Full public methodology
How we research &
review products
Every scoring criterion, every editorial rule, and every disclosure — published in full. We also tell you plainly what we do not do: our reviews are research-based, and we don't claim hands-on testing we didn't perform.
Methodology
Public
In full, on this page
Current
Scoring framework
Stores are scored across 5 weighted dimensions on a 0–10 scale, based on published evidence and verified reviews — not personal testing. The final score is a weighted average to one decimal place.
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Product Quality
30%
Signals evaluated
Manufacturer specifications and independent lab test results where available
Accuracy of product descriptions versus what verified buyers report receiving
Durability signals from long-term verified owners (90+ days post-purchase)
Authenticity signals: counterfeit complaints, grey-market sourcing flags
These are research signals from published sources and verified reviews. We do not personally test products — see §3 Research-based reviews.
Customer Service
25%
Signals evaluated
Response-time and resolution patterns reported across verified buyer reviews
Issue resolution: share of complaints reported as satisfactorily resolved
Escalation handling, as described by buyers when initial contact fails
Overall sentiment signal from verified community reviews
This dimension is based on published consumer data and verified buyer reports — not on support contacts we make ourselves.
Shipping & Fulfilment
20%
Signals evaluated
Promised vs actual delivery accuracy, from verified delivery reports
Packaging quality and item condition on arrival, as reported by buyers
Tracking reliability and communication on delays
International shipping transparency where applicable
Return Policy & Fairness
15%
Signals evaluated
Return window length and stated policy clarity
Ease of the actual return process, as described in verified buyer reports
Refund turnaround time from item receipt to credit issued
Hidden exclusions, restocking fees, or return-shipping cost traps
Pricing & Value
10%
Signals evaluated
Price competitiveness versus comparable products from other stores
Hidden fees: processing, mandatory upsells, surprise charges at checkout
Sale-price accuracy — whether "was" prices reflect genuine historical prices
Pricing is weighted lowest because "cheap" does not mean "trustworthy." A low-priced store with poor quality and no return policy scores poorly overall.
How each article is made
Every article passes through these steps in sequence before it is published. No step is skipped.
02
1
AI Phase
AI research & first draft
AI gathers manufacturer specs, published independent lab tests, pricing history, return-policy documents, and large samples of verified buyer reviews. It flags anomalies — sentiment spikes, policy changes, pricing inconsistencies, claim-versus-reality gaps — and produces a sourced first draft for the human editor to check.
Sourced first draft
Flagged issues
Source list
2
Human Phase
Human review & fact-check
A human checks the draft against its cited sources, removes anything that can't be verified, corrects errors, rewrites where the draft is weak, and decides the final recommendation. Claims the editor cannot verify against a source are cut — not published on trust.
Fact-check & edits
Source verification
3
Publish Phase
Disclosure & publish
Before publishing: a final check for accuracy, AI labeling, and affiliate-link disclosure. The editorial assessment is finalized, and any affiliate links are added only after that — never before. No store can pay for a better rating.
AI-assisted label
Disclosure check
Last-updated date
Research-based reviews — what that means
This is the most important disclosure on the site. All of our reviews are research-based. We are upfront about it, because a review that overstates how it was made is worse than none.
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What "research-based" means here
Our recommendations synthesize published evidence and real buyer experience — each cited so you can check it.
- Manufacturer specifications
- Hands-on testing published by reputable independent labs
- Large samples of verified buyer reviews
- Stated policies and published pricing history
- Sources cited on the page
What we don't do
We're equally clear about the limits of research-based work.
- We do not purchase or physically test products
- We do not make test contacts with customer support
- We do not claim "hands-on testing" we didn't perform
- Where we can't verify something, we say so
Important: we never present a review as if physical testing occurred, because we don't physically test. Everything is research-based and cited. If you see a page that suggests otherwise, please submit a correction.
| Review category | Type | What we base the review on |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics & gadgets | Research-based | Manufacturer specs, independent lab benchmarks (e.g. dedicated review labs), and verified owner reviews |
| Beauty & personal care | Research-based | Published formulation/ingredient information and large samples of verified buyer reviews |
| Apparel & fashion stores | Research-based | Stated sizing/return policies and fit, quality, and return experiences reported by verified buyers |
| Home & kitchen | Research-based | Specs, independent lab testing where available, and long-term verified owner reports |
| Digital / software stores | Research-based | Published pricing and policies, plus verified user reviews |
| Furniture / outdoor | Research-based | Long-term verified owner reports (6+ months post-purchase) and stated policies |
| Marketplace / multi-seller | Research-based | Platform policies and patterns across large samples of verified buyer reviews |
AI-assisted analysis
How AI is used in our pipeline — and the hard limits we place on it.
04
Verified review pattern analysis
AI reads large samples of verified buyer reviews per store — detecting sentiment trends, claim-versus-reality gaps, and recurring complaints that surface only in aggregate. We focus on verified reviews and discount obviously incentivised ones.
Policy & pricing monitoring
AI helps track return policies, shipping terms, and pricing pages. When a material change is detected, the relevant article is flagged for human re-evaluation.
Pricing history analysis
AI helps check whether advertised "sale" prices are genuine discounts or inflated "was" prices, using published price history. This feeds the Pricing & Value dimension.
First draft generation
AI compiles its findings into a sourced first draft for the human editor to fact-check, edit, and approve or reject. The published article is the human-reviewed version, not the raw AI output.
A human is responsible for every published claim
The editor checks AI claims against their sources. Anything that can't be verified is removed — not averaged in, not published on trust. The editor can rewrite or reject the draft entirely. AI findings are a starting point, never the final word.
Articles produced this way carry a visible AI-assisted label. There is no unmarked AI content on this site.
Editorial independence policy
Non-negotiable rules governing every article — regardless of affiliate status or editorial convenience.
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Editorial Independence Pledge
- No store, brand, or individual can pay to be reviewed, ranked higher, or reviewed faster
- Affiliate links are added only after the editorial assessment is complete and the article is published
- We do not personally test products; reviews are research-based and cite their sources
- Articles are published under the Trusted Buyer Report name, with the date of the most recent update
- AI-assisted articles are clearly labeled as such
- Advertisers cannot influence coverage or suppress a negative finding
- Where we can't verify a claim, we leave it out rather than guess
- Reader corrections are reviewed promptly; confirmed corrections are fixed and logged publicly
FTC & affiliate disclosure
Required disclosures under FTC 16 CFR Part 255 and the Amazon Associates Operating Agreement. Disclosures appear on every relevant page — not only in one sitewide document.
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Amazon Associates — Required Statement
Trusted Buyer Report is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, Trusted Buyer Report earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay. Affiliate commissions support this site but are added only after our editorial assessment is complete.
Page-level disclosure
Every page with an affiliate link carries a clear, prominent disclosure near the top — not only in the footer or a separate policy page. This meets the FTC requirement for clear and conspicuous placement.
No free products
We do not receive free products for review. If that ever changes, the material connection will be disclosed on the relevant article.
AI-content disclosure
AI-assisted articles are labeled with a visible AI badge. Readers are never left to assume an article was written without AI assistance when it was.
Assessment-before-link
Affiliate links are added to a page only after the editorial assessment is complete. Commercial relationships do not determine our findings.
- Affiliate relationships disclosed on every page that contains affiliate links — not only in a privacy or terms page
- "As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases" — present on all Amazon affiliate pages
- Any material connection, if one ever exists, is disclosed on the relevant article — not only on an About page
- AI-assisted content labeled at point of use — not only in a sitewide AI ethics document
- Disclosure language follows FTC 16 CFR Part 255 guidance, in plain English
For the complete affiliate disclosure, see our full affiliate disclosure page →
Update & freshness policy
Out-of-date information misleads shoppers. Here's how we keep articles current — honestly.
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We update an article when its products, prices, or policies change — and we date the update honestly. We do not refresh dates to look "fresh" when the content hasn't changed, because that helps no one.
Updated when things change
When a product is superseded, a price shifts materially, or a store changes a policy, we revisit the relevant article. The "last updated" date reflects the most recent substantive change.
Significant changes & reader reports
A significant change to a store (ownership, return policy, quality, pricing practices) or a confirmed reader report prompts a priority update, rather than waiting.
The "Last updated" date on every page reflects the most recent substantive review. We'd rather show an honest date than an inflated one.
Corrections policy
Factual accuracy matters. We respond to corrections and publish confirmed ones transparently — in-article and in the corrections register.
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How we respond
We aim to review every correction within 5 business days and reply with a decision: confirmed, declined (with a reason), or under investigation.
5
Business days — target
Public register
Confirmed corrections are published in our corrections register with the original claim, the corrected claim, and the date of correction.
- Corrections are noted transparently at the bottom of the corrected article — not silently overwritten
- A confirmed factual error is re-checked against its sources before an updated version is published
- Declined corrections receive a short explanation of why the original content stands
Found something wrong?
Please include the URL of the article and the specific claim you believe is incorrect.
Submit a correction
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