Whalebuy QC: the warehouse check, the photos, and how to judge them
The free check is narrow and useful. Here is exactly what it covers, and the four questions to put to every set of photos.
Checked October 22, 2026What a Whalebuy QC check covers
QC, short for quality control, is the warehouse check between the store and your parcel. At Whalebuy it has a receiving half and a photo half. On receiving, staff refuse parcels whose outer box is badly damaged, open every accepted parcel to look for prohibited items, then weigh and shelve the goods. On inspection they verify the quantity, color, size and other listed specifications, take off the store's courier box and repack the item in a Whalebuy self-sealing bag. Fragile goods and oversized items stay in their original boxes.
The result you see is the QC photos: ordinary photos, generally three, of the front, the back and a side or logo view. They arrive in the order detail after the item is signed for, typically about one working day later.
What a Whalebuy inspection photo should tell you
Reading the QC photos is a comparison, not a judgment of quality in general. Open the order, the original listing and the photos side by side, then go through four questions in this order.
- Is it the option I paid for? Compare the color and any print with the option name and its thumbnail, not with the store's main photo, which may show a different variant.
- Does the label match? Look for the size tag, the model number on shoes, or the size printed on a box. If no photo shows it, that is your first detail-photo request.
- Is the count right? Pairs, sets, accessories and gifts the listing promised should all be visible.
- Is anything visibly damaged? Stains, tears, cracks, dents, loose threads at stress points, missing parts.
Then a fifth, practical question: will this item cost more to ship than you thought? A hard case, a shoebox or a bulky stuffing can be removed at parcel stage for free; decide now. If the answer to any question is no, raise it from the order before the 120-hour window closes. That is the whole QC checklist; everything else is personal taste.
When three photos are not enough
Three ordinary photos are enough for a T-shirt and thin for a watch. Whalebuy sells three kinds of extra pictures. Detailed photos cost ¥1 each and can be requested when you order or after the item is stored, for things like a label, a seam or a measurement. Fine Photography is a separate service for high-definition shots to your own brief, with the product number specified. A parcel photo, one before and one after sealing, costs ¥5 per parcel. The confirmation page also offers a custom photo and a custom video as added services at the moment you buy.
Ask precisely. "More photos please" gets you more of the same angles. "Tag inside the collar, and the left shoe's heel from behind, in daylight" gets you the two pictures that decide the order. Whalebuy's homepage promised video QC from July to August 2026; whether it is offered on your order shows in the added-services column.
| Photo service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free inspection photos | Generally 3 ordinary photos: front, back, side or logo | Free |
| Detailed photo | Extra angles or measurements you specify | ¥1 per photo |
| Fine Photography | High-definition photos to your brief | Shown when you request it |
| Parcel photo | One photo before sealing, one after | ¥5 per parcel |
| Custom photo or video at order | Added service on the confirmation page | Shown at checkout |
Blind spots of the basic check
Knowing what QC does not cover stops you relying on it for the wrong things. Whalebuy's inspection rules exclude color difference, small sizing error and how an item performs in use. For electrical, digital and peripheral products, the quality, model and spare parts are outside the check. Sealed CDs, handmade items and adult products are judged from the outside only. A basic check is also not brand authentication or lab testing, and Whalebuy's own beginner guide says so.
Shoppers often shorten the decision to GL or RL, green light to ship or red light to send back. A red light only helps inside the return window and only if the store agrees, so make the call early. If you are unsure, ask the buying team through the Consult button with the photo number; a question costs nothing, an international return costs a lot.
