Guide
What the inspection description covers
An inspection is a look at photographs. That makes it genuinely useful for some questions and useless for others. Knowing which is which is most of the skill.
When an agent inspects an order, someone photographs the parcel and, sometimes, a few details. What you are buying with an inspection is a set of pictures — not a lab test, not an appraisal, and not a promise. The value is real, but it has a fixed edge. Here is where that edge falls.
What photos can reasonably show
| Photos can help with | Because it is visible in a frame |
|---|---|
| Right variant | Colour, pattern and printed model against the option you chose |
| Right quantity | Pairs, sets and accessories laid out and counted |
| Obvious damage | Tears, scuffs, stains, cracks, crushed packaging |
| Labels as printed | Size, article number and care text, read literally |
| Mis-picks | A different item than the one ordered |
What photos cannot settle
| Photos cannot establish | Why not |
|---|---|
| Authenticity | A convincing photo is not a chain of custody or an expert opinion |
| Material composition | Fibre, leather grade and fill are not readable from an image |
| Durability | How something wears is a function of time, not a picture |
| Electrical or mechanical function | An external shot cannot power on a device or test it |
| Fit | Only your body, against real measurements, settles fit |
| Safety or legal compliance | Neither is a visual property |
Read labels literally, not hopefully
A photograph of a size or article label tells you what is printed on that label. It does not tell you that the label is accurate, official, or matched to the contents. Treat printed text as a data point to check against your order, never as a verdict.
Ask questions the photos can answer
The useful move is to convert a worry into something a camera can resolve. “Is this real?” cannot be answered by a request for more photos. “Is the left shoe's medial stitching even, in a straight-on shot?” can. The photo checklist works through this category by category, and asking for a useful additional view covers how to phrase the request.