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Whalebuy help shelf: words, questions and where staff answer
Short definitions for the words on Whalebuy's screens, plain answers to the questions readers send us, and the official channels for anything this catalogue cannot answer.
Words you meet on Whalebuy pages
Whalebuy's interface is in English, but some of its terms are translations of Chinese warehouse jargon, and forum shorthand adds a layer of its own. These fifteen cover nearly every order.
- Agent
- Buys on Chinese platforms for overseas customers and forwards the goods. Whalebuy is one.
- 1688
- Alibaba's wholesale marketplace. Prices are low and often tiered by quantity; minimum orders are common.
- QC
- Short for quality control. At Whalebuy, the arrival check plus the photos it produces.
- GL
- Green light. Forum shorthand for approving an item after looking at its QC photos.
- RL
- Red light. Rejecting an item after QC, usually by asking the agent to return or exchange it.
- Stocked in
- The item is shelved in Whalebuy's warehouse; this status starts the 120-hour return clock.
- Received
- The status that starts the 90-day free storage clock.
- Rehearsal packing
- A paid trial pack (CNY 20): the warehouse packs, weighs and measures the box so you pick a line on real figures.
- Chargeable weight
- Whichever is higher, scale weight or volumetric weight. Lines bill freight on it.
- Volumetric weight
- Product of the three box sides in centimetres, divided by the line's number; Whalebuy lines used 5,000 to 8,000.
- Declaration fee
- A per-parcel export paperwork fee, generally CNY 8 on Whalebuy.
- Line
- A freight route with its own carrier, price table, size limits and accepted goods.
- Jin
- A Chinese weight unit of half a kilogram, used in many clothing size charts.
- Ice silk
- A marketing name for smooth, cool-feeling synthetic yarns. Not silk.
- Consult
- The button on each order line that opens a chat with Whalebuy's buying staff about that order.
Reader questions, answered plainly
These are the questions most frequently asked by readers who reach this catalogue from forums, answered from Whalebuy's help centre and our own October 2026 checks.
Does Whalebuy run this catalogue?
No. This is an independent catalogue kept by readers of agent forums. Whalebuy and its operator have no say in what is listed here, and we do not take orders.
Why is the price on whalebuy.com slightly different from the card?
Cards show the seller's yuan price read on October 24, 2026. Sellers change prices, and Whalebuy's dollar figure follows a conversion rate that moves during the day.
Can I order one piece of every item here?
Not all of them. Seven listings set a minimum of two pieces, marked on the card as the seller minimum.
How early should I order for a season?
About six to eight weeks before you need the item if you want slack for a slow seller or line. Whalebuy stores goods free for 90 days, so ordering earlier costs nothing extra.
Will the warehouse check whether my rain jacket is waterproof?
No. Inspection confirms the item, quantity, colour and size. Ask for a photo of the inside seams and judge construction yourself.
What makes a winter parcel so expensive?
Bulk. Fleece and padding fill large boxes, and freight lines charge by volume when it exceeds weight. A vacuum bag reduces the box size.
Can I ship a battery fan with my clothes?
Only on lines that accept goods with built-in batteries. Enter the product type in the estimator, or ask through Consult, before building the parcel.
Who pays import tax?
Usually you, on arrival. Some estimator lines are labelled tax free and include an allowance for it; the rest leave duty for you to settle on delivery.
What if a parcel arrives damaged?
If the outer carton looks damaged, open it while the courier waits. Keep the carton and tape, tell your national post office inside two days of delivery, then message Whalebuy with photos.
Official help desk and contact routes
For anything about a specific order, the fastest route is the Consult button on that order line, which reaches the buying staff directly. For general questions, Whalebuy's customer service email is [email protected]. Reports of counterfeit goods go to [email protected] under its anti-counterfeiting policy.
The help centre at whalebuy.com/notice holds the policies quoted across this site. The ones we used most: Service and Fees, Storage, the return and exchange rules and the volumetric weight article. Where two articles disagree, we say so on the relevant page and quote both.
For questions about this catalogue itself, such as a dead link or a price that has moved, write to [email protected].