Twelve categories sit on this shelf, and the point of having them side by side is that you can compare rather than commit. Each below carries the good sign, the trap, the inspection note and the pre-order check, so two rows in the same category can be weighed against each other properly.
← Back to overviewTwelve categories, each with a comparable set of checks.
Good for: Tag and outsole shot, with ratings steady across the row.
Confirm: Tagged size, and whether the row is from the same source as the one you are comparing it to.
QC focus: Have them photograph the tag and the outsole.
Trap: Stock imagery and a price that undercuts the entire shelf.
Good for: Lettering application photographed closely, with the method stated.
Confirm: The cut, since jersey sizing follows its own conventions.
QC focus: Get a tight shot of the print itself — peeling and bubbling show up in a photograph and stay invisible in a description.
Trap: A flat-lay photograph that hides whether printing survives washing.
Good for: Weight is stated and the backing is photographed up close.
Confirm: Fabric weight before comparing two rows on price alone.
QC focus: Weigh the backing and ask for the figure in grams.
Trap: No weight figure can be found anywhere on the listing.
Good for: You can read the fibre content in writing, and see the stitching at collar and hem in the photographs.
Confirm: Composition and weight, not just price.
QC focus: Cheap shirts betray themselves at the collar, so make sure that part gets photographed.
Trap: A single distant photograph at a suspiciously low price.
Good for: Volume and concentration stated explicitly, seller has a track record.
Confirm: That any line you might use carries liquids or aerosols at all.
QC focus: Confirm the seal is intact and the bottle matches the listing.
Trap: The most line-restricted category on the shelf.
Good for: A full centimetre chart comes with the row.
Confirm: Waist and inseam in centimetres.
QC focus: Check the tag against a piece you already own.
Trap: Letter-only sizing.
Good for: Interior, hardware and stitching photographed, materials stated.
Confirm: Packed dimensions, since bags are bulky for their weight.
QC focus: Request an interior frame and a hardware close-up.
Trap: Beauty shots alone — the interior is where the quality shows.
Good for: Movement stated and the caseback shown rather than only the dial.
Confirm: That declaring the piece at its stated value is something you are comfortable doing.
QC focus: Have the back of the case photographed; the finishing there is where copies tend to slip.
Trap: Branding is frequently wrong in this category, so treat any claimed mark as unconfirmed until you have seen it.
Good for: Hinges and temples photographed, lens specifications stated.
Confirm: Whether lenses are prescription or cosmetic.
QC focus: A close shot of the hinge will show you whether both temples fold symmetrically.
Trap: Front-only photography hiding hinge quality.
Good for: Both the alloy and the gram weight appear on the row, rather than vague wording about quality.
Confirm: Stated material and weight before comparing prices.
QC focus: If the seller claims a stamp or a hallmark, that mark ought to appear in the photographs.
Trap: Vague material language at a price implying solid metal.
Good for: Construction and closure photographed, sizing in centimetres.
Confirm: Head circumference in centimetres.
QC focus: Check the closure and the sweatband stitching.
Trap: One-size claims that ignore real variation.
Good for: Materials stated, with the hardware photographed close.
Confirm: That branded pieces can be declared without difficulty.
QC focus: Zoom in on stamps, clasps and the stitch line.
Trap: Where branding errors concentrate most.
Public material for weighing one shelf against another. Live pricing stays where the sellers are.
