Confirm identity before judging the offer.
Open the link in a new tab. Check the destination domain, product identity, selected option, visible identifiers, and whether the photos and measurements still support the spreadsheet row. If the page now shows something broader or different, update the row as “changed” instead of forcing the old description onto the new page.
A working URL is not automatically a healthy source link. The destination must still support the product claim you are using it for.
The 90-second source-link check
- Look at the final destination. Did the page remain on the expected domain, or did it redirect somewhere broader or unrelated?
- Match the product. Compare category, silhouette, color, hardware, pattern, model details, and included parts.
- Match the option. Confirm that the size, color, bundle, or version still exists and can be connected to the row.
- Find one stable identifier. A product ID, specific title, option code, album name, or consistent image set is more useful than a vague label.
- Check the evidence you need. If the row depends on measurements, QC photos, or weight, verify that the destination still provides them.
- Record the result. Mark the link direct, broad, changed, blocked, or dead.
Five link states are more useful than “works” or “broken”
| State | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | The destination clearly supports the same product and option as the row. | Continue with photo, size, and cost checks. |
| Broad | The page is an album, store, category, or search result with several possible items. | Find a stable identifier before using it as evidence. |
| Changed | The URL loads, but the product, option, images, or important details no longer match. | Update the row and avoid carrying old claims forward. |
| Blocked | The page requires a login, region, app, or access step you cannot reasonably verify. | Do not guess what is behind the block; look for another source. |
| Dead | The page fails, returns an error, or no longer exposes a usable destination. | Drop or replace the link rather than repeatedly reopening it. |
A redirect can preserve the URL but lose the evidence
Some links redirect to a homepage, store, broad category, login screen, or replacement listing. The browser still shows a page, so the row may appear alive. Ask whether the final destination still identifies the item without relying on the spreadsheet thumbnail.
Usable redirect
The link moves to a new product URL, but the item identifier, option, photos, measurements, and category still match. Record the new destination.
Evidence-losing redirect
The link opens a store homepage or search page. The old item may exist somewhere, but the row no longer provides a direct, repeatable path to it.
Different source pages require different expectations
Useful for visual coverage
Confirm that the album identifies the exact item and option. Promotional images, mixed batches, and old folders may not support a current row.
Useful for option and listing context
Check the selected variation, title, visible measurements, included parts, and whether the listing changed after the row was saved.
Useful as a starting point
Treat it as a broad route, not a product-level source, until you can identify the exact destination again.
Useful for rediscovery
Compare candidate records, but do not assume every result refers to the spreadsheet’s original item or option.
Small mismatches that can change the decision
- The zipper, pocket, sole, strap, clasp, or included component differs.
- The size chart belongs to another model or a generic store chart.
- The row shows one color but the page defaults to another option with different details.
- The displayed price applies only to an accessory, deposit, or smaller bundle.
- The photo set mixes promotional images with a different physical item.
- The product title stayed similar while the destination identifier changed.
Do not treat a mismatch as proof of wrongdoing. Treat it as a reason the row no longer supports the comparison you intended.
Open unfamiliar links with a narrow purpose
Use a current browser, check the destination domain, and avoid entering account, payment, address, identity, or tracking information simply to inspect a spreadsheet row. If a page asks for unrelated permissions, downloads, extensions, or credentials, stop and return to a known route.
This site cannot verify external pages or recover accounts. The buyer-safety notes explain the boundary in more detail.
Update the row so you do not repeat the same check
Checked: [date]. Final domain: [domain]. State: direct / broad / changed / blocked / dead. Matched: [product and option clues]. Missing: [decision-changing evidence]. Action: keep / replace / drop.
A dated note is especially useful. Links can change again, and your future self should not mistake an old check for current proof.