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Whalebuy warehouse photos, read for rain, sweat and frost
QC, short for quality control, is the agent's check of your goods after they reach its warehouse. At Whalebuy that means a match against your order and a small set of free photos. This page explains what those photos prove, what they cannot, and which extra shots to request for each weather shelf.
Free inspection shots: scope
Whalebuy takes three ordinary photos of each product for free, and its inspection notes describe the check behind them: the right item, in the right quantity, colour and size, with obvious damage reported. The seller's outer courier bag is discarded and the goods are rebagged in Whalebuy's own self-sealing bags; fragile or oversized items keep their original box.
The same notes list what is not checked. Colour drift from the listing photo, small sizing slips and real-world performance sit outside it. The inside of electronics is not tested, and sealed or handmade goods are only looked at from the outside. In weather terms: nobody will confirm that a shell is waterproof, that a vest is down-filled or that a fan holds a charge. The photos give you evidence; the judgement is yours.
How to check Whalebuy QC photos in five minutes
Open Order Detail when the status changes and go through the photos in a fixed order, so nothing gets skipped. Start with the label: does the size on the tag match the size you ordered, and is the composition what the listing claimed? Then the overall shape against the listing photo, then the details that fail first: stitching at stress points, zips, prints and hardware. Last, compare the colour, remembering that warehouse lighting runs cool.
If something looks off, use Consult on that order line and say exactly what you see, with the photo number. The buying staff can contact the seller for an exchange or a return while the item is still in the return window. Vague messages ("looks bad") take longer than specific ones ("left cuff seam open, photo 2").
Weather-specific faults to zoom on
Each shelf has its own weak point. Rain gear: seam tape inside the shoulders and hood, coated or covered zips, the base of a roll-top bag. Winter gear: the fill label on anything sold as down, the lining at cuffs and hems, the edges of leather. Summer gear: how sheer light fabric is against a hand, elastic at the waist, plating on clasps. Wind gear: drawcords, toggles, buckles and the cap adjuster.
| Shelf | Ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Downpour | Inside shoulder seam; zip close-up | Taped seams and covered zips decide if a shell is a shell |
| Dry cold | Fill label; cuff lining | "Down" titles often hide polyester wadding |
| Muggy heat | Fabric against a hand; clasp | Sheer light colours and plating show up in heat |
| Glare | View through lens at a bright window | A polarised lens darkens a screen as it turns |
| Gusts | Drawcord ends; buckle open and shut | Hardware is what keeps wind gear in place |
Paid photo and packing extras
Beyond the free three, Whalebuy prices extra detail photos at CNY 1 each, at order time or once the item is in stock. Fine Photography is its high-definition option, shot to your instructions. Two parcel shots, open and then sealed, cost CNY 5 for the parcel, and a rehearsal packing that weighs and measures the parcel costs CNY 20.
Request extras when you order if you can: the Custom Photo link on the confirm page sends the instruction with the purchase, so the photos are taken during inspection instead of after a second request. During summer 2026 Whalebuy's homepage also announced video inspection, and the order form carries a Custom Video link; check its price on the form before relying on it.
Return requests within 120 hours
If the photos show a real problem, the clock matters. Whalebuy describes a five-day return or exchange service run by third-party sellers: the request has to be made within 120 hours of the order changing to Stocked in. Return postage inside China is paid by the buyer, in both directions for an exchange, unless the seller offers free returns. Custom-made pieces, second-hand goods and items whose labels or boxes you had the warehouse strip off fall outside the service. That last one has a winter twist: asking the warehouse to strip packaging to shrink a parcel can end your right to return what was inside, so decide on returns first.
For weather gear bought ahead of the season this has a practical edge. You will not wear the shell before the window closes, so the photos are your only chance to catch a defect. Check them the day they arrive. After shipping, problems become claims against the carrier, and Whalebuy's receiving notes allow two days from delivery for a damage report to your post office.
