What each source can help you inspect
| Source | Often useful for | Check carefully |
|---|---|---|
| Yupoo | Album-style images, color groups, model references and seller-provided visual context | Price, stock, ordering path and whether the album image matches a live listing |
| Taobao or Tmall | Retail-style listings, selectable options, seller page context and visible policies | Whether the displayed starting price belongs to the option shown in the spreadsheet |
| Weidian | Product listings, variations, seller context, images and sometimes transaction signals | Whether the row points to the same version, size and current listing state |
| 1688 | Wholesale-style specifications, tiered options, quantities and supplier context | Minimum quantities, price tiers, sample options and variant-specific terms |
| Findsindex | External product discovery, category browsing and continuing a search in a new tab | The underlying third-party product details; the directory does not replace source checking |
Pages and interfaces can change, so treat these as reading patterns rather than guarantees about current features. Use the destination’s own official policies and support for account, order, payment or shipping questions.
Follow a four-step link handoff
- Capture the original. Save the full URL and source domain, not only a button label or shortened link.
- Record the row identity. Note the product type, option, color, visible price basis and one distinctive image detail.
- Open the destination separately. New-tab browsing keeps the spreadsheet or guide available for comparison.
- Re-match the item. Confirm the same category, option, images and current listing context before carrying any information across.
It may make a link readable by another service, but it cannot make an old listing current, verify a seller or prove that two similar-looking products are the same.
What to record in the spreadsheet
| Field | Useful entry | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Weidian · original URL saved | “Link” with no domain |
| Option | Navy · size M · zipper version | “Blue one” when several blues exist |
| Price basis | Visible price for selected option; shipping not included | A number copied without checking the option |
| Evidence date | Checked 2026-07-31 | “Current” with no date |
| Mismatch note | Converted page shows a different outsole image | Ignoring the difference because the title is similar |
Use the three-signal mismatch test
Stop treating two pages as the same product if any two of these signals disagree:
- Identity: title, model reference or product type.
- Visuals: color blocking, hardware, shape, label or construction detail.
- Options: size range, material, version, quantity or included parts.
A single wording difference may be translation or formatting. Two independent differences are enough to create a new row or remove the link until it is clarified.
Common source-link mistakes
- Saving only a converted link and losing the original source.
- Assuming the lowest price on a wholesale-style page applies to one unit.
- Using an album photo as proof of the item attached to a later order.
- Carrying reviews or seller context from one listing to a similar-looking listing.
- Entering login, payment or private order data into an unrelated converter.
- Calling a seller or product verified because a directory includes the link.
When the source is unavailable
Keep the row only if it still has a clear research value, label the source as unavailable and date the observation. Do not copy price, stock or option claims from an old screenshot into a current comparison without marking them as historical.
Use the QC photo guide when image identity is uncertain, and the total cost guide only after the option and price basis are clear.
