Ten traps that cost the most

Ten mistakes that cost the most when ordering through SilkRoadSupply — picking on price alone, guessing your size, skipping consolidation, approving QC unread, and more — each with the safer move.

1. 1

   Read price, photo count and row notes together — clear information beats a low number.

   The cheapest row usually means one blurry photo, stale details, or a seller nobody has checked.

   Safer move: Choosing a row on price alone

2. 2

   Measure a garment you own flat and match it to the listing's cm chart.

   Sizing varies a lot between sellers, and China sizing often runs small.

   Safer move: Ordering your “usual” size

3. 3

   Declare the real order value and check your country's duty threshold before shipping.

   Declaration affects customs outcome and, in some countries, whether duty is charged at all.

   Safer move: Guessing the declaration value

4. 4

   Let items rest in storage, then consolidate them into one box.

   Separate parcels multiply the base freight charge you pay.

   Safer move: Shipping parcels one at a time

5. 5

   Zoom on seams, logos and hardware, and request extra angles while the item is still in the warehouse.

   QC is your last chance to catch a wrong colour, a flaw or a missing accessory before dispatch.

   Safer move: Approving QC photos without looking

6. 6

   Read the quote before paying so the landed total is never a surprise.

   The item price is only part of it — freight, service fee and customs come on top.

   Safer move: Assuming the price you see is final

7. 7

   Check the policy first and confirm your route accepts the item.

   Liquids, aerosols, batteries and branded knock-offs are rejected on many routes.

   Safer move: Ignoring restricted or prohibited items

8. 8

   Treat estimates as a range, not a date — don't time a gift to the day.

   Line-haul, customs and last-mile delivery all add variance to the timeline.

   Safer move: Expecting a fixed delivery date

9. 9

   Keep order IDs, photos and screenshots together where you can find them.

   Without order numbers, QC photos and chat logs, after-sales becomes guesswork.

   Safer move: Not keeping records

10. 10

    One message before dispatch beats a workaround afterwards.

    Most issues are still fixable before dispatch — rarely after.

    Safer move: Rushing past support

These are the issues reported most often, not official terms — checkout and SilkRoadSupply's policy pages decide.