Ten places orders go wrong — and what to do instead
Each one says where it goes wrong, then gives you an alternative you can actually follow. Read these ten and most rework disappears before it starts.
← Back to the handbook- 1
Chasing the lowest number
Bargain listings frequently show a single out-of-focus shot and a spec table with the important rows left blank.
Do this instead: Read price and detail photos together. The complete listing beats the lowest number.
- 2
Copying your usual size
China sizing generally runs small, and the same code varies by a full size between sellers.
Do this instead: Lay a garment that fits you flat and measure it against the listing's centimetre chart. For shoes, measure your foot.
- 3
Shipping one parcel per item
Every extra parcel means paying the base charge again — several shipments cost far more than one box.
Do this instead: Use free storage to let orders pile up, then consolidate and ship them together.
- 4
Treating QC photos as a warranty
Photos prove appearance. They cannot prove smell, feel, or how it holds up after wear and washing.
Do this instead: Treat photos as your last chance to say no, not as a certificate. Ask for more shots if unsure.
- 5
Assuming the listed price is the landed price
On top of the item price come domestic shipping, international freight and customs — and the second payment is often the bigger one.
Do this instead: Run all six lines through the calculator on the fees page first so you know the range.
- 6
Ordering without checking the prohibited list
Liquids, aerosols and anything with a battery are what most often get stopped at shipping.
Do this instead: Read the official prohibited-items list first, and ask support if unsure — don't wait until it's already at the warehouse.
- 7
Expecting a guaranteed arrival date
Purchasing, intake, QC, packing and customs all move around. Official timings are reference, not promise.
Do this instead: Follow the stages in your account instead of counting backwards from a date. With a deadline, buy a faster route.
- 8
Skipping what the seller wrote
The title says heavyweight, the spec table may say 250 g. Pre-orders and mixed-colour dispatch hide in the description too.
Do this instead: Treat the spec table as fact and the title as advertising. Read the description end to end before ordering.
- 9
Keeping no records
When something goes wrong and you have no link, screenshot or order number, support has nothing to work from.
Do this instead: Save the listing link, a screenshot of your options at checkout, the QC photos and the tracking number — then you can hand support everything at once.
- 10
Ordering instead of asking support
Whether a source can be bought, whether a route accepts it, whether a size exists — each takes a minute to ask.
Do this instead: Ask all three before paying. It is far cheaper than fixing it afterwards.
These ten are the issues we see most often, not official terms. Checkout and the policy pages decide.