Evidence for the box: QC photos, video, deadlines
Use each item’s warehouse evidence before shipping, then prepare the continuous unboxing record and applicable claim documents for delivery.
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What the warehouse records when items arrive
Every arriving item is inspected and photographed for you to view; problems are reported straight away, and 1688 purchases run on a separate QC standard (Buy For Me page, read 2026-10-10). The operator states the photo count two ways on one page: the service strip says "3-5 free QC photos" while the service paragraph says "unlimited QC images", both read 2026-10-10. This site quotes both rather than picking one.
The inspection is a general check: electronics are not function-tested unless you buy the recording service.
Reading QC photos like a claims adjuster
QC photos are the last evidence created while the item can still go back to the seller, so read them against the claim you might file later, in this order: label and size tag first, then stitching and hardware close-ups, then the measuring tape shot against the listing's size chart, then colour under neutral light.
Raise a visible purchase issue while the item is still in China and within the applicable seller-return conditions. Shipping a pre-existing flaw does not convert it into an insured transport loss. For a missing detail, send a precise question with the order and listing reference before submitting delivery.
The unboxing video, filmed before you know you need it
For missing or damaged items the plan requires a complete, unedited unboxing video: start before the tape is cut, show the shipping label and all sides of the package, keep every item in frame until the problem is visible, and keep the original file (help 118, read 2026-10-10).
Electronics raise the bar further: compensation for devices needs the paid video-recording service plus startup footage. One merged box means one video covers everything, and one missed video covers nothing.
Prepare the record before delivery day
Make a saved list of the order IDs and expected pieces before the parcel arrives. When recording the opening, show how the sealed parcel and its label connect to those contents, then bring each item into view. Keep the original file and the packaging. A short clip of an already-opened box cannot establish which stage introduced a missing item.
Separate the issue you are reporting. A visible wrong size in warehouse pictures is a purchase or seller problem to raise before shipment. Damage first seen at delivery needs the transport evidence required by the applicable protection plan. Shipping an existing defect does not automatically make it an insured transit event.
For an electronic item, ask about the required test and recording service before dispatch. A general appearance photograph cannot show that it powers on. The plan excerpt is a document checklist, not a guarantee that every claim or item is eligible.
Three days, counted from receipt
Claims go in within 3 days of receipt: missing items within 3 days, damage with video and report within 3 days, loss claimed when tracking confirms it (help 118, read 2026-10-10). The counter runs from delivery, not from when you got around to opening the box, which on a merged haul is the same moment for everything inside.
Checklist for delivery day: film the unboxing, photograph the label, weigh the box, compare contents against the submit list, and file the same day if anything is off.
- Film before cutting the tape; label and all six sides in frame.
- One continuous take until every item is out and checked.
- Report within 3 days of receipt, with the original file (help 118, read 2026-10-10).
- Electronics: paid recording service plus startup video.
The cheaper fix: returning to the seller in time
Before a parcel ships, flaws are a seller matter: return or exchange works when the seller accepts, the item has been in the warehouse under 7 days, and you pay the domestic return freight (homepage FAQ and help 144, read 2026-10-10). Orders older than 7 days move to negotiation.
Items the policy will not take back at all: replaced or altered goods, opened software and discs, and anything without purchase proof (help 80).
The return procedure, step by step
The written procedure is mail-first: email [email protected] with the order number and photos, CSSBuy contacts the Chinese vendor, then you ship back product, proof and packaging. International returns run "usually for a month or more" in the operator's own words (help 37, read 2026-10-10).
That month is the strongest argument on this page for the five minutes of QC photo reading above.
