How Goodshelf tests products
The rules we follow when we compare products, what our tested-by-us mark means, and how we check outside evidence. No brand pays to be tested or ranked.
By Goodshelf editorial team ยท Last updated Oct 22, 2026
Why we test products ourselves
Most product claims come from the brand selling the product. Our tests add something a product page cannot: the same products used side by side, by the same people, under the same conditions, with every result published.
A test is only fair if the method would hold up whichever product wins. That is why we publish the method before testing starts.
The rules every test follows
- Method first. We publish what we will test, how, and for how long before testing starts, and date any change.
- Products we don't sell are included. A test limited to our own catalog can't tell you what is best.
- No paid placement. No brand pays to be included in a test, to be ranked, or to be featured.
- Bought at retail. We buy every product through normal checkout and turn down free product from brands.
- Flat-fee testers. Testers, including independent creators, get a flat fee agreed in advance, whatever the outcome.
- Every result published. Including products that did poorly, with the raw ratings available to download.
- Payments disclosed. Every payment, free product, or brand relationship is disclosed on the results page, as the FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) require.
- Versioned. If a manufacturer changes a product, the result applies to the version we tested.
What the tested-by-us mark means
A product gets the mark only when it was part of a published test. The mark links to that test and shows the test date, and it can't be added without a link to published results.
The mark means the product was tested, not that it won. The results say how it did.
Other checks on product pages
- Source confirmed: we confirmed the product comes from the brand or a distributor, and the note names which.
- Price checked and stock checked: when we last confirmed the price and availability with the supplier.
- Sources retrieved: when we last opened each certification or review we cite, to confirm it says what we quote.
Every check shows its date. If a page says a check hasn't been done yet, it hasn't.
How we use outside evidence
We cite certifications, expert reviews, and ratings from other organizations when they help you decide. Each one names who published it and links to the original, and we never fold it into a score of our own.
We don't publish customer reviews until we can collect them from verified buyers, and we never write, buy, or filter reviews.