Why a scorecard instead of a ranking
Rankings of sheets go stale in a week, and the person ranking them may not share your category. A scorecard lets you test the sheet in front of you. Ten checks, each worth 0, 1 or 2 points, give a total out of 20. The point is not the number; it is that every check has a concrete test you can do on a phone in about ten minutes, and that two sheets scored the same way can be compared.
Two terms first. A "row" is one product line. A "batch" is what buyers call a seller's version of an item; we never name makers or compare versions, only ask whether the sheet says what differs. Prices in examples are hypothetical and converted at LitBuy's own display rate of ¥1 ≈ €0.158 (27 October 2026), which is higher than typical bank rates.
A score you can repeat beats an opinion you cannot.
The ten-point scorecard
| # | Check | 0 points | 1 point | 2 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Date shown | No date anywhere | Date on the file only | Date checked on each row |
| 2 | QC column | None | Some rows, links dead | Most rows, two links open |
| 3 | Links open | 5 of 10 or fewer | 6 or 7 of 10 | 8 or more of 10 |
| 4 | CNY price shown | No price | Euro only, rate unstated | CNY price per row |
| 5 | Weights | None | Some rows | Every row, marked as estimate or measured |
| 6 | Sizes in cm | Letters only | Some cm tables | cm table or link per row |
| 7 | Invite-code tails | Hidden in links | Present, undisclosed | None, or disclosed on tab one |
| 8 | Categories | One long list | Tabs, unsorted | Tabs and a filterable column |
| 9 | Version or batch notes | None | Names only | Says what differs and why |
| 10 | Update cadence | No change since summer | Updated within three months | Updated this month, rules too |
Check 7 is the only one about the sheet's maker rather than its rows. Links with inviteCode= or ref= parameters usually earn their owner a share of the shipping you pay, and removing them does not break the link. That is a normal way for a sheet to be free to read; we ask only that it says so, which is why disclosure scores 2. The free sheet page explains the rules.
Ten tests, three marks each, none of them a matter of taste.
How to run the four tests that need effort
Six of the checks are visible at a glance: the CNY price, weights, cm sizes, the invite tails, the tabs and the version notes. Four need a little work.
- Links (check 3). Pick ten rows spread across the sheet, not the first ten. Open each in LitBuy: the page shows a CNY price, and a delisted item shows "The product has been removed from the shelves." Count the live ones.
- QC column (check 2). Open two QC links. A real one shows the item in the warehouse, usually 3 to 6 photos. A link that only repeats the seller's listing photos is not QC.
- Date (check 1). Look for a date column. If there is none, use the Google Sheets version history; the 2026 changes page lists dates that tell you whether a shipping note is current.
- Cadence (check 10). Version history again: when were rows last changed, and did the last edit follow LitBuy's June, October and September rule changes?
The row check guide goes deeper on one row at a time, while the QC finder shows where genuine pre-purchase photos come from.
Sample ten links across the sheet and open two QC links; that covers two checks honestly.
Worked example: scoring a hypothetical sheet
Take a made-up Google Sheet with 400 rows, shared from a link page. It has a date at the top of the file but no per-row date, so it scores 1 on check 1. There is no QC column, so 0. Out of ten sampled links, seven open, so 1. It shows CNY prices, so 2. It has no weights, so 0. Some rows link to a size table in cm, so 1. Links carry invite tails and the sheet says nothing about them, so 1. Tabs by category and a filter column give 2. Item names carry short version notes without detail, so 1. The last edit was two months ago, so 1.
Scoring the hypothetical sheet, point by point
1 Date shown (file only)1
2 QC column (none)0
3 Links open (7 of 10)1
4 CNY price shown2
5 Weights (none)0
6 Sizes in cm (some)1
7 Invite tails (present, undisclosed)1
8 Categories (tabs and filter)2
9 Version notes (names only)1
10 Update cadence (two months)1
Total: 10 of 20 = 50%10
This sheet is usable for ideas, not for planning a parcel. The two zeroes, QC and weights, are the ones that matter most for a euro total, because without weights you cannot pick a shipping band. The mistake to avoid is trusting the 400 rows because the sheet is long. A short sheet with weights, per-row dates and a QC link on every row would beat it. The gap can be closed by one person in an afternoon with the spreadsheet template.
A long sheet with no weights and no QC link scores only half marks.
What the missing columns cost you in euros
Weights decide shipping, so a sheet without them leaves the biggest cost blank. LitBuy's estimator priced 1 kg to Germany on LIT-Economy-DHL-DE at €30.42 all-in and 500 g at €23.08 on 27 October 2026. An item you assumed was in the lower band but isn't costs the difference. Here is the effect on a hypothetical ¥120 item.
A ¥120 item to Germany: guessing 0.4 kg versus a real 0.75 kg
Item: ¥120 × 0.158€18.96
If it weighs 0.4 kg: 500 g band all-in€23.08
If it weighs 0.75 kg: 1,000 g band all-in€30.42
Total at 0.4 kg: €18.96 + €23.08€42.04
Total at 0.75 kg: €18.96 + €30.42€49.38
The weight guess alone moves the total by €7.34. Our planning weights (hoodies 0.75 kg, tees 0.25 kg, jeans 0.70 kg) are estimates, not measurements, and the real figure appears only when LitBuy weighs your parcel. See the combine-parcels guide for a way to see the real weight before paying.
A weight column is worth more than a long list because it fixes the biggest cost.
Reading version and batch notes without brand talk
Sheets use "batch" or "version" for two or more listings of what looks like the same item. A note is useful when it says something you can check: the fabric weight in GSM, the length of the sleeve, whether the lining is fleece, the store's age or the price gap. A note that only says "best" tells you nothing. The best-quality page shows the signals we would look at in photos and measurements: stitching, material words in the Chinese title, sample photos in daylight and the seller's shop history.
You can also ask LitBuy for extra custom QC photos at ¥1 each, about €0.16 at the display rate, which turns a vague note into a measurement. We give no ranking of versions, and we do not compare makers.
A batch note earns points only when it says what differs.
What a total tells you
Treat the total as a band, not a verdict. Sixteen to twenty means you can plan a parcel from the sheet after a spot check. Twelve to fifteen means the rows are good leads but the euro column should be rebuilt by you. Under twelve means use it for ideas only. Whatever the score, write the date you scored it next to the total, because a sheet that earned 17 in October can drop to 9 by the time the next shipping notice lands. The score belongs to the day you ran the tests, not to the sheet forever.
Sixteen is a keeper, twelve is a lead list, and anything lower is inspiration.
Use the scorecard on a sheet you already have
Pick the sheet you use most and score it now. If it lands under 12, treat its rows as leads and take the euro total from this site's LitBuy spreadsheet library or your own copy. If it lands at 16 or more, keep it, date it and re-test the links once a month. The sheet directory explains what to expect from each source type before you score it.
Score it, label it with the date and keep only what passes.
Questions about choosing a good LitBuy spreadsheet
Which is the best LitBuy spreadsheet in 2026?
No single list wins for everyone, because the right sheet depends on the category you want and how recently somebody checked it. A sheet that scores 16 or more out of 20 on the scorecard below is a strong starting point. A hypothetical sheet with a file date only, no weights and no QC column scores 10 here, which we would call usable only for ideas.
What does 'best batch' mean on a sheet?
Buyers use batch to mean a seller's version of an item, such as one factory run or one store's listing of the same style. A batch note in a sheet is useful only when it says what differs: fabric weight in GSM, stitching, size cut or price. We do not rank batches or name makers. Judge a version by the photos and measurements in the row.
How many dead links are acceptable in a sheet?
Test ten links. If eight or more open to a live product with a price, the sheet scores 2 on the links check. Six or seven earns 1, and five or fewer scores 0. On 27 October 2026 the six Weidian rows we opened through LitBuy's product URL all showed a CNY price, so a clean sheet is realistic.
Does a QC column mean the item is good?
No. It means somebody pasted a QC link or note for the row. LitBuy's routine QC set is generally 3 to 6 photos, and it does not cover colour difference, size error or electronics function. Open two of the QC links yourself and compare them with the size table. A column full of blanks scores 0.
Is an invite code in a link a bad sign?
Not necessarily. Links often carry a parameter such as inviteCode that earns the sheet's maker a share of your shipping, and LitBuy offers its welcome coupon to all new users anyway. A sheet that says so on the first tab earns 2. One that hides it scores 0. Removing the tail does not break the link.
How often should a good sheet be updated?
At least monthly for rows, and again whenever LitBuy changes a shipping rule. 2026 had several: a flat €3 per EU parcel on 24 June, a €2 EU processing fee on 25 October and a tariff prepayment that rose from ¥24 to ¥40 by 27 October. A sheet with no change since summer scores 0 on cadence.