Retail vs DME: How to Tell If Your CGM Box Can Be Sold
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Quick answer: Retail CGM boxes come from a pharmacy counter and can be sold. DME boxes come from a durable medical equipment supplier shipped to your door, and cannot. The fastest way to tell is the model code on the box label — retail Dexcom G7 codes start with STP, while DME and sample codes start with STE.
What DME actually means
DME stands for durable medical equipment. If your sensors arrive in a plain box on your porch every 90 days from a company you've never walked into, that's a DME supplier. If you pick them up at a CVS, Walgreens, or grocery-store pharmacy counter, that's retail.
The sensors inside can be identical. The packaging, labeling, and distribution channel are not, and that difference determines whether a box can be resold at all.
The 60-second check
- Find the model code. On a Dexcom G7 box it's a short string near the barcode, like STP-AT-012.
- Check the first three letters. STP is the retail line. STE is not.
- Look for pharmacy markings. A printed pharmacy label, a patient name sticker, or a prescription number stapled to the box tells you where it came from.
- Check the shipping box it arrived in, if you still have it. A DME supplier's name on the shipping label is a strong signal.
Codes we can and can't buy
| Product | We accept | We cannot buy |
|---|---|---|
| Dexcom G7 10-Day | STP-AT-012, STP-AT-018 | STE-AT-030, STP-AT-011 |
| Dexcom G7 15-Day | STP-FT-012 | STE-FT-010, STE-FT-013, STE-FT-016 |
| Dexcom G6 3-pack | REF STS-OE-003 (retail) | DME and sample packaging |
Note that STP-AT-011 is on the no list even though it starts with STP. The prefix is a useful first filter, not the final word — check the full code.
Why we can't just buy them anyway
It isn't a preference. DME and pharmacy-supplied stock moves through a different channel with different rules attached, and a fair number of those boxes were funded by Medicare or Medicaid, which makes them ineligible regardless of condition. Rather than take a box and reject it after you've shipped it, we'd rather you check first and ship only what qualifies.
What happens if you ship one by mistake
We contact you before doing anything. You'll get told exactly what we found and offered an adjusted price for the rest of the shipment. Nothing is quietly deducted. Torn or damaged units are not paid for and are discarded, so the check-before-shipping habit protects your payout.
Omnipod and FreeStyle Libre
Good news here — neither has a model code requirement. For Omnipod 5 pods and starter kits, and for FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus and 3 Plus sensors, we only need the box to be factory sealed, unexpired, undamaged, and not government-funded. The retail-versus-DME check applies to Dexcom.
Common questions
How do I know if my Dexcom box is retail or DME?
Check the model code on the label. Retail Dexcom G7 boxes carry codes beginning with STP — specifically STP-AT-012, STP-AT-018, or STP-FT-012. Codes beginning with STE are DME or sample boxes we can't purchase.
Can I sell CGM supplies that came in the mail from a supplier?
Only if they're retail-coded boxes and weren't funded by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or the VA. Mail delivery alone doesn't disqualify a box — the code and the funding source do.
What if I can't find the code?
Text a photo of the box label to (910) 807-3468. We'll read it and tell you within a few minutes, before you pack anything.
Full rules on our FAQ page and our legality guide. Ready when you are — get a free quote →
