How to check QC photos: the checklist I use

First: is it even the right item?

Before looking at details, check the basics. Warehouses get busy and sellers make mistakes:

• Right colour (compare with the colour you picked, not the seller's main photo).
• Right size - look for the size tag or the measurement photo.
• Right version or batch, if the listing had several.
• Nothing missing: box, dust bag, extra laces, strap - whatever the listing promised.

Wrong item is the easiest reason to ask for an exchange, and the seller pays for it. Don't ship a wrong item hoping it's fine.

Tees, hoodies and jackets

1. Prints and embroidery. Zoom in on the logo. Look for clean edges, even thickness and the right spacing between letters. Compare with a retail photo side by side.
2. Neck tag and wash tags. Fonts and spacing on tags are where cheap versions cut corners.
3. Stitching. Hems, cuffs and the collar should have straight, even stitches. A few loose threads are normal and can be snipped; open seams aren't.
4. Measurements. Chest (pit to pit) and length tell you more than the size label. Compare them with a piece you own that fits well.
5. Fabric. Hard to judge in photos, but sheen and how the fabric folds give it away. Very shiny fleece or paper-thin cotton show up clearly.

Sneakers

Shoes have the most details to get right, so they have their own guide. The short version: shape from the side, toe box, the logo, the heel, the stitching and the size tag inside.

Bags and accessories

• Hardware: zips, buckles and engravings should be crisp, not blurry or uneven.
• Edges: painted edges should be smooth with no blobs or gaps.
• Stitch count and angle on handles - compare with retail photos.
• Shape: bags should stand up straight, not slump.
• Pattern alignment on monogram bags, especially at the seams.

Use other people's QCs as your benchmark

The trick is not to judge your own photos alone. Put the listing in the QC checker and look at a dozen earlier orders. If yours matches the good ones, ship it. If yours has a flaw none of the others have, that's a defect and worth an exchange. If every album has the same flaw, it's the product - decide if you can live with it.

Ask for extra photos when it matters

Most agents let you order extra photos or specific measurements for a small fee. Worth it for expensive items or when the standard photos hide the part you care about (the inside of a shoe, the back of a tag).