Methodology & editorial policy
What the score is actually judging
Bottom line
Price matters. So do shipping, condition, the seller, returns, and what is in the box.
Updated August 31, 2026 · PriceGleam
The five score inputs
30%
Is the price really good?
We compare the exact product with other current offers. A crossed-out seller price gets less credit than several matching listings.
25%
What will it cost to arrive?
Free shipping helps. Expensive or unknown delivery hurts.
20%
What condition is it in?
New, used, open-box, and refurbished are different purchases. The listing should say which one.
15%
Who is selling it?
We check the seller and whether the page gives you enough detail to judge the offer yourself.
10%
Can you return it—and is it complete?
Warranty, returns, chargers, accessories, and missing pieces can erase the savings.
We do not take the sale badge at face value
If the only comparison is the seller's crossed-out number, the price can earn only half of the available points. Three or more matching live listings count for more. Four tight matches count for the most.
This keeps a wild “was” price from carrying the whole score. A deal with seller-only price evidence cannot reach 90, even if everything else looks perfect.
Show the exact comparison rules
High: at least four active listings for the same product, condition, and meaningful variant. Their range must be within 25% of the median after outliers are removed.
Medium: at least three exact matches, with a range within 45% of the median.
Low: anything weaker, including a seller-supplied crossed-out price. The price portion uses a 1×, 0.75×, or 0.5× multiplier for high, medium, or low reference confidence.
What the score does not prove
A high score does not guarantee stock or mean the product is right for you. “Recently checked” means we reviewed the listing details recently. It does not mean we tracked every price for 90 days.
Retailer data can be delayed. Confirm the final price, shipping, tax, availability, warranty, and returns before paying.
How editorial selection works
We want useful products, honest condition notes, and a return path that will not punish you. We read the retailer page, seller terms, shipping, returns, warranty, and included-item details. We do not pretend this is a hands-on product review. Retailers cannot buy a higher score.
We do not build the feed around rumored price errors. A surprising price needs an ordinary path to checkout—a live listing, the correct option, or a real coupon—and enough protection to make the order worth attempting. A retailer can still change stock or cancel an order, so we never promise fulfillment.
Some links earn PriceGleam a commission. That relationship never guarantees placement.
For approved retailer programs, we use the links, product data, prices, promotion terms, and creative supplied through the program.
Corrections and expired offers
Prices move. A retailer page may change before our next check, so we update or remove a listing when we find a meaningful error.
PriceGleam counts when a retailer button is seen and when it is clicked. This helps us improve the site without collecting device-local preferences or saved product links.
Our publishing standard
- Show condition and shipping context near the price.
- Label affiliate relationships clearly before the outbound link.
- Separate visible listing markdowns from true price-history claims.
- Use original explanations instead of copying retailer descriptions.
- Explain how an unusually low price is reached; do not promote screenshot-only glitches.
- Correct material errors and say what we could not verify.
SHOP SMARTER
Read the PriceGleam buying guides →