Beginner Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them
Links, listings and the wrong item
Pasting the wrong or expired link. Marketplace listings come and go, and a link copied from an old spreadsheet or a screenshot may point to a sold-out variant or a different colour. Before you order, open the link yourself and confirm it loads the exact item, then set size and colour on that live listing rather than trusting the row's label. If it 404s or looks changed, search the item fresh in the spreadsheet instead of forcing a dead link.
Guessing size instead of checking measurements. Chinese sizing rarely maps cleanly onto your usual size, and the same "L" varies between sellers. Almost every listing carries a measurement chart in centimetres. Measure a garment you already own — chest, length, shoulder — and compare the numbers, rather than picking the letter you wear at home. Two minutes here prevents the most common return.
Skipping the checks that protect you
Ignoring QC photos. The single most valuable habit in agent shopping is studying the quality-control photos before you approve shipping. They are your chance to catch a flaw, a wrong colour or a mis-pick while the item is still at the warehouse and easy to swap. Do not rush past them; the QC-photo guide explains what to inspect.
Ordering prohibited or restricted items. Batteries, liquids, certain regulated goods and some replicas can be blocked by carriers or held at customs. Check whether an item can ship to your country before you buy it, so you are not left with something the warehouse cannot send.
The money mistakes
Not consolidating. Shipping each item the moment it arrives means paying international freight over and over. Let your finds gather at the warehouse and ship them together — one freight charge for the whole haul is the core saving of agent shopping, and the fees breakdown shows why.
Ignoring customs and tax. Your country may add import duty or VAT above a value threshold, and it lands after you have already paid for shipping. Budget for it from the start; the customs note explains how thresholds and declared value work.
Letting free storage expire. Warehouses hold parcels free for a limited window. Wait too long to consolidate and you can run into storage charges — or, worse, lose track of a parcel. Note when your first item arrives and plan the ship-out before the clock runs down.
Payment and currency slips
Currency and payment confusion. You pay in your own currency, but exchange rates and payment-method fees can make the final figure differ slightly from your mental math. Check which methods are supported and how the conversion is shown before you confirm; the payment and currency note covers the essentials. And remember the two-payment rhythm — freight comes at the second payment, so do not treat the first as the full cost.
None of these are exotic. They are the ordinary friction of a first order, and every one has a fix you control. Work through your basket with this list open, then gather your links in the live spreadsheet when you are ready to buy.