The twelve checks

Four groups, twelve lines. Print it, work down it, and record "not visible" where that is the honest answer.

Shape and silhouette (checks 1 to 4)

The group most visible in a photograph and most often skipped.

Outline against the listing image: is the toe box shape the same, or has a different variant arrived
Sole thickness and profile: compare the stack height with the listing, since this is where variants differ most
Symmetry between the two shoes: place them side by side and look for a height or angle difference
Toe box volume: does it look structurally the same, or collapsed and creased as though tried on

Materials and stitching (checks 5 to 8)

Visible surface quality. This group can find a defect; it cannot confirm composition.

Stitch density along the main seams, and whether any line wanders or doubles back
Panel alignment: do the overlay panels sit square to each other at the toe and heel
Adhesive residue or glue marks around the midsole join
Surface finish on any printed or embossed area: sharp edges, or blurred and off-register

Branding and labels (checks 9 to 10)

Consistency checks only. Nothing here establishes authenticity.

Label placement inside the heel and under the tongue, and whether the two shoes match each other
Spelling and logo geometry: look for lettering that is stretched, mirrored or differently spaced between shoes

Box, weight and dispatch decisions (checks 11 to 12)

The two lines that affect the bill rather than the item.

Box condition: crushed corners usually mean the parcel will need reinforcement, which is an added cost
Boxed or unboxed: decide before dispatch, because removing a box changes both the volume and the divisor applied to the parcel

Checkboxes work on paper; nothing is stored.

Run the volumetric calculator with the box and without it before deciding on line 12. On boxed footwear that difference is frequently larger than any discount on the item.

What this list cannot do

Four questions a footwear photograph is often asked to answer, and the honest response to each.

Questions beyond a photograph
Question	Can a photograph answer it?	What to do instead
Is this pair genuine?	No	Treat authenticity as unverifiable from images and price accordingly
Is the upper real leather?	No	Material composition is not visible; the listing claim is the only statement available
Will they fit?	Partly	A photographed insole measurement helps; your own foot length in centimetres decides
Will they last?	No	Durability is a function of use, and no inspection at a warehouse can forecast it

The third row is the only one where a photograph materially contributes, and only when the listing or the request produces a measurement.

Footwear-specific mistakes

Three errors that are specific to shoes, and each has cost someone a pair.

Judging a variant from a single image
A listing with dozens of styles shows one photograph. Confirm the variant you selected appears in the warehouse images before dispatch, because a different colourway is a different product.
Keeping the box without pricing it
The box is packaging, and on a bulky pair it can add more to the freight than the item itself cost. Decide deliberately rather than by default.
Trusting a size label over an insole figure
A photographed insole measurement is a physical fact about the shoe in front of you. The label is the factory's opinion, and on this category the two disagree often.

Footwear inspection questions

Four answers specific to shoes.

How many photographs should I ask for?

Enough to cover the twelve lines, which in practice means the pair side by side, each shoe individually, the main seams and the insole. Asking for a specific extra shot is more useful than asking for "more photos".

What is the single most useful check?

Line 1, the outline against the listing image. A wrong variant is the most common mismatch, the most visible one, and the cheapest to resolve inside the window.

Should I ask for a measurement?

If the listing does not give an insole figure, yes. It is the only check on this list that produces a number you can compare with your own foot.

What about a smell or an off-gassing issue?

Not visible in a photograph and not something an inspection can settle. If material odour is a concern for you, that is a property of the product category rather than something a QC image can resolve.

The shoes index carries the measurement fields

Recorded listings include source platform and reference price. Pair the checklist with the listing so the inspection has a claim to check against.

QC checklist for shoes