Read the visible value first
Start with what a cell or link currently shows, and only that. Record the visible value as it is, not as you wish it to be. A visible value is a fact about the cell, not a fact about the item.
Read the label
Labels describe what a column or field is supposed to hold. They are part of the row’s structure, but they are not the item itself. Read them as hints, then confirm against the actual page.
Read the link
A link is a pointer. Read where it points, then open it to see where it actually lands. The label on the link is not the destination.
Read adjacent fields
Neighboring fields add meaning — a price next to its currency, a size next to its version. Use them to complete the context rather than to guess a missing value.
Missing is not an answer
When a cell is blank, leave it blank. Blank is not zero, not “free,” and not a hidden confirmation. Mark it as unknown and move on.
A worked read
- Visible value: a row shows a bag label and a link.
- Context: the price sits next to a currency column.
- Unknowns: the size column is blank — left unknown.
- Next step: open the link and re-check on the page.
Example anatomy — not a live listing.
Continue your review
Next, read prices with the price context guide, and images with the image context guide.