How we label prices and sellers
Every label on this site comes from published rules, and this page is generated from the same configuration files those rules run on. We show verifiable facts and clearly described methodology outputs. You draw the conclusion.
Two separate axes
We describe each offer on two independent axes: seller standing (what we have documented about the seller) and price signal (how the price compares with our reference prices). We never combine them into a single score, grade or verdict. A great price from a seller we haven't reviewed is shown as exactly that.
Seller standing
Standing is a statement of documented facts about a seller, and each tier says what it rests on.
- Established retailer: Operating since [since_year], with a published return policy and a long public review record. Not confirmed as authorized by [brand].
- Marketplace seller · long history: Third-party seller on [platform] with [feedback_count] ratings since [since_year].
- Marketplace seller · limited history: Third-party seller on [platform] with a short or small rating history. Check the seller's return policy before buying.
- Not yet reviewed: We haven't reviewed this seller yet. This isn't a judgment either way.
"Not yet reviewed" is neutral. It means we haven't looked yet. It is not a judgment either way, and no tier on this site is a negative one.
Brand authorization
A seller is shown as authorized for a brand only when we hold a stored evidence link from that brand, and Brand evidence older than 180 days is not shown until we check it again. The label always matches what the evidence says:
- Authorized for [brand] (brand's retailer list): Listed by [brand] as an authorized retailer. Checked [verified_date].
- Authorized for [brand] (brand's store locator): Listed in [brand]'s own store locator. Checked [verified_date].
- Listed by [brand] (listing in brand's store locator): Appears in [brand]'s own store locator. Checked [verified_date].
- Authorized for [brand] (brand's own store): [brand]'s own store.
- Authorized for [brand] (distributor): Documented [brand] distributor relationship. Checked [verified_date].
Where we have no evidence, we say only that authorization is not confirmed for that brand. Store-locator evidence counts for a retailer's website only when the same company operates both the stores and the site. A brand's own store is the only case where we rely on the brand being the seller itself.
Established retailer
A retailer is shown as established when all of these are documented:
- operating for at least 5 years;
- a published return policy and a physical business address;
- at least 1000 independent public reviews, counted per company across independent platforms. This is a volume measure only. There is no rating cutoff.
Marketplace sellers
Standing on a marketplace belongs to the individual seller account, never to the platform. A long-history tier requires an account at least 2 years old, at least 500 ratings and a positive rate of at least 97%.
First-party facts only
Standing uses facts we can source: company filings, the seller's own published policies, the brand's own pages and public review counts. Reviews on our site never change a seller's standing, and neither does anything a seller pays us.
Price signal
The price signal compares a listing's price per milliliter, including reported shipping, with a reference price built from the last 90 days of observations. We need at least 8 observations from at least 2 sellers before we show a comparison. Each seller counts once, using the median of its own observations, so a seller we check daily can't outweigh one we check weekly.
| Signal | When it appears | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Not enough price history yet | fewer than 8 observations or fewer than 2 sellers in the last 90 days | We need more observations from established retailers before we can say what a typical price is. |
| Above typical price | more than 10% above the typical price | [pct]% above the 90-day typical price of [typical_price] at established retailers. |
| Typical price | within 10% of the typical price | Within 10% of the 90-day typical price of [typical_price]. |
| Good price | below the typical band, up to 25% below the typical price | [pct]% below the 90-day typical price of [typical_price]. |
| Great price | more than 25% below the typical price | [pct]% below the 90-day typical price of [typical_price]. |
| Lower price · [reason] | more than 30% below the reference floor, with a stated reason | [pct]% below the typical price. The listing indicates: [reason_detail]. |
| Unusually low price | more than 30% below the reference floor, with no stated reason | [pct]% below the 90-day typical price of [typical_price] at established retailers, and we couldn't find a stated reason (such as tester or unboxed). Before buying, check the seller's return policy and history. |
Reference prices
The typical price is the median of seller medians at authorized and established retailers. The floor is the 10th percentile of established sellers' medians. We are introducing two reference sets, one for retail and one for discounters, with our first price data. Savings are measured only against our own reference prices, never against a "was" price or the highest listed price.
Reasons for a lower price
A low price is never treated as evidence on its own. Before labeling a price, we check for stated reasons. When one applies, it is shown next to the price.
| Reason | What it means | Deal feeds |
|---|---|---|
| tester | sold as a tester (often no cap or plain box) | excluded |
| unboxed | sold without the retail box | excluded |
| used or partial | pre-owned or partially used | excluded |
| from a gift set | taken from a gift set | excluded |
| older stock | discontinued or older production | not excluded |
| promotion | a clearance or promotional price | not excluded |
| travel size | a miniature or travel size | not excluded |
| under review | this listing may not match the size or concentration shown, so we're double-checking it | not excluded |
A price more than 30% under the floor with no stated reason is labeled neutrally as unusual. We don't promote it, and it is not a deal.
Deal eligibility
A listing appears in deal feeds and alerts only when all of these hold:
- the price signal is one of: Good price, Great price;
- the seller standing is one of: Authorized for [brand] or Listed by [brand], Established retailer, Marketplace seller · long history;
- the condition is new, and the title or description does not say otherwise (a listing whose text says tester, unboxed, used or gift set is not a deal);
- none of these reasons apply: tester, unboxed, used or partial, from a gift set;
- the product match confidence is at least 90%.
Fair comparison and total cost
- Offers are grouped by size. Size is shown on every row in both ounces and milliliters, with price per ounce and per milliliter.
- Testers, unboxed items, gift-set components and decants are never ranked with new full bottles unless they are labeled.
- Every row shows price plus shipping equals total. Where a seller's shipping isn't stated, we say "Shipping not stated" instead of showing zero. Tax is shown as before tax.
- Delivery speed is the seller's stated handling and shipping time, labeled as theirs.
- There is no single "best" badge. We offer defined labels you choose between: lowest total price, fastest delivery, and lowest from an established seller.
Commission transparency
We may earn a commission on some links. Wherever we show listings, each one says whether we earn on it ("We earn a commission" or "No commission"). Commission never affects ordering or labels, and the ranking code does not read commission data. Any retailer can be listed for free, with no commission. See the coverage page for who is included.
Reproducibility
Every label we show on price pages is stored with its inputs, the time and the methodology version, so any label can be reproduced. The current methodology version is 2026.10.3. Any change to a threshold or rule creates a new version.
Corrections
If a fact is out of date or wrong, request a correction. Sellers and brands are welcome to send evidence.