Answer: treat packaging as a spec line, because it drives three things a cable datasheet never mentions — landed cost, damage rate and customs handling.
- Inner pack — polybag, blister or printed box; state it, do not let it default.
- Carton — dimensions, gross weight and drop-test expectation should be in the order.
- Shipping marks — must match the buyer's instruction exactly; a wrong mark can stop a container.
- Labels — model, length, lot code; the lot code is what makes a claim traceable.