From a Spreadsheet card to a Hipobuy parcel, with the terms in view
The usual buying guide, with one difference: at each step we show which Hipobuy document is in play and what it asks of you, from choosing a seller to reading QC photos.
How to use Hipobuy with the Hipobuy Spreadsheet, step by step
How to use Hipobuy with the Hipobuy Spreadsheet, step by step.
- Pick a card. Browse a category on the Spreadsheet page and open the listing.
- Register on Hipobuy. One checkbox, two documents: the Registration Agreement and the Privacy Statement.
- Paste the link and choose options. Size, colour and quantity; add a remark for the buyer if the listing is unclear. The product page carries the Notes Before Purchasing list of restricted items.
- Submit and pay. The agree line names four documents: the Service Terms, returns, the Disclaimer and the prohibited list.
- Wait for the warehouse. The beginner guide describes purchase within six working hours and scanning within 24 to 48 hours of arrival; stock, seller dispatch and warehouse workload can change the actual timing.
- Check the QC photos. Generally three standard photos; extra ones cost 1 CNY each.
- Submit Parcel and pay shipping. Two reminder links: the parcel agreement and the Tax Warning.
The steps are Hipobuy’s; the document labels are ours, taken from Hipobuy’s page tags. Our click map lets you tick the steps you have done.
How to choose a seller: the three-star line in the Disclaimer
How to choose a seller is a question Hipobuy’s documents answer directly. Item 7 of the Disclaimer, one of the four documents on the agree line, points you to well-reviewed shops rated three stars or higher that take payment through Taobao’s escrow. With a low-credibility seller, it warns, you may meet fake shipments, non-delivery or no after-sales service, and the loss is yours. The Registration Agreement repeats the three-star line.
In practice that means reading the shop as well as the item: the rating, how long it has traded, whether buyers’ photos match the listing photos, and whether the listing names a size chart and materials. If two shops sell what looks like the same item, a cheaper price at a shop below three stars is a risk the Disclaimer has already put on your side of the table.
How to choose an item the documents will not trip up
How to choose an item the documents will not trip up: check it against three lists before you add it. Notes Before Purchasing, on the product page, says tobacco, alcohol and contraband are not accepted, lists restricted items from kitchen knives and lighters to seeds, and limits medicine, liquids, creams, powders and cosmetics for export. The Prohibited Product Description, on the order page, has twelve classes, including precious metals and supplements. The Disclaimer warns that sensitive contents can be removed.
Two kinds of order need extra care. Custom-made items need your own arrangement with the seller and get no professional inspection. Deposit orders, common on Taobao pre-sales, cannot be cancelled once the deposit is paid, and an unpaid balance loses the deposit. Plain goods with a clear size chart and real seller photos are the easiest kind of item for every document on this map.
QC: what the warehouse check covers
QC is the warehouse check between purchase and parcel. Hipobuy’s rules for it say the team verifies the quantity, colour, size and other specifications of each product against your order, normally removes the domestic express box and repacks in Hipobuy bags, with exceptions for fragile or oversized goods. Shade differences, small sizing deviations and how the item performs are outside the check. Electronics are inspected for appearance and accessories only and are not powered on. Sealed CDs, handmade collectibles and adult products are not opened.
The QC photos are generally three standard shots: front, back, and side or logo. “Generally” is Hipobuy’s word, not a promise. Extra detail photos cost 1 CNY each, and custom photos and video can be added on the order. The Registration Agreement, for 1688 orders, describes the service as limited random checks, which is a narrower phrase than the general rules use; we print both.
How to check QC photos against the listing
How to check QC photos against the listing, in five passes. Put the listing next to the photos and compare the colour name, the size on the label and the count. Read the size tag in the photo: if the size is wrong, an after-sales request later needs a photo of the size label anyway. Then look for what QC does not cover, colour cast, small size errors and function, and decide whether you can live with them.
If a detail matters, such as stitching, a zip or a print, order an extra photo for 1 CNY rather than guessing. And decide inside the return window: five days, counted from the hour after Warehoused. Eligibility, seller agreement, exclusions and return costs still matter inside that window; ask before assuming a return is free.
Make acceptance of the goods a separate decision
Once the item is stored, read the QC pictures alongside the order. Check the label, colour, visible condition and number of pieces; request a specific measurement or close-up where needed. Ordinary visual inspection cannot certify authenticity or prove all functions. If the evidence does not settle your question, ask before moving on to parcel submission.
Buyer shorthand such as GL or RL is not a contractual return decision. Use the item enquiry to identify the mismatch and request the appropriate remedy under the seller’s and agent’s conditions. Do this while the relevant deadline is open. Removing original packaging or sending the goods overseas can change the options, even when the warehouse storage period has not expired.
Before you order: warnings already in the documents
Before you order, know the warnings that are already written into what you agree to. Sensitive contents, from essential oils to batteries and adhesives, can be taken out of an order. Fragile or oddly shaped items damaged in transit are at your risk. Losses from sellers below three stars are yours. Customs risks, including returns, fines and taxes, are borne by you.
One more sits on the parcel page itself rather than in a document: once a parcel has been packed, the packaging materials fee is non-refundable and a ¥10.00 operational fee applies to a cancellation, unless the platform caused it. Keep the platform complaint and any payment-provider claim distinct. Hipobuy’s chargeback notice names credit-card and PayPal chargebacks as triggering an account lock that pauses purchases, shipping and refunds; check the notice and your provider’s deadlines before deciding how to proceed.
Between QC and delivery: three checks that prevent confusion
- Storage is item-specific. Ordinary free storage is 90 days from Warehoused. Unmatched parcels have a separate 30-day period from receipt; combining items does not restart an older item’s clock.
- Choose the packed parcel. Use the goods, destination and box dimensions to compare eligible routes. A shipping estimate is not the final packed bill. Check optional protection and packing before paying, and retain any weight adjustment.
- Inspect and preserve evidence. Check delivery with the courier where possible. Receipt guidance has a local post-office report within two days after signing for damage/shortage not checked with the courier; after-sale guidance separately asks for proof within two working days and contains a 72-hour goods-issue clause. Insurance has its own 7/45-day clauses. Report promptly and confirm the procedure for your event.
Official records read 16 October 2026: storage, receipt information, after-sale evidence. These are different procedures, not a combined deadline.