Check the QC photos
The most important checkpoint of the whole journey: while your goods sit in China, a mistake is cheap to fix — afterwards, barely.
What happens in this step?
As soon as an item reaches the warehouse, your agent photographs it — usually three to five pictures from several angles, plus weight and measurements. You see these QC (quality check) photos in your agent's dashboard; how2ship has no access to them and contributes the checklist on this page instead.
Now you decide per item: approve (the item then waits for shipping) or dispute. While the goods are in China, the agent can settle a return or exchange directly with the seller — fast and cheap, because everything is domestic shipping.
After international shipping this flips: returns to China are expensive, slow and often not accepted at all. So better to be a little picky here than a little hopeful.
How to do it
Compare against your order
Right colour? Right size (cm!)? Right model? Open the original listing next to it and match details: shape, print, seams, hardware.
Look for flaws
Loose threads, glue marks, scratches, stains, crooked seams. On the photos, check everything that moves: zippers, buttons, clasps.
Sanity-check measurements and weight
The warehouse records weight and measurements. If the weight looks absurd for the item or a garment measurement clearly deviates from the seller's chart — ask, don't approve.
Request more photos when unsure
Nearly all agents offer extra photos or short videos, sometimes for a small fee. Name the exact angle or detail you want to see.
Decide: approve or dispute
All good → approve. Something wrong → dispute and let the agent settle return or exchange with the seller while the goods are still in China.
What to pay attention to
- Check every item individually before anything is consolidated — sorting things out inside one shared box is painful.
- For Weidian and 1688 purchases the QC photos are often your only real control — platform buyer protection there is weak to nonexistent.
- The number of free photos, fees for extra shots and storage periods differ per agent.
Typical beginner mistakes
- Approving everything unseen to “save time” — the most expensive click of the whole order.
- Approving despite doubts instead of requesting detail photos for little money.
- Judging colour tones from a single photo — warehouse lighting distorts; when in doubt, request a shot in different light.
Quick checklist
- Variant matches: colour, size, model as ordered.
- No visible flaws across all photos.
- Weight and measurements look plausible.
- In doubt: extra photos requested instead of guessing.
- Decision made: approve or dispute.
The QC checklist
The QC photos themselves live in your agent's dashboard — how2ship has no QC system of its own. What we contribute is the checklist above, so nothing slips through before you approve.