Start here
Match five things before keeping a source link: product identity, exact option, current images, price context, and the evidence that made the row useful. Treat any major mismatch as a new product, not a minor update.
Why a link can age while it still works
A seller can reuse a page, remove variants, replace photos, change quantities, or update pricing without changing the URL. A spreadsheet row may continue to look complete even after the destination has become a different decision.
That is why link verification is a comparison task. You are checking the live page against the row you planned to save, not simply checking for a successful page load.
The 60-second match check
- 01Identity: Does the title and main image still describe the same product type?
- 02Option: Is the intended color, size, model, version, or quantity still selectable?
- 03Evidence: Do the current images show the details the row relied on?
- 04Price context: Does the displayed amount belong to the intended option and quantity?
- 05Source continuity: Is the destination still the seller or album the row described?
Save a small evidence record
When a candidate reaches the shortlist, record the source URL, page title, selected option, visible price, size chart or specification, and the date you checked it. Save only the images or notes that explain your choice.
Source note
Checked: [date] · Option: [size/color/model] · Reason saved: [specific evidence] · Still unknown: [one unresolved question]
This is not proof of quality. It is a reference that lets you notice when the seller page or warehouse evidence later changes.
Different source types need different checks
Taobao or Weidian
Match the exact variant, seller images, size or specification details, and any visible domestic delivery note.
1688
Check minimum quantity, price tiers, variant units, and whether the headline amount applies to the quantity you intend.
Yupoo or photo albums
Use the album for visual context, then identify the item code, seller contact path, and matching transaction page where appropriate.
Search or category pages
Treat them as discovery surfaces. Open the product detail and confirm the current source before saving the candidate.
Turn a source link into a verification record
A useful check ends with a current destination and a dated note—not another unlabeled bookmark. If a converter is involved, preserve both the submitted URL and the final page.
For one candidate, record the source URL, the original link when available, the exact option, and the evidence that still agrees with the spreadsheet row.
Classify mismatches instead of arguing with them
Presentation changed
The layout or photo order changed, but the exact product and option still match.
Evidence changed
The price, image set, material note, or seller details no longer support the original comparison.
Identity changed
The page points to a different product, the required option is gone, or the destination cannot be verified.
Minor changes can be documented. Major changes require a fresh comparison. Blocking changes remove the row until a credible current source is found.
What a matching source still cannot prove
A matching page cannot guarantee seller conduct, product consistency, warehouse condition, authenticity, shipping cost, returns, or a successful outcome. It only confirms that your comparison begins from the intended live information.
Keep transactional and account questions in the official service involved. This guide cannot inspect an account, payment, order, parcel, refund, or support case.
Next step after the source matches
Return to the reason the item made your shortlist. Turn that reason into a QC question and a cost question. If neither can be checked, the row is still a research lead rather than a strong finalist.