Quantity limits

Maximum Order Quantity Rules

A maximum quantity rule caps how many units of a product one order can contain. Use it for limited drops, low stock and anti-bulk-buying policies.

Prime MOQ Team

Updated August 2, 2026 · 2 min read

Short answer

A maximum quantity rule blocks checkout when the cart holds more than a set number of units of the products it covers. Set Limit type to Quantity and fill in Maximum quantity, leaving Minimum quantity blank. It caps a single order only. To cap a customer across several orders, add a repurchase period.

A maximum is a per-order cap. The same customer can place two orders unless you add a repurchase limit.
Pair it with a schedule for limited drops so the cap removes itself when the drop ends.
Scope it tightly. A store-wide maximum will also block large legitimate wholesale orders.
The quick-start tile creates the same rule pre-filled with a maximum of 2.

What it does

A maximum quantity rule blocks checkout if a cart holds more than a set number of units of the products the rule covers. It is the mirror image of a minimum, used to cap how much any single order can contain.

Goal	Example
Protect limited stock from bulk buyers	Cap a limited-edition drop at 2 per order
Stop scalping and resale abuse	Limit a hot item so it cannot be bought out in one order
Enforce a per-household style cap	Maximum 4 units of a promotional item

To cap how much a customer can buy across multiple separate orders, pair this with a repurchase limit.

Create the rule

Start from the quick-start tile, or from scratch. The Maximum quantity tile on the Dashboard or Rules page opens a rule pre-filled with a cap of 2. Otherwise go to Rules > Create rule and set Limit type to Quantity.

Set the maximum. Enter your cap in Maximum quantity and leave Minimum quantity blank.

Choose applied products. Scope the rule to the specific product or collection you need to protect. A store-wide maximum is unusual unless you are running a general anti-bulk-buying policy.

Schedule it, if it is drop-specific. If the cap only applies during a limited drop, set a start and end date in Schedule so it turns itself off afterwards.

Save. The rule enforces immediately.

Verify it works

Cart	Expected result
2 units, at the maximum	Allowed
3 units	Blocked, limit message shown

Increase the quantity stepper in the Preview card past your maximum and confirm the message text. Then add more than the maximum to a live cart and confirm checkout is genuinely blocked, not just warned about.

Common mistakes

A maximum does not stop a customer placing two separate orders. A per-order maximum only checks a single cart. Add a repurchase limit for a cross-order cap.
Applied to the wrong products. A store-wide maximum affects every order, including large legitimate wholesale ones, unless you also narrow customer eligibility to exclude your wholesale tags.
Forgotten after the drop. Set an end date so you do not have to remember to remove the cap by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Does a maximum quantity rule stop the same customer ordering twice?

No. It checks one cart at a time, so a determined buyer can place a second order immediately. Add a repurchase period to the same rule to cap the customer's total across a rolling day, week or 30 days.

Can I set a different maximum for wholesale and retail customers?

Not on the same products with two rules, because only one rule governs a product at a time. Use Customer eligibility on a single rule to scope the cap to the group it should apply to, and leave the other group unrestricted.

Does the cap apply per variant or per product?

It follows the How to count setting. With Each item separately and Count each variant separately on, each variant gets its own cap of 2. Turn that checkbox off and the variants of a product are summed before the cap is checked.

Will a maximum block my own test orders?

Yes, if your test account matches the rule's customer eligibility and the cart exceeds the cap. That is the intended behaviour and is the fastest way to confirm the rule is live.

Can I cap the cart value instead of the unit count?

Yes. Use the Value limit type with a Maximum total value instead, which caps the money total of the matching cart lines rather than the unit count.

Best for: Limited drops, high-demand and low-stock items, and any store fighting reseller bulk buying.

Applies to: Quantity limit type

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