Do not make one URL carry four meanings.
A row may contain an original marketplace link, an image catalog, a converted or agent-facing link, and a Findsindex discovery path. Store each according to its role. This prevents a convenient browsing link from being mistaken for the original product source.
Original source
The marketplace or catalog location you want to preserve for later checks.
Browsing path
The category or search page used to discover alternatives.
Converted destination
A service-specific link that may depend on a current workflow.
Record a small source map.
| Field | What to record | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Source type | Taobao, Weidian, 1688, Yupoo, or other | Explains the kind of page, not its trustworthiness |
| Original URL | The unchanged source when available | Creates a route back if another link changes |
| Expected item | Plain product type and selected option | Makes destination changes easier to spot |
| Observed match | Title, image, option, or seller clues that align | Documents why you think the link is relevant |
| Open question | Missing option, unclear seller, stale image, or broken page | Prevents the row from looking complete |
Confirm product identity before comparing price.
- 1
Read the destination domain.
Confirm which platform opened before interpreting the page.
- 2
Match the item type and option.
Check that the title, images, color, size, or version still correspond to the saved note.
- 3
Separate seller details from product details.
Do not treat a recognizable platform or image album as seller verification.
- 4
Record the mismatch.
If the page changed, move the row out of the shortlist until the source is understood.
Plan for links to change.
Pages can move, products can be removed, variants can change, and converters can stop resolving. Keep a plain-language product note and the original source when available. A screenshot can preserve context, but it does not prove that a listing remains current.
When a link breaks, do not silently replace it with the first similar result. Mark the old row as stale, search the category again, and compare the replacement as a new candidate.
Important boundary
A working link is navigation evidence.
It is not independent proof of authenticity, stock, seller reliability, payment safety, fulfillment, returns, or future availability. Those questions belong to the current official page and the service involved.
Next: Learn how the same source can appear inside differently named agent spreadsheets.
Compare agent link formatsReview external-link safety →