Editorial standards
The rules we hold ourselves to — what our recommendations are based on, and what we’ll never do for money.
How are products discovered?
We monitor product conversations and momentum across social platforms, online communities, and Amazon’s own trending and best-seller lists. Discovery tools cast the net; they never decide what gets published.
How are products evaluated?
Depending on the category, our recommendations may be based on hands-on evaluation, expert reviews, verified customer feedback, product specifications, price comparisons, or a combination of these sources. Every candidate is scored for usefulness, quality signals, price, and audience fit — then a human editor makes the final call.
Does the team physically test every product?
No, and we won’t claim otherwise. Products we have personally used are labeled “Hands-on tested” or “Team-owned.” Everything else is labeled for what it is — see the labels below.
How are customer reviews used?
We read reviews for recurring, verifiable themes (a hinge that breaks, a strap that lasts) rather than star averages. We never copy Amazon customer reviews onto this site or present other people’s opinions as our own.
How are prices considered?
Prices are re-verified against Amazon on an ongoing basis. If a price hasn’t been verified within 24 hours, we hide it and show “current price on Amazon” instead of guessing. A product that stops being worth its price stops being recommended.
Can brands pay for placement?
No. There are no paid placements, sponsored picks, or fees to be featured. Submitting a product for consideration is free and does not guarantee coverage.
Does things.com receive free products?
Our recommendations are currently based on products we find independently. If a brand ever provides a sample, the recommendation will say so explicitly.
How often are recommendations reviewed?
Availability and pricing are checked automatically throughout the day; products unavailable for an extended period are removed automatically. Editorial picks are revisited as categories are updated, and every product page shows its published and updated dates.
How are corrections handled?
If we got something wrong, we fix the page, update its date, and — for substantive errors — note the correction. Report anything via the contact page (choose “Correction”). See the corrections policy.
How does things.com make money?
Amazon affiliate commissions only — details in the affiliate disclosure. Commissions never influence which products are selected.
The labels on our products
Each product page carries a label describing how that specific recommendation was made:
- Hands-on tested
- An editor personally used the product before recommending it.
- Researched recommendation
- Based on verified listing data, specifications, price history, and recurring themes in customer feedback — not personal use.
- Team-owned
- Someone on the team owns it and keeps choosing to use it.
- Community favorite
- Consistently recommended across independent communities we monitor.
- Trend watch
- Currently surging in popularity; we explain the moment, not just ride it.