Okay, I’ve read enough threads to know that LJR, GX, PK, FK, CVW etc. are “batches”, but I honestly don’t know what a batch IS. 
Is it a brand? A factory? A quality level? And why does the same shoe come in like five batches? If that is your question too, see the thread on Same factory as retail.
Related threads: First time reading sneaker QC photos, QC photos: how they started and how they changed, TS1 Low Reverse Mocha.
Great question, and nobody ever explains it from zero!
A batch is a production version of a replica: a specific factory or production line’s take on a model. Different batches of the same shoe can differ in shape, materials, stitching and colour.
So is the batch name the same as the shop?
No, and that’s the most common beginner confusion. The batch is who made it. Shops and middlemen usually source batches and resell them. Several shops can carry the same batch. That’s why we discuss batches here and never shops.
Batch reputations are model-specific, too. A batch known for one model isn’t automatically good on another. In community guides, LJR is most associated with Jordan 1s, GX with Jordan 4s, for example. That says nothing about their other models.
And the tier thing? Top-tier batch vs entry-level batch? 
Roughly: top tiers aim for accuracy in shape, materials and colour. Entry-level batches get the general look with simpler materials and more flaws. There’s no official ranking. It’s community consensus, and it shifts.
And the names change over time: a batch that was the benchmark years ago may not exist any more today, or may have been overtaken. Old guides should be read with their date in mind.
So if a batch is “the best”, I can skip QC?
No. One of the clearest points from older threads here: restocks of the same batch can differ, and some batch names even cover a lower-tier “lookalike” version. QC the pair, not the reputation.
Beginner summary:
1. Batch = production version. Who made the shoe, on which production line.
2. Batch ≠ shop. Shops resell batches. The same batch can be found in many places.
3. Reputations are per model. Good on J1s doesn’t mean good on J4s.
4. Tiers are community consensus. Top-tier = accuracy-focused; entry-level = general look, simpler materials.
5. Names and reputations change. Check the date on any guide.
6. Always QC the actual pair. Restocks vary.
If you have two pairs from different batches, post them side by side; toe box shape differences show up quickly.
How to research a batch for a model: search this forum for “[model] + [batch]”, read the newest in-hand reviews first, and look at the QC & Legit Check threads for that batch.
This should be pinned!! Marking it. 
“Batch is who made it, not where you get it.” Finally clicked.
Agreed. Newcomers, read this before any batch comparison thread.