# Tech store step 3: variants, warranties and IMEI

> Set up storage and colour variants, warranty terms and the IMEI switch so every phone sale records its IMEI and prints the warranty.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/tech-store/step-3-variants-warranties-and-imei/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Phones and laptops need three things that groceries do not: **variants** for storage and colour, a **warranty** on every unit, and the **IMEI or serial number** of the exact unit you sold. This page sets up all three.

## Before you start

- Your products are imported ([step 2](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/tech-store/step-2-import-phones-and-laptops/)) or you are about to add them.
- You know your warranty terms (for example 1 year on phones, 6 months on laptops' batteries, 90 days on accessories).

## Storage and colour variants

Imported phones already arrive as **variable products**. To add your own model:

1. Open **Products › Add Product**. Enter the name, brand, category and unit.
2. In **Product type & pricing**, set **Product Type** to **Variable**.
3. Pick a variation (create one first in **Products › Variations**, for example "Storage / Colour" with values "8GB / 256GB / Black", "8GB / 256GB / Blue"…).
4. For each variant row, enter the SKU (or scan its barcode), purchase price, margin and selling price. Add a photo in **Variation Images** if the colour looks different.
5. Click **Save**.

![Variations and pricing tab of a phone with one row per storage and colour variant, each with its own SKU barcode, purchase price, margin and selling price](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/variable-product-iphone.DT0lhQlx.png) (web app page: `/products/…/edit`)
*One phone model, one row per storage and colour, each with its own barcode and price.*

**Tip:** 
Bigger storage usually costs more, colours the same. Change many prices at once with **Products › Update Price**.

## Warranties

1. Open **Products › Warranties**. Click **Add**, or **Import prebuilt** for a ready-made list.
2. Enter a **Name** (for example "1 year warranty"), a **Description** and the **Duration** (days, months or years). Save.
3. On each product, choose the warranty in the **Warranty** field of **Basic info**.

![Warranties list with 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 5 years and 90 days warranties, their descriptions and durations](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/warranties-list.BiU4tVJE.png) (web app page: `/warranties`)
*Products › Warranties. Each warranty has a name, description and duration.*

![Add new product form with the Warranty select next to the Size chart field in Basic info](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/product-form-warranty.0tBts1Ek.png) (web app page: `/products/create`)
*Attach the warranty on the product. It is used on every sale of that product.*

To print warranties and change them per sale:

- **Settings › Business Settings › Product**: tick **Enable Warranty**. **Sell › Add Sale** then shows a **Warranty** column per line.
- **Settings › Invoice Settings**, edit your layout: tick **Show warranty name**, **Show warranty expiry date** and, if you like, **Show warranty description**.

## IMEI and serial numbers

1. Edit the phone (or laptop) and open the **Stock** section.
2. Tick **Enable Product description, IMEI or Serial Number**.
3. Save. Do this for every product you sell with a serial: phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, consoles.
4. In **Settings › Invoice Settings**, edit your layout and tick **Show sale description** so the IMEI prints on the receipt.

![Stock and locations section of the product form with the Enable Product description, IMEI or Serial Number checkbox outlined](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/product-form-imei-switch.BVfesO5m.png) (web app page: `/products/create`)
*The IMEI switch is per product, in the Stock section.*

With the switch on, each time you add the product to a sale it gets **its own line** (two phones never merge into one line with quantity 2), and the line has a description box: *Add product IMEI, Serial number or other informations here.* See [step 5](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/tech-store/step-5-sell-phones-and-accessories/).

**Caution:** 
SmartPOS Hub does not keep a register of every serial number from purchase to sale. The IMEI is stored on the sale line and prints on the invoice. For repairs, the serial or IMEI on the job sheet can be searched in **Repair › Repair status lookup**.

## Next step

Continue with [step 4: buy stock from suppliers](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/tech-store/step-4-buy-stock-from-suppliers/).

  - [Variable products](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/variable-products/)
  - [Serial numbers, IMEI and lots](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/serial-imei-and-lots/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Should storage and colour be separate products?

No. Use one variable product per model, with one variant per storage and colour combination such as 8GB / 256GB / Black. Each variant keeps its own barcode, price, stock and photo.

### Where do I type the IMEI?

On the sale, not on the product. Switch on Enable Product description, IMEI or Serial Number on the product. When you sell it, the line gets a description box where you type or scan the IMEI.

### Will the IMEI print on the invoice?

Yes, when the invoice layout has Show sale description ticked. Open Settings › Invoice Settings, edit the layout and tick it.

### Can different products have different warranties?

Yes. Each product has a Warranty field. Phones can carry 1 year, accessories 90 days and so on.

### Can I change the warranty on one sale?

Yes, in Sell › Add Sale, when Enable Warranty is ticked in Settings › Business Settings › Product. Each line then has a Warranty column you can change.

### Does the warranty expiry date print?

Yes. Invoice layouts can show the warranty name, its expiry date and its description.