The first order is the hardest one to get right. Order too narrowly and you learn nothing; order too broadly and you tie up cash in pieces that may not suit your customers.
Minimum order structure beats minimum order size
This is the most important thing to understand before you start comparing suppliers.
There are two ways a supplier can set a minimum:
- Per design — you must take 10 pieces of each design you want.
- Per order, with mixing allowed — you must take 10 pieces in total, and you choose which.
These look similar and behave completely differently. Under a per-design minimum, testing five designs means committing to fifty pieces. Under a per-order minimum with mixing, five designs costs you ten pieces.
> A per-design minimum is not a smaller order. It is a much larger one. Always clarify which structure a supplier uses before comparing minimums.
Ours is 10 pieces per order, with designs and materials mixed freely.
Start with the materials your customers already recognise
For a first order, favour materials with existing recognition:
- Clear quartz — the most widely recognised crystal
- Rose quartz — strong gift and home decor appeal
- Amethyst — high recognition, distinctive colour
- Black obsidian — high contrast, sells in multiples, consistent appearance
- Tiger eye — widely recognised decorative stone
These do not need explaining to a customer. Unusual materials can be excellent margin, but they are a second-order decision once you know what sells.
Build a mixed first order this way
A reasonable shape for a ten-piece test:
| Role | Pieces | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Recognised core materials | 4–5 | Safe, fast-moving, easy to price |
| A mid-range distinctive material | 2–3 | Differentiated look, better margin |
| One statement or higher-value piece | 1–2 | Display anchor, higher ticket |
| One design variant | 1–2 | Tests whether novelty sells for you |
Then price each one to its own retail band rather than applying a single markup across the board. Small entry pieces and large statement pieces do not carry the same margin in practice.
Price the landed cost, not the quote
Before deciding what you can sell something for, work out what it actually costs you landed:
`` Landed cost per piece = (unit price × quantity + freight + duties + fees) ÷ quantity ``
Freight is the number buyers underestimate. Carved stone ships on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is greater, so ask for carton dimensions and packed weight and calculate it yourself. A quote that looks 15% cheaper can be more expensive landed.
Agree these before you order
- Exact finished weight and L × W × H for the pieces in your order
- Material, stated as a mineral name, and whether any treatment has been applied
- Carton dimensions and packed weight
- Incoterm — EXW, FOB or DDP
- Lead time for your order, not a generic figure
- Packing specification
- Damage remedy and claim window
- Sampling policy
- Payment terms
What to do after the first order arrives
- Weigh and measure a sample against the specification you were given.
- Note which pieces sell and which sit. This tells you what your second order should be, and it is the single most valuable data you will get all year.
- Keep the supplier's specification sheet for each lot, so you can answer material questions from customers accurately.
- Reorder the winners before you run out, not after.
A note on going too cheap
It is tempting to fill a first order with the lowest-cost pieces to reduce risk. That usually produces a shelf of similar-looking small items that does not read as a collection, and it gives you no information about whether higher-ticket pieces would sell for you.
A mixed order costs marginally more and teaches you considerably more.
How we quote first orders
Tell us your target retail price range and what your customers actually buy, and we will suggest a first mixed order that fits — rather than pushing our most expensive pieces. If you are unsure what to stock, that conversation is worth having.
Minimum order is 10 pieces per order, with designs and materials mixed freely. Request a quote or browse the collection.