Review policy
How we review
The rules we follow, in plain language, so you can judge our judgement.
- 1
Quality
Materials, construction and whether the product matches its listing after weeks of real use.
- 2
Value
What you get for the price, compared with two or three alternatives at similar budgets.
- 3
Service
How fast and how helpfully the store answers a real question we send before buying.
- 4
Shipping & Returns
Delivery speed, packaging, and how painless the returns process is when we test it.
Our process#
- Choose. We pick stores from reader requests, best-seller lists and our own shopping. Nobody can pay to be reviewed.
- Buy. We purchase products at full price, as an ordinary customer, from the store’s normal checkout.
- Test. We use products for at least two weeks, and usually four to twelve. For consumables, we finish at least one full unit.
- Contact. We send a real pre-sale question to support and record how long and how helpfully the reply arrives.
- Return. Where a return window exists, we test it by returning at least one item on or close to the last permitted day.
- Score and edit. Two editors agree the final scores. Authors do not score products they have a personal connection with.
Our scoring scale#
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 4.5 – 5.0 | Exceptional. We would buy again without hesitation. |
| 4.0 – 4.4 | Very good. Small flaws that are unlikely to spoil the experience. |
| 3.5 – 3.9 | Good, with real trade-offs. Read the cons before buying. |
| 3.0 – 3.4 | Average. Fine if the price is right or nothing else fits. |
| Below 3.0 | We would not recommend it. |
Independence and affiliate links#
Some links on Topicnix are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never influence scores, rankings or which stores we cover, and stores cannot see our review before it is published. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
Corrections and updates#
Prices, products and policies change. Every article shows the date it was last updated, and we re-test popular stores at least once a year. If you spot a mistake, tell us. We fix factual errors promptly and note significant corrections at the foot of the article.
Health information#
We review stores and products, not treatments. Nothing on this site is medical advice. If you have a health, sleep or mental-health concern, speak to a qualified professional.