How to Verify a Wholesale Phone Supplier With a Test Order

To verify a wholesale phone supplier, confirm the business is real, get the grade and lock state in writing, and then place a small test order. A wholesale phone test order is a first purchase of 10 to 20 units of one model in one grade, bought to check a supplier before you commit to volume. You compare every unit to the invoice on six points: IMEI status, account locks, carrier lock, battery health, screen type and cosmetic grade.

TodaysCloseout is a wholesale phone and tablet storefront that ships from Brooklyn, New York. Orders start at 10 units, so a test order here is a normal first order. This guide is the checklist we would want a new buyer to run on us.

Why a test order verifies a supplier better than a phone call

A supplier can say the right things on the phone. Ten or 20 units on your bench show you the grading, the testing and the paperwork, and they do it for the price of one small lot.

Buyers who have been burned already know this. A multi-service wholesale buyer who orders from us described it this way: "I can buy with confidence because their products are reliable, graded accurately, and fully tested, with a reliable and safe warranty policy with quick exchanges, they have helped my business grow because I was hurt in the past by purchasing items from unreliable sellers."

A test order works for technical buyers too. A software company whose developers needed one specific Google Pixel model for the operating system they run started with a small first order. The company wanted to confirm the configuration on real units before buying more.

A supplier should expect a test order. A supplier that pushes a new buyer toward a large first purchase is giving you a warning sign.

How do you confirm a wholesale phone supplier is a real business?

Check four things before you send money. The legal business name on the invoice should match the name on the bank account you are asked to pay. The supplier should have a street address and a phone number that someone answers. The grade definitions, the warranty term and the return process should be published or sent to you in writing. A supplier that asks for your reseller certificate or EIN before it shows prices is running the same check on you, and that is a good sign.

What should a wholesale phone test order include?

One model, one storage size, one grade and one lock state. Ten or 20 units of the same spec measure consistency. Ten different models measure nothing, because you only have one sample of each.

Order what you plan to reorder. If your customers buy the Samsung Galaxy A series, a Google Pixel or a Motorola Moto G, test that, and test it in the grade you intend to sell or deploy. Our grades run New, New Kitted, Factory Refurbished or CPO, A+, A, A/B, B and C. A/B means fully tested and fully functional with light signs of use such as minor nicks or scratches. The full definitions are on our product conditions page.

On TodaysCloseout, orders start at 10 units. Each listing shows its own minimum: 10 units on listings priced at $200 and up, and 20 units on listings under $200. A test order of a lower-priced model is a 20-unit order.

One more thing to know before you budget. Everything except New ships handset only unless a kit is quoted, so chargers and boxes are a separate line.

What should a supplier put in writing before you pay?

A test order only works if you know what you were promised. Ask for these five things on the quote or invoice:

• The exact model number, including the suffix. On US Samsung phones a model number ending in U is the carrier version and U1 is the factory unlocked version, for example SM-S921U and SM-S921U1 for the Galaxy S24. A U model that a carrier has unlocked is still a U model, so check the model number in Settings, About phone on the unit itself.
• The grade, with the supplier's written definition of that grade.
• The lock state: factory unlocked, carrier unlocked, or locked to a named carrier.
• The screen type on refurbished units: original or aftermarket.
• The packaging, the warranty term and how a return gets authorized.

On TodaysCloseout invoices the grade is stated on every line and the lock state is always stated. Aftermarket screens are stated when present. A supplier that will not put the grade in writing has failed the test before you spend anything. Our post on red flags when evaluating wholesale phone suppliers covers the payment warning signs.

Test order checklist: nine checks to run on every phone

Run these checks on every unit the day the box arrives. Keep notes by IMEI.

1. Match the IMEIs to the invoice. Dial *#06# on each unit and compare the number on screen to your paperwork. Record both numbers on phones that show two IMEIs. If the supplier can send an IMEI list for the lot, check your units against it. Match Wi-Fi-only tablets by serial number.
2. Check each IMEI for a lost or stolen report. CTIA's Stolen Phone Checker is free and uses GSMA Device Check data. CTIA limits it to five queries a day for U.S. consumers, so a full lot needs a paid IMEI service. A clean result means the device had not been reported lost or stolen when you checked. The checker reports lost and stolen status only, so run the lock checks below as well.
3. Check iPhones and iPads for Activation Lock. Turn the device on. If you see "iPhone Locked to Owner," Apple's guidance is direct: do not buy it, and if you bought it online, return it. If you see a passcode screen or the Home Screen, the device was never erased, and Apple says not to take ownership until it has been. If you see the Hello screen, start setup. A cleared device finishes setup without asking for a previous owner's Apple Account.
4. Check Android units for Factory Reset Protection (FRP). Run setup through to the home screen on each unit. Setup should not ask for a screen lock or a Google Account that was on the phone before it was reset. Google states that if you cannot give that information during setup, "you won't be able to use the device at all after factory reset."
5. Check Samsung units for Knox Guard. Knox Guard is a Samsung cloud service that lets the company that enrolled a phone, typically a carrier or a financing provider, send payment reminders and lock the phone remotely. Samsung's documentation says activation begins once the device boots up and connects to a network, so connect each Samsung unit to Wi-Fi during setup and watch for a Knox Guard notice or lock screen. A setup with no notice does not prove the unit is clear. Samsung describes the lock as a last resort when payments are missed, so an enrolled phone can work today and be locked later. That is one more reason to buy from a supplier that states the lock state in writing.
6. Check for management enrollment. An Apple device that is still assigned to an organization shows a Remote Management screen during setup. An Android device registered for zero-touch enrollment shows a "Your device at work" screen, even after a factory reset. Either screen means a previous owner's organization still controls the device, and that organization has to release it.
7. Check the carrier lock. On an iPhone, open Settings, General, About. "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock means it is unlocked. On Android, insert an active SIM from a different carrier and place a call. Unlocked does not mean compatible with every network, so confirm the model number against the carrier you plan to use. Our unlocked vs locked compatibility guide goes deeper.
8. Check battery health and parts. On an iPhone, open Settings, Battery, Battery Health. Some iOS versions label it Battery Health & Charging. Then open Settings, General, About and look for a Parts and Service History section. Apple shows that section on iOS 15.2 or later and only when a part has been replaced, and it marks each replaced part as Genuine Apple Part or Unknown. Apple notes that battery health is not shown for unknown or nongenuine batteries. On Android the path varies by maker, and our guide to testing battery health in used smartphones covers the common ones. Compare what you find with the screen type stated on the invoice, and write down the battery percentage for every unit.
9. Run a function test and grade the cosmetics. Touch screen, cameras, speakers, microphones, charge port, buttons, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Face ID or fingerprint. Then hold each unit under good light against the written grade definition and photograph anything that misses.

How to score a test order and test the return process

Count the misses. In a 10-unit lot each failed unit is 10 percent of the order, and in a 20-unit lot it is 5 percent. A lot this size cannot prove a supplier's 1 percent return rate. It can expose a 20 percent one, and that is the supplier you are trying to avoid. For reference, the TodaysCloseout RMA rate is under 1%.

If a unit does miss, use the return process on purpose. How fast and how plainly the supplier answers tells you as much as the phones did. At TodaysCloseout returns need prior authorization through the RMA form, with the order number, the devices, the quantities and the issue. Eligible devices carry a six-month warranty from the date of purchase. The warranty covers manufacturer-type defects and excludes misuse or damage after delivery.

Your second order is the other half of the test. Reorder the same spec and see whether the grade holds from one lot to the next. No supplier of used devices can promise the same model forever, so the thing to hold them to is the grading standard.

How a first order works at TodaysCloseout

• Membership is free for verified businesses. A reseller certificate, EIN or business registration gets you an account, and the account shows pricing.
• Orders start at 10 units. Listings under $200 carry a 20-unit minimum.
• Every used device is tested, sanitized and graded before shipping.
• Payment is by wire or ACH. Credit cards are accepted with a 3.5% fee and a signed authorization form.
• Orders ship from Brooklyn, New York within 1 to 2 business days of cleared payment, and tracking is emailed with the invoice.

To see current stock in the model you want to test, create a free business account.

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a wholesale phone supplier is legitimate?

Confirm that the business name on the invoice matches the bank account, get the grade, the lock state and the warranty in writing, and place a test order of 10 to 20 units. Check every unit for a clean IMEI, Activation Lock, FRP, Knox Guard, carrier lock, battery health and grade before you reorder.

What is a wholesale phone test order?

A wholesale phone test order is a small first purchase, usually 10 to 20 units of one model in one grade, that lets a buyer check a supplier's grading, testing and paperwork before committing to volume.

How many phones should a wholesale test order include?

Ten to 20 units of one model in one grade is enough to judge grading consistency and catch lock problems. On TodaysCloseout the minimum is 10 units on listings priced at $200 and up and 20 units on listings under $200.

Can I mix models in a test order?

You can, but one model tells you more. On TodaysCloseout each listing carries its own minimum, so a mixed order means meeting the minimum on every model you add.

What is FRP lock on an Android phone?

Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is an Android security setting that ties a reset phone to the Google Account or screen lock that was on it before the reset. If setup asks for a previous owner's account and you do not have it, the phone cannot be used.

What is Knox Guard on a Samsung phone?

Knox Guard is a Samsung cloud service that carriers and financing providers use to send payment reminders and remotely lock Samsung devices. A phone still enrolled in Knox Guard can be locked after you buy it. Samsung states that Knox Guard supports devices manufactured with Android 11 or later.

What happens if a unit in my test order has a problem?

At TodaysCloseout, submit the RMA form with your order number, the device, the quantity and the issue. Returns need prior authorization. Eligible devices are covered by a six-month warranty for manufacturer-type defects.

How do I pay for a first wholesale order?

TodaysCloseout accepts wire or ACH, and credit cards with a 3.5% fee and a signed authorization form.