Key takeaways
- 60 terms covering pricing, condition, logistics, payment, identity verification and regional spec.
- Built from working definitions used by actual traders, not academic textbook terms.
- Organised by category for fast reference; bookmark and search.
- Many terms vary by region (US, EU, MEA), variations called out where relevant.
What are the key pricing and order terms in wholesale electronics?
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity). The smallest order size a seller will accept. Set per-offer by the seller.
MOV (Minimum Order Value). The smallest dollar value of an order. Sometimes used instead of MOQ for high-mix accessory orders.
Spot price. The current open-market price for a SKU on a given day. Most wholesale electronics trades on spot.
List / fixed price. A pre-agreed price for a contract period. Common in long-term distributor relationships, rare in spot trading.
RFQ (Request for Quote). A buyer's formal request for pricing on a specified SKU and quantity, usually issued to multiple sellers.
PO (Purchase Order). The buyer's formal commitment to buy. Typically followed by deposit payment.
Pro forma invoice. A draft invoice issued by the seller before payment, used by the buyer for international trade documentation.
Tiered pricing. Unit price that drops at higher quantities. Common pattern: list price up to 499 units, -1.5 percent at 500-1999, -3 percent at 2000+.
What are the condition and grading terms used in wholesale?
NIB (New In Box). Factory-sealed retail box, never opened.
Sealed. Same as NIB.
Open box. Box has been opened, contents may be untouched. Grades just below NIB.
Grade A. Used phone with minor cosmetic wear, full functionality. See the dedicated grading guide.
Grade B. Visible scratches, minor dents, no cracks. Full functionality.
Grade C. Significant cosmetic wear including chips. Functionality must be 100 percent.
14-day. Phones returned to a UK carrier within the statutory return window. Near-new condition.
CPO (Certified Pre-Owned). Phones refurbished and certified by the manufacturer or an authorised facility, typically with new battery and warranty.
BER (Beyond Economic Repair). Phones that cost more to repair than they are worth. Sold as parts.
Mixed lot. A lot containing multiple grades, models or storage variants. Discounted to reflect handling overhead.
Refurbished. Used phones that have been inspected, cleaned, possibly repaired, and tested. Distinct from CPO (which is manufacturer-certified).
What are the key logistics terms and Incoterms?
EXW (Ex Works). Buyer collects from seller's facility. Buyer pays everything from there.
FOB (Free on Board). Seller delivers to port and loads on the ship. Buyer pays freight, insurance, customs from there.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight). Seller pays freight and insurance to destination port. Buyer pays customs and inland.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). Seller pays everything including destination customs. Buyer just receives.
DAP (Delivered At Place). Seller delivers to a named place; buyer pays import duty.
B/L (Bill of Lading). The shipping document that proves ownership of goods in transit.
AWB (Air Waybill). Air-freight equivalent of a B/L.
HS code (Harmonised System code). Customs classification code that determines import duty rate.
FZE / Free Zone. A bonded zone (Dubai, Singapore, Miami) where goods can be held without paying local import duty until re-exported.
What are the payment and finance terms in wholesale electronics?
T/T (Telegraphic Transfer). Bank wire payment. The most common payment method in wholesale electronics.
30/70 T/T. 30 percent deposit on PO, 70 percent against B/L copy or pre-shipment inspection.
L/C (Letter of Credit). A bank-guaranteed payment instrument used in large international transactions.
Net 30 / Net 60. Trade credit. Buyer pays 30 or 60 days after invoice date.
Escrow. Funds held by a third party until delivery conditions are met.
Trade Assurance. Alibaba's built-in escrow service.
Pre-shipment inspection (PSI). Independent third-party inspection of goods at seller's facility before payment release.
What are the identity and verification terms wholesale traders use?
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). The 15-digit device serial number on every GSM phone. Used to verify blacklist, lock and warranty status.
iCloud lock / Activation Lock. Apple feature that ties an iPhone to its original Apple ID. Cannot be activated after factory reset without that ID.
FRP (Factory Reset Protection). Android equivalent of Activation Lock; ties device to original Google account.
MDM (Mobile Device Management). Corporate device-enrollment system. MDM-locked phones cannot be activated without the original organisation's credentials.
DEP (Device Enrollment Program). Apple's program for enterprise device enrollment. Can be checked via Apple Business Manager.
GSMA blacklist. Global database of devices reported lost, stolen or unpaid by carriers.
Carrier lock. Phone restricted to a specific carrier's SIM.
Unlocked. Phone usable on any carrier's network.
SIM-free. Sold without a carrier contract, typically unlocked.
What do the regional spec terms mean?
US spec. Phone manufactured for the US market. FCC certified. Recent iPhones are eSIM-only.
EU spec. European-market variant. CE certified. Includes physical SIM tray on iPhone.
HK / Asia spec. Hong Kong / Asia variant. Often dual physical SIM.
JP spec. Japanese variant. Usually has shutter sound on camera that cannot be disabled.
ME / GCC spec. Middle East / Gulf variant. Arabic OS support.
BR spec. Brazilian variant. ANATEL certified.
Global / international spec. Variant supporting most cellular bands worldwide.
What are the common trade-shorthand abbreviations?
WTB (Want To Buy). A buyer's post asking for a SKU.
WTS (Want To Sell). A seller's post offering stock.
WTT (Want To Trade). Less common; an offer to swap.
OBO (Or Best Offer). Indicates the price is negotiable.
FCFS (First Come First Served). No reservations.
NRFB (Never Removed From Box). Used in collectibles, occasionally in retail returns.
BNIB (Brand New In Box). Equivalent to NIB.
What are the channel and supply terms in the wholesale trade?
Authorised distributor. Officially recognised channel partner of the manufacturer.
Grey market. Genuine product diverted from its intended sales channel, e.g. a US-spec iPhone sold in the Middle East.
Parallel import. Equivalent to grey market in many markets' legal terminology.
Allocation. Quantity of stock a manufacturer commits to supply a distributor in a given period.
Channel stuffing. Selling more inventory into the channel than the channel can sell to end-users; a sign of weakening demand.
End-of-life (EOL). A SKU the manufacturer is no longer producing.
Closeout / clearance. Final inventory of an EOL or obsolete SKU.
Dead stock. Unsold inventory that has lost most of its market value.
What are the Aikon-specific terms?
Private offer. An Aikon offer posted without revealing the company's identity. Stock location is shown; identity is selectively revealed in conversation.
Verified company. A registered business that has passed Aikon's sign-up verification.
Industry badge. Independent vetting from Z Empire, Mobi Hub or Importado, displayed on Aikon company profiles.
Revenue band. Self-declared annual revenue range used for filtering counterparties on Aikon (under $10M, $10M-$25M, $26M-$75M, $75M-$350M, over $350M).
Frequently asked questions
What does MOQ mean in wholesale electronics?
MOQ stands for Minimum Order Quantity, the smallest order size a seller will accept. Typical MOQs range from 10 units for niche accessories to 5,000+ units for new flagship phones from authorised distributors.
What is the difference between FOB and CIF?
FOB (Free on Board) means the seller delivers goods to the port and loads them on the ship; the buyer pays freight from there. CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) means the seller pays freight and insurance to the destination port; the buyer pays customs and inland delivery. CIF prices look higher but include more cost elements.
What is the difference between Grade A and CPO?
Grade A is a working trade convention for used phones with minor cosmetic wear and full functionality. CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) phones have been refurbished by the manufacturer or an authorised facility, typically with a new battery and a manufacturer warranty.
What does "HK stock, US spec" mean?
The phones are physically located in Hong Kong but were originally manufactured for the US market. This is a common pattern when a wholesaler holds inventory in HK's tax-efficient logistics environment but the phones will be re-sold into US-spec resale markets like Latin America.
What is grey market in wholesale electronics?
Grey market refers to genuine, manufacturer-made product that has been diverted from its intended sales channel. A US-spec iPhone sold in the UAE is grey-market in the UAE. The product is real; the channel is unauthorised. Legal status varies by market.
What does T/T mean as a payment term?
T/T stands for Telegraphic Transfer, a bank wire transfer. It is the most common payment method in wholesale electronics. Common variants include 100 percent T/T in advance (for new buyers) and 30/70 T/T (30 percent deposit, 70 percent against shipping documents) for established relationships.
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