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The Chinese New Year (CNY) of 2020 starts on Saturday, January 25th, 2020, which is earlier than most years, and officially lasts for 7 days. While many of us who work in Asia are painfully aware of the Chinese New Year, and the coming disruption to all production, many importers and Amazon sellers are caught completely off guard.

As if the rush to get your shipments in time for Christmas was not enough, you now have to make sure that your goods are ready well before your supplier closes the shop for CNY 2020. During this holiday, all factories are shut down, without exception.

While the official holiday only lasts for about a week, most factories are closed for an entire month, with disruptions lasting even longer.

This time of the year is especially risky for businesses importing seasonal products, such as outdoor furniture and swimwear.

Article Overview

• How importers can prepare for CNY
• Why and how CNY disrupts manufacturing in China
• How to avoid delays to the CNY
• CNY 2020 timeline and dates
• Lunar holiday disruption in Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Note: The general trend is that the CNY holiday is becoming shorter. Chinese manufacturers understand that this is a major disruption for both them and their customers. Many suppliers are also perfectly aware of competition from other countries in the region and how a month-long supply chain disruption is not exactly a big selling point. My best guess is that factories will limit their closure to around 2 weeks in the coming years.
Continue reading Chinese New Year 2020: How Importers Can Prevent Disaster

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The Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) requirement sets the lowest quantity of a certain product (e.g. 500 pcs) that a supplier is willing to sell. If the importer cannot reach the MOQ requirement, then the supplier is not willing or able to enter production.

In this article, I explain why the MOQ requirement exists, and what you can do to reduce the number of units you need to buy.

What is the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)?

The MOQ requirement is the minimum number of units you need to order from a supplier. It can be set per order, per product, per material or per color. For example, if a supplier sets their MOQ at 500 pcs, then you must purchase at least 500 pcs before they can accept your order.

How do I find out the MOQ of a supplier?

The MOQ is often specified on the suppliers Alibaba page, or website. You can also contact them directly to ask for their MOQ.

Keep in mind that the MOQ is fluid, as it varies depending on a range of factors. In addition, there are also different MOQs to keep track of, not just one.

What is the Minimum Order Value?

A Minimum Order Value is the lowest value of goods a supplier is willing to sell on a per order or product basis. If the Minimum Order Value is set at US$5000, then they will not accept orders below this figure. That said, manufacturers almost exclusively set a minimum quantity rather than a minimum value.

1. Low-profit margins require larger volumes

Most Chinese manufacturers tend to operate on razor-thin profit margins. Often as low as 3 to 4%. Low-profit margins require the supplier to produce a large number of products in order to break even. Continue reading Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) – Why It’s Required by Chinese Suppliers