How to Order Wholesale Jewellery in India: MOQ & Terms

Ordering wholesale jewellery runs on a few fixed terms: a minimum order per design or per bill, tiered pricing that drops as quantity rises, advance payment for new buyers, and a lead time of a few days for ready stock or one to three weeks for made-to-order. You send your shop type and the categories you want, the supplier shares a curated selection with rates, you confirm quantities and pay, and the goods are dispatched by courier. This guide covers each of those terms the way we handle them at Saloni Fashion Jewellery, a manufacturer in Santacruz West, Mumbai.

What is the minimum order for wholesale jewellery?

Most wholesalers set a minimum order quantity, or MOQ. It usually works per design. You buy a design by the dozen or the half-dozen, not as single pieces. Some suppliers set a total order value instead, so your bill has to cross a set amount before they will ship. For chains sold by weight, the minimum is set in grams or kilos. Ask which of these applies before you plan your buy, because it changes how you spread your budget across designs.

The MOQ protects the supplier. Picking, checking and packing a small order takes the same time as a large one, and the margin on fashion jewellery is thin.

At SFJ we keep the first step simple. Message us with your shop type and the categories you want, and we send a curated selection with rates instead of a 900-item file. You can test a design in a small quantity first, then come back for depth once you see how it sells. For what to stock in a first order, see our guide on where to buy wholesale fashion jewellery in Mumbai.

Do wholesale jewellery suppliers send free samples?

Free samples are rare in fashion jewellery. The value of a single piece is low, and the cost of picking and couriering it is not, so most suppliers do not send stock for free. Be wary of anyone who offers a box of free samples with no conditions.

What you get instead is a sample order. You buy a few designs in small quantity at the normal wholesale rate, with the courier usually paid by you. You judge the plating, weight, stone setting and finish in hand, then place a larger order for the designs that work. Treat the sample order as the trial, not as a giveaway.

How is wholesale jewellery priced?

Wholesale pricing is tiered by quantity. The more units of a design you take, the lower the per-piece rate. Rates are quoted per design or per category, not as one flat list, because a plain stud and a bridal set do not sit at the same price.

Prices move with input cost. Brass, plating material and stones all shift with the market, so a rate you saw six months ago may not hold today. Ask for current rates each season, and again before a large order.

GST applies on top. Imitation jewellery sits under HSN 7117, and 3% is the commonly cited rate, though you should verify the current figure before you invoice. Your own retail markup is your call. For how margins work in a fashion jewellery shop, see our guide on how to start a fashion jewellery retail business in India.

How long does a wholesale jewellery order take?

Ready stock ships in a few days. If the designs you pick are in inventory, most suppliers dispatch within two to four working days of payment.

Made-to-order work takes longer. Bulk quantities, custom colour runs and designs made fresh usually need one to three weeks. Wedding season and the run-up to Diwali stretch this further, because the whole market is producing at once. If you need stock for a season, place the order three to four weeks ahead and confirm the dispatch date in writing before you pay. For which categories to stock in which season, see our fashion jewellery buying calendar.

How do wholesale jewellery payments work?

New buyers pay in advance. It is either full payment before dispatch or a part advance with the balance before the goods leave, and this is standard across the trade. UPI and bank transfer are the usual methods. Some suppliers take card. Keep the payment reference until the order arrives. Before paying a supplier you have not used before, run through how to avoid wholesale jewellery scams.

Credit terms come later. Once you have ordered a few times and paid on schedule, a supplier may start giving you 15 or 30 days. Advance is not distrust. Margins are small, and a wholesale order is picked and packed for you specifically, so it cannot simply go back on the shelf if it is not collected.

Who pays for shipping, and how is it packed?

The buyer usually pays freight. Goods move by courier or by transport company within India, and the charge is either added to your bill or paid on delivery. For a heavy consignment, a transport company works out cheaper than a courier. Each piece is packed in its own poly bag, then bubble-wrapped and boxed so nothing rubs or tangles in transit. For a full packing method for orders you ship on to your own customers, see how to pack fashion jewellery for shipping and storage.

International orders are possible but cost more. Freight is higher, transit is longer, and customs duty and clearance at the destination are the buyer's responsibility. Ask for a landed estimate before you commit.

Can I return wholesale jewellery?

Change-of-mind returns are not the norm. Fashion jewellery is bought to resell, and a supplier cannot take back stock that has been handled, so a design that simply did not sell for you is your risk to carry.

Manufacturing defects are different. Loose stones, a plating fault or a clasp broken on arrival should be replaced or credited. Check the parcel within a day or two of delivery and report faults with photos. Before you place a first order, ask the supplier for the defect policy in writing, so both sides know what is covered. Our guide on how to check imitation jewellery quality covers what to inspect on arrival.

How do I place a first wholesale order with Saloni Fashion Jewellery?

The steps are short:

• Message us on WhatsApp at +91 98705 89560 with your shop type and the categories you want.
• We send a curated set of designs with rates.
• You confirm the designs and quantities.
• You pay the advance.
• We dispatch and share the tracking details.

If you would rather see the range in person, our showroom is in Santacruz West, Mumbai, and visits are welcome with a little notice. You can also read our wholesale page for current terms and our FAQ for common questions before you write.

Common questions about ordering wholesale jewellery

How do I read a wholesale rate list?

A rate list is usually a table with a design code, the minimum quantity for that design, and a per-piece or per-dozen rate that steps down as the quantity rises. Two things are commonly left off the printed rate and added later: GST, and freight or packing. So the number on the list is not the landed cost. Ask the supplier to confirm whether the rate is before or after GST, and whether packing is charged separately, before you build a budget from it. Our guide on pricing fashion jewellery for resale shows how to work landed cost back into a shelf price.

What is a reorder, and can a supplier always repeat a design?

A reorder is simply buying more of a design you have already sold. If it is a running design held in ready stock, a supplier can repeat it in a few days. If it was made to order, expect the same one to three weeks as the first time. What catches retailers out is discontinuation: when a mould wears out or a stone lot runs dry, a design can be dropped, and a piece that sold well for you may not come back. If a design is moving, order depth on it early, or ask the supplier whether it is a permanent line.

Can I mix designs or categories to reach the minimum order?

It depends on how the minimum is set. If the MOQ is per design, you cannot combine three pieces each of four designs to make up a dozen; each design has to meet its own minimum. If the supplier works on a total order value instead, then any mix of designs and categories that crosses the bill amount is fine. Confirm which rule applies at the start, because it decides whether you buy a few designs deep or many designs shallow.

What happens if part of my order is out of stock when I confirm?

A supplier will usually offer one of three things: a close substitute design, a partial dispatch now with the missing pieces to follow, or dropping that line and adjusting the bill. Agree which one you want before you pay, not after. A supplier worth staying with tells you about a shortfall at the confirmation stage; being told after payment that half the order is on hold is a sign to be more careful next time.

How do I track a wholesale order once it ships, and what if it is damaged in transit?

When the parcel leaves, the supplier shares a courier docket or AWB number that you track on the courier's site; transit within India is usually two to seven days depending on distance. Open the parcel the day it arrives. If the outer box is crushed or wet, photograph it before opening and raise the claim with the courier, since transit damage is theirs. A manufacturing fault found inside a sound box, such as a loose stone or a broken clasp, goes back to the supplier instead, with photos, within a day or two.

Is ordering from a manufacturer different from ordering from a wholesaler?

Yes, in two ways that matter when you order. A manufacturer runs its own production, so it controls made-to-order lead times and can take on custom colour runs or private-label work. A wholesaler buys finished stock from several manufacturers and resells it, so it often has more ready-stock breadth on the shelf and faster dispatch, but cannot do custom work and carries one more margin layer in the price. For a first order of standard designs either works; for custom or for the keenest price on volume, order closer to the source.

How do I keep a good relationship with a wholesale supplier for repeat orders?

Pay on the terms you agreed, every time. Tell the supplier what sold and what did not, since that feedback shapes what they show you next. Order in a steady rhythm through the year rather than one large annual buy, which keeps you in the supplier's regular run. Raise a genuine defect calmly, with photos, as a fix to sort out rather than an accusation. And do not ask for a full catalogue or a big sample selection and then go silent; suppliers remember both the buyers who follow through and the ones who do not.

What documents do I need to order wholesale as a retailer?

A registered business has a GSTIN, and many wholesalers ask for it, or for a shop photo or a visiting card, to confirm you are a trade buyer and not a retail customer looking for wholesale rates. This is normal screening, not a red flag. Keep the tax invoice from each order for your own records. If you are still setting the business up, our guide on how to start a fashion jewellery retail business in India covers what registration involves.

Can I place the whole order remotely over WhatsApp and phone, without visiting Mumbai?

Yes, and most first orders now run entirely this way. You send your shop type and the categories you want, the supplier sends back a curated set of designs with rates, you confirm the designs and quantities on chat or a call, you pay by bank transfer or UPI, and the goods are couriered to you with a tracking number. A showroom visit is worth doing once you are buying regularly and want to see a full range in hand, but it is not needed to start. Before paying a supplier you have not used, run through how to avoid wholesale jewellery scams.

Do wholesale rates change if I pay by card or ask for credit?

Often, yes, by a little. Cash, UPI and bank transfer are usually at the quoted rate. Card payments can carry a small surcharge to cover the transaction fee the supplier is charged. And when a supplier eventually offers you credit of 15 or 30 days, the rate on a credit bill is sometimes set slightly above the prepaid rate, because the supplier is now carrying the risk and the working capital. Ask how each method is priced so you can compare the real cost, not just the headline rate.

We treat every order the same way, whether it is one piece or one thousand. The terms above are how the trade works across Mumbai, not only at SFJ, and it is better to know them before you order than after. When you are ready, message us on WhatsApp at +91 98705 89560.

Before you sign for a delivery, our guide on how to check a wholesale jewellery parcel on delivery walks through a simple checklist for retailers.

Related reading: Plan a Wholesale Jewellery Shopping Trip to a Mumbai Showroom and Wholesale vs Retail Jewellery Buying: What Changes for a Shop.