A phone parcel must protect the device and comply with the chosen carrier’s current lithium-battery rules. Do not assume that every courier service accepts mobile phones or compensates damage at the phone’s full value.
Check the carrier before packing
Confirm that the service accepts equipment containing an installed lithium battery, whether special labels or declarations are needed, the maximum compensation, and any exclusion for mobile phones or fragile electronics. Royal Mail treats lithium batteries as restricted items and publishes separate packaging guidance.
Prepare the phone
- Turn the phone off.
- Remove loose accessories unless they were part of the sale.
- Do not post a swollen, damaged or recalled battery through an ordinary service.
- Protect the screen without applying tape to the phone.
- Wrap the device so buttons cannot be activated and it cannot move.
Use rigid double-layer protection
Wrap the phone in cushioning and place it in a snug inner box or rigid section. Place that inside a strong outer box with cushioning on every side. The retail box alone is normally presentation packaging, not sufficient postal protection.
Perform the movement test
Close the parcel and move it gently. Nothing should shift or rattle. Protect plugs and hard accessories separately so they cannot strike the screen.
Original box, accessories and returns
If the original retail box is included, treat it as part of the contents rather than the shipping box. Cushion it inside a stronger outer carton. Wrap plugs, metal-ended cables and cases separately so they cannot strike the phone. If the sale platform may require a return, keep photographs of the exact packaging standard; a returned device should be protected to a comparable level.
Do not send an extra loose battery or power bank unless the carrier explicitly permits it. A battery installed in equipment is treated differently from a standalone battery.
Document and label
Photograph the packing sequence, sealed parcel and label. Use the exact address in the marketplace or trade-in instruction. Keep the receipt and tracking. Do not write “phone” or valuable branding prominently on the outside unless the carrier specifically requires a declaration.
Compensation is not automatic
Check proof-of-value requirements and whether damage is covered. Tracking proves movement and delivery events; it does not prove the phone’s pre-post condition. Use the separate condition-documentation guide for that evidence.
Related guidance: This check sits within Selling and Recycling. The Selling and Trade-In Guide covers the broader decision from start to finish.
Sources and date checked
Changing terms and operational details were checked on 25 July 2026. Recheck the current provider, marketplace, courier or recycling terms before acting.
