How phone and gadget sellers can track IMEI numbers and warranty

If you sell phones, laptops or other gadgets, every unit has a number that identifies it: the IMEI for phones, a serial number for most other devices. Recording it when you buy and when you sell turns many arguments into a quick lookup.

Why IMEI records matter

A customer comes back with a phone and says it is faulty. Was it sold by you? When? Is the warranty still running?
You can show a supplier exactly which unit a complaint is about.
It protects you if a phone is later reported as stolen, because you can show who you bought it from and who bought it from you.
It stops the same phone being sold or returned twice by mistake.

Where to find an IMEI

Dial *#06# on the phone. The number appears on the screen. A phone with two SIM slots shows two numbers.
On the box label, usually next to a barcode.
Under the battery, on the SIM tray, or on the back of the phone, depending on the model.

What to record, and when

When you receive stock: the IMEI of every unit, from which supplier, at what cost.
When you sell: which exact units the customer took, so each one is linked to the sale and the customer.
The warranty period you give, so you can see at a glance whether a returning phone is still covered.
Returns and swaps, so the history of each unit stays complete.

Typing is slow. Scan instead.

A 15-digit number typed by hand will eventually be mistyped. A USB or Bluetooth barcode scanner reads the IMEI barcode on the box and types it for you in a second. A phone camera can do the same job when you do not have a scanner.

How LogBase helps

LogBase has IMEI and serial number tracking built in. Record the numbers when you receive stock and when you sell, either by typing, with a barcode scanner, or with your phone's camera. The warranty shows on the receipt.

The IMEI lookup page finds any phone by its full number or just the last digits, and shows where it came from, who bought it, when, and whether the warranty is still running.