What "with QC" means on a spreadsheet row
A row "with QC" carries a second link beside the product link: a page of photos taken when an earlier buyer's item reached an agent's warehouse. It exists to answer the question the seller's own pictures cannot, which is what the thing looks like in a plain box on a table. Some sheets include one for every row, some for a few, and many for none.
A QC link is a reference, not a verdict on your order. The photos show one copy, bought at one time, and your own item is inspected afterwards. Use the link to decide whether to order, then use your own set to decide whether to ship. If you want the mechanics of HooBuy's inspection scope, our HooBuy QC photos page covers it; this page is about what to do when the QC arrives attached to a spreadsheet row.
The row's QC link helps you decide to order; your own photos decide whether to ship.
The price list, with both photo limits
HooBuy's order form is newer than its help centre, so the figures below come from the form unless marked. All euro amounts use HooBuy's own rate of ¥6.91 per euro and dollars use ¥6.04, read on 26 October 2026.
| Extra | Order form price | In euros / dollars | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detailed photo | ¥1 each | €0.14 / $0.17 | 10 per item on the form; the help centre says 20 |
| QC video | ¥15 | €2.17 / $2.48 | 1 per item |
| Fine inspection | ¥5 | €0.72 / $0.83 | 1 |
| QC picture set | ¥8 | €1.16 / $1.32 | 1 |
The conflict between 10 and 20 is HooBuy's own. The help article on detailed photos says up to 20 at ¥1 each, while the service configuration behind the order form allowed 10 per item. Neither says which is current, and the form is what you actually click, so plan for 10 and treat 20 as unconfirmed. The form shows each price beside a struck-through "original" (¥2 for a photo, ¥30 for the video); that is HooBuy's promotional framing and may not last. The standard shots, usually three according to the help centre, are free.
Plan on ¥1 per photo up to 10, ¥15 for one video, and confirm anything above that.
Pricing a QC plan for one row
Extras are small next to the item, but they add up across a large sheet. Here is one row priced three ways, using an example hoodie at ¥180 (an invented price).
Light plan: 4 detailed photos = 4 × ¥1 = ¥4, which is €0.58 and 2.2% of the item price.
Video plan: 4 photos + 1 video = ¥4 + ¥15 = ¥19, which is €2.75 and 10.6% of ¥180.
Maximum plan: 10 photos + video + fine inspection + picture set = ¥10 + ¥15 + ¥5 + ¥8 = ¥38, which is €5.50 and 21.1% of ¥180.
For a ¥180 hoodie the light plan is sensible and the maximum plan is not. The balance reverses for a pair of shoes at ¥400 (another example price), where a video of the sole costs under 4% and can prevent a return that costs far more. Returns carry a fee on HooBuy's tier table and you pay shipping when the item has no quality fault, which our HooBuy returns page sets out. See also HooBuy fees for where these extras sit in a full bill.
Spend about 2% on photos for cheap items and more for items that are costly to send back.
Match the QC photos to the right item
The commonest QC mistake is to look at photos of a different listing. Spreadsheets reuse titles, and shops sell near-identical items under different IDs. Start from the ID: the HooBuy link has the form hoobuy.com/product/{0 for 1688, 1 for Taobao, 2 for Weidian}/{ID}, which we confirmed on 26 October 2026 with a Weidian item. The QC Photos tab sits on that page, next to a Purchase Record tab.
- Open the row's HooBuy link and read the ID and platform digit.
- Check the QC link or tab belongs to that same ID, not to a similar title.
- Compare the colour name, size options and yuan price with the row.
- Look at the Purchase Record to see whether the item sells regularly.
If the row has only another agent's link, run it through the HooBuy link converter to get the HooBuy address and the original marketplace link. Then use the photo as a standard against which your own set is judged.
An ID match matters more than a title match.
A QC checklist for spreadsheet rows
Tick these in order for each row. They apply to a QC link from a sheet and to your own set once it arrives. Items marked "ask" are worth a ¥1 detailed photo.
| Check | Hoodie | Jacket | Shoes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour against the row | Body and drawstring match | Shell and lining match | Upper and sole match |
| Size label | Neck tag shows your size | Inner tag shows your size | Tongue or insole size, both shoes |
| Seams and stitching (ask) | Cuff, hem and hood seam | Shoulder, pocket and zip tape | Upper stitching and sole edge |
| Hardware | Eyelets, drawstring ends | Zip runs, snaps | Eyelets, heel tab |
| Flaws | Pulled threads, stains | Stains, loose linings | Glue marks, scuffs |
| Measurements (ask) | Flat-lay with a ruler | Chest and sleeve | Insole length |
HooBuy states that inspection checks colour, size, large damage, stains, model and version number, not minor colour difference, thread details or actual fit. That is why the measurement and stitching rows say ask. Anything on the list that photos cannot show, such as how a zip feels, is a candidate for the ¥15 video. Also record the result in the "QC photos checked" column of our free HooBuy row tracker so you remember which rows you cleared.
Six ticks per row; two of them need a ¥1 photo to answer.
The 5-day clock and what QC protects
HooBuy's return rules give five days, or 120 hours, from the hour after the item is Stocked in or Stored. They also contain an odd detail: for refund requests after that window, if QC images were already provided, the seller may refuse and no refund is issued; if none were provided, a full refund is issued regardless. In practice, open the photos the day they arrive, and message support before the window closes if a row fails the checklist.
One limit to remember: QC only starts once the item reaches the warehouse. It does nothing for an order that has been paid but not bought. Our HooBuy order status page shows which statuses mean the item has arrived and which mean it is still waiting.
QC helps after arrival; the stage before it is where the risk sits.
Two habits that save the most
First, write the question before you buy the extra. "Is the left cuff frayed" is a question one ¥1 photo answers; "is it good" is not. A vague order gets vague photos, and you pay for each one. Second, keep the standard set and the extras together in one folder named after the item ID, so that if a dispute starts you can show what you saw and when. Both habits cost nothing and make the 5-day window far easier to use.
One question per photo, one folder per ID.
Paying for QC while HooBuy is on Hold
HooBuy is on Hold on this site. Its site, estimator and item pages worked on 26 October 2026, but between June and September 2026 Trustpilot and Reclame Aqui reviewers reported paid orders stuck at "Purchased" and refunds not arriving, and HooBuy answered 0% of the 30 Reclame Aqui complaints from 1 April to 30 September 2026. We could not verify those accounts. Details are on the HooBuy status page.
The sensible response is to pay per order: pay for each order and each parcel when you place it, add QC extras only to that order, and leave nothing in the HooBuy wallet. If a row passes your checklist but you would rather not rely on HooBuy, move it; the HooBuy alternatives list shows open agents. Or ask on WhatsApp through the contact page, send us the row and pay per order. The photo grid above, fed by repbuysheet.com, shows each row's picture only; it is no substitute for your own set.
Add QC to small orders, one question at a time.
What HooBuy buyers ask
How much does a QC video cost on HooBuy?
HooBuy's order form priced a QC video at ¥15 on 26 October 2026, which is €2.17 or $2.48 at HooBuy's own rates of ¥6.91 per euro and ¥6.04 per dollar. It is limited to one per item, and the form shows a struck-through original of ¥30. The help centre does not list the video, so confirm the price before you add it.
Is the maximum 10 or 20 detailed photos?
Both numbers exist. HooBuy's help centre says the maximum is 20 photos at ¥1 each, but the order form's service settings capped detailed photos at 10 per item when we read them on 26 October 2026. Budget for 10, which costs ¥10 or about €1.45, and ask support in writing if you need more.
Does a QC link on a spreadsheet row prove my item will match?
No. A QC link shows the item as it looked for an earlier buyer, so it proves the listing exists and gives you a visual reference. Your copy is inspected separately and may differ. HooBuy's inspectors check colour, size, large damage, stains, model and version, not minor colour difference or thread details.
What if the row has no QC link at all?
Look at the item page. HooBuy's page showed a QC Photos tab and a Purchase Record tab on a Weidian item we opened on 26 October 2026, so earlier photos may exist even when the sheet has none. If the tab is empty, rely on the standard photos taken at the warehouse, usually three, and order a few detailed ones.
How long do I have to act on QC photos?
Five days, counted as 120 hours from the hour after the status becomes Stocked in or Stored, under HooBuy's return rules. A later refund request is where QC matters most: with QC images already provided the seller may refuse and no refund is issued, while without them a full refund is issued. Check on the day they arrive.
Should I buy QC extras while HooBuy is on Hold?
Buy few, and only after the item has reached the warehouse. Extras are cheap, but QC photos only exist once HooBuy holds the goods, and the Hold concern is paid orders stuck at Purchased. Trustpilot and Reclame Aqui reviewers reported that between June and September 2026. Pay per order and keep each QC purchase to the one question you cannot answer.