How to Set Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ ) in Shopify Without Shopify Plus

Setting a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is a powerful strategy for businesses looking to increase average order value (AOV) and streamline operations, especially when dealing with bulk or wholesale orders. By establishing a minimum quantity requirement, you can encourage customers to purchase more products per transaction, ultimately boosting your revenue.

While Shopify Plus offers advanced features for setting MOQs, this guide is specifically designed for businesses that are not using Shopify Plus. We’ll explore effective methods and tools to implement MOQs without the need for a premium plan.

In the following sections, we will discuss two primary approaches:

Cart-Liquid Edits: Learn how to customize Shopify’s Liquid code to create simple MOQ rules.
Third-Party Apps: Discover popular apps that offer user-friendly interfaces for setting and managing MOQs.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have the knowledge and resources to implement MOQs in your Shopify store and optimize your sales strategy.

💡You may be concerned: Top 9 Best Shopify Wholesale Store Examples and What You Can Learn from Them

2 Methods to Set a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) in Shopify (Without Shopify Plus)

Setting a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) can seem challenging without Shopify Plus, but there are two effective ways to achieve this: by modifying Shopify’s Liquid code or by using third-party apps. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can implement both methods.

Set MOQs by editing Cart-Liquid Pricing Logic Rules

Shopify’s Liquid code is the backbone of your store’s design and functionality. By making simple edits to your store’s cart template, you can enforce MOQ rules directly in the checkout process, even if you’re not on Shopify Plus.

How It Works:

With Liquid code, you can add custom logic to your cart page. This logic checks the total quantity of items in the cart and prevents customers from proceeding to checkout if they haven’t met the MOQ requirement. For example, if a customer attempts to check out with fewer than 10 items in their cart, a message can appear, informing them of the MOQ.

Steps to Implement:

Go to Online Store > Themes in your Shopify dashboard.
Duplicate your theme for safety, ensuring you have a backup if anything goes wrong.
Under your active theme, click Actions > Edit Code.
Find the cart.liquid/cart.template.liquid file and add a code snippet to validate the cart’s item quantity before checkout.
Customize the message that appears to let customers know they need to add more items to meet the MOQ.

For example, you can display a warning like:
“Please add more items to your cart to meet the minimum order quantity of 100” or “You must order at least 100 products to proceed to checkout.”

💢 Note:

Always duplicate your theme before editing code to ensure you can easily revert back if needed.
It’s essential to have a solid understanding of Liquid coding to avoid errors and maintain your theme’s functionality.

Pros:	Cons:
No need for a third-party app. Full control over how and when the MOQ message appears.	Requires some coding knowledge. Limited to basic MOQ enforcement (no advanced logic without extensive coding).

Utilize Third-Party Apps For No Technical Knowledge Required

If editing code sounds daunting or you need more advanced features, third-party apps offer an easy and flexible way to set up MOQs without coding. These apps let you configure minimum quantities for individual products or across the cart.

Popular Apps for Setting MOQs:

Order Limits ‑ MinMaxify lets you set minimum and maximum product limits on your cart, specific items, or collections. It’s easy to use, doesn’t require coding, and is ideal for managing bulk purchases, wholesale, or promotional restrictions. Pricing starts at $10/month with a free trial.

Avada Order Limits Quantity offers flexible control over order limits for products, collections, or the entire cart. It’s designed to prevent bulk buying and manage inventory efficiently. The app has a free plan, with premium options starting at $9.99/month.

Snap Bundle: An ideal choice for businesses selling in bulk or offering quantity-based deals. Snap Bundle helps you set up bulk discounts and enforce MOQs, making it a great option for stores that handle wholesale or want to encourage larger purchases.

Pros:	Cons:
Easy to set up—no coding required. Offers more flexibility for advanced rules (e.g., specific MOQs for certain products or categories).	May involve a monthly subscription cost. Dependence on external apps for long-term store functionality.

👉 Both methods allow non-Shopify Plus users to effectively manage MOQs. The Liquid code method is great for those who want more control over their store’s backend, while third-party apps provide a user-friendly, no-code solution for those who need more flexibility or prefer not to edit their theme’s code.

Bonus Creative Ways to Set MOQs

In addition to using Liquid code or third-party apps, there are some creative workarounds in Shopify that allow you to set Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) without requiring custom development. These methods involve tweaking your shipping rates and using notification tools to guide customers toward meeting your MOQ. Here are two bonus ways to implement MOQs in your Shopify store:

Using Shipping Rate Conditions:

One effective method for encouraging larger orders is by leveraging Shopify’s shipping settings. You can create conditional shipping rates that only apply when customers meet a minimum quantity threshold. For example, offering free or discounted shipping for orders that meet the MOQ can serve as a strong incentive for customers to add more items to their cart.

How It Works:

In Shopify, you can set shipping rates that activate based on the total number of items in the cart. For instance, you can offer free shipping for customers who purchase 10 or more units of a product, encouraging them to buy in bulk. If customers don’t meet the minimum quantity, standard shipping rates will apply, motivating them to increase their order to qualify for the better shipping deal.

Follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify dashboard.
Select your shipping zone and click Add rate.
Create a new rate, such as “Free Shipping,” however Shopify allows you set rate based on weight of price, so you have to estimate yourself the a proper rate.
Save your changes, and now customers will see this free shipping option if they meet the minimum order quantity.

Examples:

Offer free shipping for orders of 10 or more items, or a flat shipping rate for smaller orders.
“Get free shipping when you buy 10 or more units!”

Pros:	Cons:
Indirectly enforces an MOQ through shipping incentives. Easy to set up with Shopify’s built-in shipping features.	Does not strictly prevent customers from ordering fewer than the MOQ, but it encourages them to meet it for a better deal. Only affects orders based on shipping and not directly in the cart or checkout process.

Using Announcement Bars and Checkout Alerts

Clear communication is key when setting an MOQ, and Shopify offers tools that help you keep your customers informed throughout their shopping journey. Announcement bars and checkout alerts are excellent ways to notify customers about MOQ requirements in real-time.

Using Announcement Bars:

You can place a notification bar at the top of your website to inform customers about the MOQ as soon as they land on your store. Apps like Essential Announcement Bar make it easy to display custom messages about your MOQ, or you can read our guide below to set an announcement bar on Shopify stores.

💡Learn more: 6 Steps to Add an Announcement Bar in Shopify Stores (With & Without Apps)

Using Checkout Alerts:

Another way to enforce MOQs is by using checkout alerts. This ensures that if a customer tries to check out without meeting the MOQ, a pop-up message or error will notify them, giving them a chance to adjust their order. Apps like Ultimate Special Offers can help you set these alerts at checkout.

Steps to Implement: (For for Shopify Basic plans)

Go to Settings: In your Shopify admin, click Settings at the bottom left of your dashboard.
Navigate to Checkout: Inside the settings, select Checkout.
Edit Checkout Language:
- Scroll down to find Manage Checkout Language (or Checkout Language).
- Once inside, you can search for specific text fields to modify.
Add Your Custom Message:
- Use the search functionality (Ctrl + F or Command + F) to find relevant phrases, such as “Minimum Order Quantity Notice…”
- Replace the default text with your custom message.

This method is ideal for adding simple text-based alerts or notices to the checkout page.

Pros:	Cons:
Direct communication about MOQs throughout the shopping experience. Ensures customers are informed before and during checkout.	Announcement bars don’t prevent customers from checking out with fewer than the MOQ, but they help set expectations. Requires app integration for more advanced checkout alerts.

👉 These bonus methods provide non-intrusive ways to enforce or encourage MOQs, helping customers understand the benefits of meeting the minimum order while offering incentives like free shipping. While they may not strictly prevent customers from purchasing less than the MOQ, they are effective for guiding behavior and maximizing order values.

Best Practices for Managing MOQs and Communicating with Customers

Clear communication not only helps reduce friction during the purchasing process but also encourages customers to take advantage of bulk buying opportunities.

Make sure customers know about your MOQ upfront. Display it in:

Product Descriptions: Clearly state the MOQ per item.
Collection Pages & Announcement Bars: Use banners or notification bars to inform customers.
Cart Page: Remind shoppers of the MOQ before they attempt checkout.

Motivate customers to meet the MOQ by offering:

Free Shipping: For orders above the MOQ.
Bulk Discounts: Discounts for higher quantities.
Exclusive Offers: Free gifts or special promotions for larger orders.

💡 Pro tips: Be Transparent and Flexible. Always explain the MOQ’s purpose (e.g., bulk pricing). If customers can’t meet the MOQ, provide alternatives, such as suggesting related products or smaller, pre-bundled packages that still meet the MOQ.

The Bottom Line

Setting MOQs in Shopify, even without Shopify Plus, helps boost Average Order Value (AOV), manage bulk sales, and streamline inventory. You can easily enforce MOQs using simple code tweaks or third-party apps like OrderLogic or MinCart—no coding expertise needed. Offering incentives like free shipping or discounts further encourages larger orders. What method would you prefer for setting MOQs in your store? If you found this guide helpful, please give us a 5-star review. Thank you!

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Sophia

Sophia Dao is a Shopify Conversion Specialist at WizzCommerce, specializing in e-commerce and Shopify solutions. With a passion for digital marketing and a keen eye for detail, Sophia creates engaging content that helps businesses thrive online. When she’s not writing, she enjoys exploring the latest trends in tech and commerce. Follow Sophia for practical e-commerce tips and the latest marketing insights!