Once the calendar flips into mid-November, the holiday season stops being something clients are “planning for” and suddenly becomes something they need handled now. This is the point in the year when distributors start getting panicked emails and last-minute requests. Sentences begin with, “Hey, is there any chance we can still…?” Traditionally, this is when the answer becomes no. It’s not because there’s no demand. Instead, it’s because there’s no inventory, no time, and no realistic way to turn an order around fast enough.
That’s where MOQ1 changes everything.
With MOQ1, nothing has to be ordered in bulk, pre-stocked, or pre-planned. Every product is made only after it’s purchased. This means you’re not tied to minimums and warehouse space. No cut-off dates or guessing what sizes people might need. Therefore, you can still launch a fully branded holiday shop in seconds. Let buyers choose what they want, and have everything produced and shipped within days, even into December.
And that’s exactly what unlocks what we call The 13th Month, the bonus revenue window at the end of the year that most distributors miss. This happens simply because they’re limited by traditional fulfillment. When everyone else is shutting down and saying “we’ve passed our deadline,” or trying to push their clients into whatever leftover inventory still exists, you’re still able to say yes. Yes to late corporate gifting programs. Yes to employee appreciation shops, fundraiser stores, and spiritwear. Yes to the people who thought they were already too late.
So if you’re reading this in mid-November or even early December, don’t assume the opportunity has already passed. It hasn’t, unless you’re relying on a model built for a world where everything had to be ordered months in advance. The truth is, the most profitable part of the season is still ahead. Distributors who stay open when everyone else shuts down are the ones who build the strongest relationships. They also achieve the longest-lasting revenue.
The clock is ticking. But if you’re using print on demand, it hasn’t run out.
