How Trust Scores Work on MeekDeals
A transparent breakdown of the six factors behind every MeekDeals trust score — what's weighted, what's ignored, and why.
The six factors at a glance
Each vendor is scored across six dimensions. No single factor can carry a vendor — and no single weakness sinks one. The score is the weighted blend.
Transparency
Public disclosure of legal entity, sourcing, manufacturing, and batch-level documentation by default — not on request.
Independent verification
Batch-specific COAs from ISO 17025–accredited labs, plus willingness to participate in third-party retests.
Community feedback
Depth and recency of independent reviews across the platform and external communities.
Review quality
Reviews that name batches, describe protocols, and include both pros and cons are weighted higher than star count alone.
Vendor responsiveness
Public, on-the-record responses to disputes, with a measured response window and resolution rate.
Trust signals & longevity
Years of consistent operation under one brand, claimed and verified profile, and absence of red-flag patterns.
Transparency scoring
Transparency is the largest single input — and the only one that gates everything else. A vendor with no public sourcing, no batch documentation, and no named legal entity cannot score above the bottom band, regardless of how good their reviews look. We score transparency by checking what's published by default versus what's only available on request, and how specific each disclosure is. Naming a manufacturer is worth more than 'sourced from a certified facility.' A batch-level COA is worth more than 'we test every batch.'
Community feedback
Reviews are the heartbeat of the score, but they're not all equal. We aggregate signals from on-platform reviews and surfaced mentions across independent communities. Volume alone moves the needle slowly; depth and recency move it faster. A burst of identical five-star reviews triggers a review-quality penalty, not a boost. The score is designed so that gaming it is harder than earning it honestly.
Vendor responsiveness
How a vendor handles complaints is one of the most predictive trust signals available. We measure published response windows, actual response time on disputed reviews, and resolution rate (refund, retest, or documented correction). Vendors who respond publicly, calmly, and specifically gain points — even on negative threads. Vendors who delete, threaten, or go silent lose them.
Verification factors
Independent verification is what turns claims into evidence. We weight three things, in order: batch-specific COAs from accredited labs, willingness to participate in MeekDeals-commissioned retests, and a verified vendor badge (which requires identity, ownership, and basic operational checks). Verified vendors are eligible for higher score ceilings. Unverified vendors can still score well — they just can't reach the top tier without it.
Review quality, not just quantity
We weight reviews by how useful they are to the next buyer. Specific, recent, technical reviews count for more than vague praise. Reviews that reference batch numbers, support interactions, or shipping details count for more again. We also actively detect and discount review patterns that don't look organic — synchronized timing, repeated phrasing, or single-vendor reviewer accounts. These don't get deleted; they get down-weighted.
Trust indicators on every profile
Each vendor profile surfaces the underlying signals so you can audit the score yourself.
Verified badge
Identity, ownership, and operational verification completed. Eligible for the top trust tier.
Featured placement
Earned through sustained transparency and review quality — not paid placement.
Lab report library
Public, batch-tagged COAs from accredited labs, viewable directly from the profile.
Response history
Public log of how the vendor has responded to disputes and negative reviews.
What we deliberately ignore
A few signals look meaningful but don't predict quality, so we exclude them entirely: • Vendor self-attestation without independent backing • Paid placements or sponsorships • Social-media follower counts • Influencer partnerships • Marketing language about 'pharmaceutical grade' or 'research-only' without lab evidence Including these would make the score easier to game and less useful to buyers — which defeats the entire point.
How to use the score responsibly
The trust score is a starting point, not a verdict. A 92 doesn't mean a vendor is perfect; it means the underlying signals are strong. A 58 doesn't mean the vendor is dangerous; it means there are gaps you should investigate. The score is most useful when you use it to prioritize what to read next: open the profile, check the COAs, scan the negative reviews, and look at how the vendor has responded. The score points you to the evidence — the decision is still yours.
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