Six categories, read as hunting grounds

Good for: The listing shows the size tag and outsole, and the seller's history is consistent.

Confirm: That the tagged size matches what the listing claimed.

QC focus: Ask for the size tag and outsole before committing.

Trap: Brand stock photography with no warehouse images — the most common false find.

Good for: Grams per square metre are stated, and the fleece backing is photographed near.

Confirm: The stated weight before treating the find as a bargain.

QC focus: Check the fleece backing and ask for a weighed figure if it matters.

Trap: Weight omitted entirely, which is how a promising find turns into a disappointment.

Good for: Lining and fittings each get their own frame; the fill is stated.

Confirm: Packed volume, since jackets dominate freight.

QC focus: Request a lining frame and a close shot of the fittings.

Trap: Outer-only photography that hides a thin lining.

Good for: A measurement chart in centimetres rather than a letter size alone.

Confirm: Waist and inseam in centimetres.

QC focus: Check the tag against your own tape measure.

Trap: Letter-only sizing, the most common way a find fails.

Good for: Composition is stated, with collar and hem stitching photographed close.

Confirm: Composition and weight, not simply the price on the row.

QC focus: Ask for a collar close-up.

Trap: One distant photograph at a price that seems too cheap.

Good for: Materials are written out and the fittings are photographed near.

Confirm: That branded pieces are ones you can declare without trouble.

QC focus: Magnify the stamp, the clasp and every line of stitching.

Trap: The category where branding is most often wrong.