China Warehouse Workflow: Receiving to Dispatch

The warehouse stage: what to confirm before shipping

Quick answer: match warehouse receipt with the order, review available photos for visible discrepancies, agree any packing or consolidation, then check the measured parcel and complete shipping quote before dispatch. Photos do not establish authenticity, function or safety. For buying-agent orders, purchase-stage charges are paid before procurement; international freight is confirmed separately after warehouse receipt and parcel preparation and paid before dispatch. Each stage below identifies the record to check and the question to resolve.

General cross-border e-commerce market context does not establish a particular warehouse's check-in time, inspection scope or reliability. For your parcel, use the receiving record, order details, agreed services and current route terms. Keep questions in the order record so the next handling step can be confirmed.

If you are still picking a forwarder, start with our consolidation overview and our 10 questions buyers ask.

Stage 1: Parcel Arrival and Check-In

Hands wrapping a small item in protective film at the packing station

Before the seller sends a parcel, copy the recipient details from the current receiving instructions and keep the domestic tracking number with the order. After delivery, compare the carrier record with the warehouse receipt status; a signed-for scan does not by itself confirm that the order has been checked in.

Delivery record: check the domestic carrier's tracking number, last event, delivery address and date.
Receipt status: check the order's warehouse status and recorded items. This guide does not promise a check-in SLA or treat a missing update as proof of loss.
If the records disagree: give support the order reference, tracking number, seller and selected item details so receipt can be checked. Do not assume mis-attribution is the cause without confirmation.

For more on what happens immediately after delivery, see what happens after your parcel arrives.

Stage 2: Inspection and Photo Documentation

Confirm the visual-check scope for the order before relying on inspection. Compare the items that can be seen with the saved listing and selected options. Available photos can document visible receipt or packing details and support a question or claim, but they do not guarantee a remedy or customs clearance. Ask whether special views or checks are available and confirm any fee.

Discuss these checks where they are relevant to your item:

Options and visible quantities: compare the recorded model, colour, size and count with the order, and ask about anything that cannot be seen.
Visible condition: note damage, missing visible accessories, seal condition or marks on the packing. Appearance is not a performance test.
Restricted contents: provide specifications for batteries, liquids, magnets or aerosols and ask whether the actual route accepts them; a photograph is not regulatory approval.
Brand and model markings: record visible labels or numbers. Photos do not establish authenticity, material strength or safe use.
Useful views: identify the label, model, accessory or packing detail needed to answer a specific question. No fixed photo package is promised here.

For clothing or shoes, compare the selected size, colour and visible label. For electronics, compare the model marking and listed accessories; do not infer operation from appearance. Ask about any unclear detail before consolidation. Use the reading warehouse photos guide to structure the comparison.

Stage 3: Quality Issues and the Decision Tree

If a visible discrepancy appears, hold the unresolved item, save the evidence and ask about the available remedy. Eligibility, charges and seller or platform responses determine the next step; the examples below are not guaranteed offers or turnaround times.

Issue	Next step	Charges and scope to confirm	What to resolve before onward handling
Wrong colour or size	Compare photos with selected options; ask about an eligible seller exchange or return	Return delivery, service handling and any replacement charges	The seller response and the agreed item or parcel plan
Visible damage	Keep carton and item photos; contact support with the order record	The applicable remedy, claim process and any handling charges	Whether the item will be held, returned or forwarded under an agreed plan
Missing accessory	Check whether it was shipped separately; ask about the available remedy	Any additional seller delivery or handling charge	The expected contents and instructions for the incomplete order
Authenticity concern	Pause and seek seller/manufacturer evidence or appropriate specialist assessment	Availability, scope and fee of any extra assessment; no warehouse authentication promise	The accepted next step under applicable platform, service and route rules

For wrong-color situations specifically, see how to handle a wrong-color shipment. For damaged outer boxes, this guide walks through the repack-vs-return decision.

Stage 4: Storage and the Free-Day Window

The storage clock follows the order's recorded "Received" date, rather than the date you finish reviewing photos or decide to consolidate. Check the order's storage days before waiting for another seller.

Free period: the first 100 days from the date the order is marked "Received".
Paid period: USD $0.10 per parcel per day from day 101 through day 200.
Maximum: 200 days from "Received"; after 200 days the parcel is treated as abandoned and destroyed and is no longer available for recovery or shipment.

Wait only when the expected parcel changes the packing, compatibility or quote enough to justify the delay. Storage time can add cost, and the free-storage period does not extend a seller's return or exchange eligibility. Review the storage policy and the deadline shown in the order; ask support if shipment remains pending near a deadline. A request or payment alone does not establish when fees stop. Use the volumetric weight explainer when comparing prepared-parcel options.

Stage 5: Repack and Volume Optimization

Give a written item list and packing instructions before requesting consolidation. Confirm which goods can travel together and which boxes, labels or protective inserts should remain. An eligible consolidation may still require more than one parcel. Discuss these goals with the packing plan:

Review unnecessary space: compare measured packing options and the route's billable-weight rules; removing a box does not guarantee a saving.
Keep appropriate protection: ask which materials and handling are proposed for the item. A fragile label is not a substitute for a suitable packing plan.
Maintain accepted contents and documents: evaluate restricted goods and any separate parcel against the route and destination rules. Splitting does not itself make an item eligible.

Confirm repacking and materials charges before approving the work. Compare the finished-parcel quote with the alternative packing plan, including handling and any extra parcel charges. For the trade-offs, see the full repack analysis.

Stage 6: Final Approval and International Dispatch

Before carrier handover, resolve item questions and confirm the final parcel, route, recipient and charges. Do not assume a fixed review window is available. Record these shipment instructions clearly:

Carrier and service: the actual accepted route, tracking and destination coverage; a trade term such as DDP describes responsibilities separately from the transport service.
Protection: any selected insurance or handling service, its scope, price and applicable claims terms.
Customs documents: accurate item descriptions, transaction records and the valuation/classification requirements applicable to the shipment.
Measured parcel: final actual weight, dimensions and the selected service's billable-weight calculation.
Recipient details: complete address and reachable contact details, plus only the documents or identifiers actually required for the order and destination. Do not treat a seller's VAT/GST registration or IOSS scheme number as a universal recipient tax ID.

For buying-agent orders, purchase costs, domestic delivery and the service fee are paid before procurement. International freight is confirmed separately for the prepared parcel and paid before dispatch. Review the payment policy and resolve questions before proceeding. A payment confirmation or prepared label does not prove carrier handover; use the dispatch or handover update. Later changes or recalls depend on the carrier and shipment status, with no guaranteed result or universal fee. See the DDP comparison for import-responsibility questions.

Problems to check before approving the next stage

Use the following checks on your own order, without treating them as a measured ranking of warehouse failures:

Unresolved item mismatch: save the selected option and receipt evidence; ask about the eligible remedy before forwarding the item.
Unclear photos: identify the unanswered question and confirm whether another view or check is available, including any fee.
Storage deadline: check the "Received" date and remaining storage days, especially while waiting for a seller response.
Unclear packing instructions: specify fragile items and packaging to retain, then confirm the agreed handling and cost.
Incomplete declaration record: compare the product descriptions and transaction documents with the actual parcel, and resolve the required information with support or the carrier.

Keep a short decision record: the issue, supporting order or photo evidence, the question sent to support, the confirmed eligibility and charges, and the next instruction. Review it before approving packing or dispatch so an unresolved question does not become an assumed approval.

FAQ

Can I request the warehouse to weigh and measure each item separately?

Ask whether item-level weighing or measurement is available and confirm its scope and fee before relying on it. Identify which item's dimensions could affect the decision to combine or separate parcels. A final shipping quote still needs the actual prepared parcel and the selected route's billing rules.

What if the seller refuses to take a returned item?

Keep the listing, selected options, order and payment records, seller conversation and available photos. Ask support about the applicable seller/platform remedy and deadline, and use the official process while it is available. A photo or a refusal to confirm receipt does not automatically create a refund. Do not assume one return period applies across platforms, sellers or item types.

Are warehouse staff allowed to refuse my parcel for legal reasons?

Goods may be refused or held if they cannot meet applicable export, carrier or destination rules. Provide the product details and any requested documents so eligibility can be reviewed. If an item cannot be accepted, ask about the available return, removal or other handling options and their conditions. Do not assume a different carrier or a split parcel overrides a legal restriction.

Source: Statista - Cross-border e-commerce market data for sector-wide volumes.

Specialist inspection and basic warehouse visual checks have different scopes. A general inspection-service reference does not certify this parcel or establish the capabilities of a warehouse.

For restricted goods, use the selected carrier's current acceptance rules and the destination requirements. A category name such as batteries or liquids does not establish that an outbound service is available.

Last reviewed: October 12, 2026. Warehouse steps, notification timing and fees are adjusted, so follow the process shown in your account.

Related guides

If you are partway through the workflow, the stages still ahead are covered below.

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