How to Tell If Kakobuy Shoe Soles Are Separating
How to Tell If Kakobuy Shoe Soles Are Separating
When light-colored lines, tiny gaps, or localized glue marks appear on the shoe sole edge, what buyers most need to determine is not "does it look good or not," but whether this has already affected the connection strength, whether it's worth requesting additional photos, or whether they can proceed with shipping.
This article only discusses the visual assessment method for footwear in Kakobuy inspection photos and does not replace actual touching, bending, or wear testing. Kakobuy's inspection service mainly checks appearance information such as style, quantity, color, size, and model. Therefore, photos can help detect obvious abnormalities but cannot alone prove bonding strength or long-term durability. This article is compiled based on information available as of October 10, 2026. 🔎
Which risk category should be distinguished first for shoe sole edge glue separation?
"Glue separation" does not necessarily mean the sole has already detached. The shoe sole edge usually has a finishing line, mold seam, glue residue, and the boundary between the upper material. What really requires pausing shipment is a continuous opening at the joint, obvious delamination, or a visible deep gap between the sole and the upper.
The risks can be divided into three categories:
- Surface marks: only a small amount of glue lines, light-colored residue, or discontinuous small spots, with no significant gap at the joint.
- Suspicious gap: continuous dark line at the edge, partial lifting, or a gap visible from multiple angles at the same location.
- Clear separation: a long opening between the sole and upper, partial misalignment, or the connection structure no longer on the same plane.
The first category usually needs to be recorded, but should not be directly written as qualified; the second category should be supplemented with additional photos or request manual confirmation; the third category is more suitable to pause shipment first and confirm whether it can be returned, exchanged, or replaced with an alternative.
Which connection structures on the product page are worth recording in advance?
Before waiting for warehouse photos, save the structural information visible on the product page, such as the color of the sole edge, the boundary form between the upper and midsole, whether the heel has a layered construction, and whether the sole pattern extends to the sides.
The key point of recording is not to judge whether the material is genuine, nor to speculate on the glue formula based on images, but to establish a baseline for comparison after arrival:
- Whether the sole edge is originally straight, rounded, or has obvious layering.
- Whether there is a design color change at the boundary between the upper and sole.
- Whether there are decorative pieces, stitching lines, or structural turns on both sides of the heel.
- Whether the left and right shoes shown on the product page have the same finishing method.
If the product page images are low resolution and cannot clearly show the joint, it should be marked as "lacking baseline" rather than interpreting the blurry part as no problem.
How to observe the sole-upper seam in QC photos
When viewing QC photos, first look at the overall, then the joint, and finally compare left and right shoes. Do not start by enlarging only a suspected glue separation point, because partial enlargement can easily overlook whether the sole is overall skewed, whether the heel heights are inconsistent, or whether the upper is squeezed.
It is recommended to check in the following order:
- First confirm the left/right shoe and sole orientation to avoid mistaking different angles for structural differences.
- Check for continuous shadows around the sole. Shadows may come from shooting angle or actual gaps; they need to be judged in conjunction with other angles.
- Observe the toe, medial, lateral, and heel segments sequentially, do not check only the most prominent positions.
- Compare the edge width, color, and finishing line at the same position on the left and right shoes.
- Check if there are clear close-up photos to support the judgment.
If an abnormality appears only in one distant photo and cannot be confirmed from other angles, the conclusion should be written as "needs additional evidence," not directly judged as glue separation or normal.
How to label glue separation, gaps, and normal finishing separately
Unified labeling can be used to reduce misjudgment caused by different wording:
| Label | Observable phenomenon in photos | Suggested action |
|---|---|---|
| Surface glue marks | Small amount of glue lines or residue, but the connection boundary is continuous | Keep records and continue checking other angles |
| Suspected gap | Continuous dark line at the edge, partial lifting, or differences between left and right shoes | Request additional close-up photos and postpone final decision |
| Clear separation | A long visible opening between sole and upper, misalignment, or delamination | Pause shipment, consult about return/exchange or replacement arrangements |
| Unable to confirm | Blurry images, insufficient angles, or key positions blocked | Do not make quality conclusion, first supplement evidence |
"Normal finishing" can only mean that no clear abnormality is seen in the current photos, and cannot be equated with verified durability. Especially after the sole edge is subjected to bending, friction, and moisture, the static state in the photos may change. ⚠️
How walking frequency and road conditions affect durability judgment
The same edge marks carry different actual risks for occasional wearers and those who walk long distances daily. Frequent walking, climbing stairs, prolonged standing, and rough or wet roads all increase the chances of repeated bending and friction at the sole connection.
If mainly used for short-time, low-frequency activities, slight and discontinuous surface glue marks may not be enough to change the decision; if high-frequency use, long-distance walking, or frequent exposure to rain and complex road surfaces is required, the evidence requirements should be raised, at least confirming that there are no obvious openings around the sole, at the toe flex area, and at the heel connection.
This is not a guarantee of service life, but helps buyers connect "small flaws in photos" with "actual use risks." Content that cannot be confirmed from QC photos should still retain uncertainty.
Which shoe sole edge and heel angles need additional photos?
If existing photos are insufficient, the request for additional photos should be specific to location and angle, not just writing "please check the shoes." It is recommended to supplement:
- Close-up edge photos of the left and right sides of the toe.
- Continuous side photos of the lateral and medial sides of the sole.
- Front view of the heel, and left and right heel angle photos.
- Vertical close-up photos of suspected gap positions.
- Comparison photos of the same position on left and right shoes.
- Oblique side angle photos that can show the depth of the sole-upper boundary.
Also require stable lighting to avoid strong reflections or excessive shadows covering the seam. Do not ask the warehouse to prove bonding strength by forcibly bending, pulling, or disassembling, because this may change the condition of the product and is beyond what ordinary appearance inspection can reliably confirm. 📷
Which conclusions cannot be confirmed from photos alone
The following conclusions cannot be determined solely from QC photos:
- Whether the glue has fully cured.
- Whether the sole connection can withstand long-term bending.
- Whether the material itself meets a certain abrasion resistance grade.
- Whether the shoes are suitable for specific sports or complex road surfaces.
- Whether minor glue marks will expand in the future.
- Whether the product conforms to unverified brand, authenticity, or quality assurance claims.
Photos can support "what is seen," but cannot automatically support "what will happen in the future." This distinction is particularly important for high-frequency users. 🧾
Final action: ship, supplement evidence, or replace candidate
Decisions can be made based on risk and completeness of evidence:
- Choose to ship: the joint is continuous, no obvious openings from multiple angles, no significant differences between left and right shoes, and the usage scenario does not require high durability.
- Choose to supplement evidence: suspicious dark lines, partial lifting, concentrated glue marks, or no close-up photos of key positions.
- Choose to pause and consult return/exchange: continuous gaps, misalignment between sole and upper, heel separation, or multiple angles supporting the same abnormality.
- Choose to replace candidate: the connection structure of the product cannot be confirmed through photos, and the user needs high-frequency walking, prolonged standing, or faces wet and rough road surfaces.
When making decisions, simultaneously record photo angles, abnormal positions, current status, and unconfirmed items. This way, subsequent communication with customer service discusses specific evidence rather than a vague "feeling bad."
The final conclusion should include four points: what the current photos have found, what evidence is still lacking, what waiting or processing costs pausing shipment will add, and what connection durability risks continuing shipment may incur. When there is insufficient evidence, the safest decision is not to make a definitive interpretation for the photos, but to first supplement photos or pause.
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5. What are kakobuy's QC photos?
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