Direct answer
Before a mixed handset order ships, confirm the commercial document set, how units are packed and labeled, how IMEI lists are shared, and who pays if an inspection fails at origin or destination.
Key takeaways
- Mixed lots need a packing list that matches the invoice line by line.
- IMEI lists belong in a file, not in a chat screenshot.
- Inspection cost and fail rules should be written before the crate is taped.
A mixed export lot fails in paperwork more often than in the phones. The phones can be fine and the crate still stops.
Documents
Ask for a commercial invoice, a packing list that matches it, and any origin papers your destination actually uses. Do not invent a document set from another corridor. If you do not know the corridor yet, say so and get local advice before you book freight.
Packing
Phones move as counted inner boxes inside a sealed carton. Foam and silica are cheap compared with a cracked lot. Label the carton with the packing-list reference, not with a shop slogan.
IMEI
A spreadsheet with one IMEI per row is the minimum. Chat photos of IMEI screens are not a list. If a unit is missing at destination, you need the file you both already accepted. The GSMA IMEI programme describes IMEI as the unique identity for a mobile device — that is why the list has to match the units, not a screenshot of one phone.
Failures
Write two numbers: who pays a failed power-on unit, and who pays a failed inspection. If those numbers are missing, the cheaper quote is not cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip an IMEI list on a small mixed lot?
You can, but you then have no record if a unit is blocked or missing at the other end. Ask for the list even on twenty pieces.
Who should take origin photos?
The party that seals the crate. Date-stamped photos of the packed cartons belong with the shipping message.
Sources
- IMEI database and device identity — GSMA Accessed August 24, 2026.