pairs. Style B costs $7.50 per pair, has a case pack of six pairs, and has a product MOQ of six pairs. Style C costs $9 per pair, is sold by the individual pair after a product MOQ of three pairs. The supplier's hypothetical order-level MOV is $180.
The buyer starts with eight pairs of Style A, twelve pairs of Style B, and three pairs of Style C. Each line passes its own rule:
- Style A: 8 pairs × $6 = $48. Eight meets the MOQ and is divisible by the four-pair case pack.
- Style B: 12 pairs × $7.50 = $90. Twelve meets the MOQ and is divisible by the six-pair case pack.
- Style C: 3 pairs × $9 = $27. Three meets the product MOQ.
The subtotal is $165, so the order still misses the $180 MOV by $15. Adding one four-pair case of Style A raises its quantity from eight to twelve and adds $24. The revised order is $189 and contains twenty-seven pairs. It now passes the stated line minimums, case multiples, and order value.
That does not make the order commercially wise. It only proves that the arithmetic fits the fictional constraints. The buyer still has to decide whether the extra four pairs have a credible place in the assortment, whether the color or closure allocation is useful, and whether any shipping, tax, duty, payment, cancellation, or timing term remains unresolved. Do not add units solely to cross a dollar threshold if the added pieces do not serve the planned customer or display.
Audit the variant split, not just the total units
A quantity can look correct while the variant allocation is wrong. Twelve pairs might mean four clear, four green, and four blue—or twelve of one color. If the supplier permits a mixed case, record the exact mix and ask for it in the confirmation. If the supplier requires a solid case, do not create an imagined assortment in your worksheet.
Before ordering a multi-option style, add a variant check beside the quantity check: exact color name, exact closure, exact size if applicable, pairs versus pieces, and whether the seller's product image actually corresponds to the selected option. Browse the current jewelry catalog for product-level language and availability, but request current wholesale terms through the proper inquiry path rather than inferring them from retail listings.
Send a short exception list before approval
Finish the exercise by turning every unresolved cell into a direct question. A useful exception list might read: “Please confirm whether Style A must be ordered in full cases of four; whether Style B's six-pair case may mix the listed colors; whether ‘pair’ is the priced selling unit for all three lines; and whether the $180 minimum is calculated before shipping and tax.” That is more actionable than asking, “What is your MOQ?”
Then ask the supplier to confirm the final line list, variants, quantities, selling units, line prices, currency, case rules, product minimums, order minimum, and any applicable timing or payment terms in one record. Keep that confirmation with the purchase order. When you are ready to discuss a current Rustic Jewel Co buying direction, send your proposed assortment and unit questions with the category, quantity range, customer profile, destination, and timing. Confirm the applicable terms and availability before placing the order.