How We Rank Suppliers: Complete Methodology
Last Updated: December 2025
We rank peptide suppliers using a rigorous 12-criteria framework developed over three years of research, testing, and supplier analysis. This page explains exactly how we evaluate vendors, calculate scores, verify information, and maintain objectivity.
No black boxes. No hidden agendas. Just transparent methodology you can trust.
Our 12-Criteria Framework (Complete Breakdown)
Every supplier we rank is evaluated against 12 specific criteria. Each criterion has defined parameters, measurable indicators, and weighted importance in the final score.
1. Third-Party Testing (Weight: 20%)
What We Measure:
- Independent lab testing availability (HPLC, mass spectrometry)
- Testing frequency (per-batch vs. random sampling)
- COA accessibility (public vs. request-only)
- Lab accreditation status (ISO 17025, cGMP)
- Test result transparency (full reports vs. summary only)
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: Per-batch testing by ISO-accredited labs, publicly available full COAs
- 75 points: Regular third-party testing, COAs available on request
- 50 points: Selective testing, limited COA access
- 25 points: In-house testing only, no independent verification
- 0 points: No testing documentation provided
Why It's Weighted Highest: Product purity and authenticity are non-negotiable. Third-party testing is the only objective way to verify what's actually in the vial.
2. Product Purity Standards (Weight: 15%)
What We Measure:
- Average purity levels across product catalog
- Minimum purity guarantees
- Consistency across batches (standard deviation analysis)
- Purity verification methods used
- Handling of substandard batches
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: 99%+ average purity, <0.5% batch variation, published minimum standards
- 75 points: 98%+ average purity, <1% batch variation
- 50 points: 95%+ average purity, <2% batch variation
- 25 points: 90%+ average purity, inconsistent batches
- 0 points: No purity standards or <90% average
3. Source Transparency (Weight: 12%)
What We Measure:
- Manufacturing location disclosure
- Supply chain documentation
- Raw material sourcing information
- Company ownership and registration details
- Facility certifications (cGMP, FDA registration)
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: Full manufacturing disclosure, verified facility certifications, documented supply chain
- 75 points: Manufacturing location disclosed, some certifications verified
- 50 points: General location disclosed, limited supply chain info
- 25 points: Minimal transparency, vague sourcing claims
- 0 points: No manufacturing or sourcing information provided
4. Customer Service Quality (Weight: 10%)
What We Measure:
- Initial response time (measured across 10+ inquiries)
- Knowledge level of support staff
- Issue resolution effectiveness
- Communication channel availability (email, chat, phone)
- After-sales support quality
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: <4-hour response, expert support staff, multi-channel availability
- 75 points: <24-hour response, knowledgeable support, 2+ channels
- 50 points: <48-hour response, adequate support, email only
- 25 points: Slow responses (>48 hours), inconsistent support
- 0 points: Unresponsive or no customer service
5. Shipping Reliability (Weight: 9%)
What We Measure:
- On-time delivery rate (sample analysis + customer reports)
- Packaging quality and temperature control
- International shipping capabilities
- Shipping insurance and tracking
- Damage/loss incident rate
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: >95% on-time, professional cold-chain packaging, worldwide shipping, full insurance
- 75 points: >85% on-time, adequate packaging, most regions served
- 50 points: >75% on-time, basic packaging, limited regions
- 25 points: <75% on-time, inconsistent packaging
- 0 points: Frequent delays, poor packaging, high damage rate
6. Pricing and Value (Weight: 8%)
What We Measure:
- Price competitiveness (indexed against market average)
- Bulk discount structures
- Price-to-purity ratio
- Hidden fees or surcharges
- Payment options and terms
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: 10-20% below market average for comparable purity, transparent pricing, bulk discounts
- 75 points: Market-competitive pricing, some discounts available
- 50 points: Slightly above market average, limited discounts
- 25 points: 20-40% above market average, poor value
- 0 points: Extreme pricing or hidden fees
7. Product Selection (Weight: 7%)
What We Measure:
- Total peptide catalog size
- Popular compound availability
- Research vs. cosmetic vs. specialty offerings
- Stock consistency (out-of-stock frequency)
- New product introduction rate
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: 50+ compounds, comprehensive selection, rarely out of stock
- 75 points: 25-50 compounds, most popular items stocked
- 50 points: 15-25 compounds, basic selection
- 25 points: <15 compounds, frequent stock issues
- 0 points: Very limited selection, poor availability
8. Company Reputation (Weight: 6%)
What We Measure:
- Years in operation
- Independent review aggregation (Reddit, forums, Trustpilot)
- Community feedback sentiment analysis
- Controversy or warning history
- Industry recognition or awards
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: 5+ years operating, 4.5+ average reviews, strong community trust
- 75 points: 3-5 years, 4.0+ reviews, generally positive feedback
- 50 points: 2-3 years, 3.5+ reviews, mixed feedback
- 25 points: <2 years or concerning feedback patterns
- 0 points: Major controversies, scam warnings, or consistent negative reports
9. Website and Ordering Experience (Weight: 5%)
What We Measure:
- Site security (SSL, payment processing)
- Product information quality
- Ordering process complexity
- Account management features
- Mobile experience
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: Secure checkout, detailed product info, intuitive ordering, excellent mobile experience
- 75 points: Secure site, adequate info, straightforward ordering
- 50 points: Basic security, minimal info, acceptable ordering
- 25 points: Security concerns or confusing interface
- 0 points: Insecure site or severely broken experience
10. Return and Refund Policy (Weight: 4%)
What We Measure:
- Return window duration
- Refund conditions and restrictions
- Process complexity
- Customer satisfaction with policy execution
- Quality guarantee terms
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: 30+ day returns, purity guarantees, straightforward process, positive customer feedback
- 75 points: 15-30 day returns, reasonable conditions
- 50 points: 7-15 day returns, some restrictions
- 25 points: <7 days or highly restrictive policy
- 0 points: No returns accepted or consistently denied
11. Educational Resources (Weight: 2%)
What We Measure:
- Dosing and protocol information
- Safety and side effect documentation
- Research citation quality
- Storage and handling guidance
- FAQ comprehensiveness
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: Comprehensive guides, cited research, detailed protocols, excellent FAQs
- 75 points: Good basic info, some citations, adequate guidance
- 50 points: Minimal information, generic content
- 25 points: Very limited resources
- 0 points: No educational content or misleading information
12. Legal Compliance (Weight: 2%)
What We Measure:
- Terms of service clarity
- Research-only disclaimers
- Age verification processes
- Regulatory compliance documentation
- Prohibited substance handling
Scoring Scale:
- 100 points: Clear TOS, proper disclaimers, age verification, documented compliance
- 75 points: Adequate legal documentation, basic compliance
- 50 points: Minimal legal info, unclear policies
- 25 points: Questionable practices or missing documentation
- 0 points: Clear legal violations or no compliance measures
Source Verification Process
We verify every claim suppliers make. Here's how:
Step 1: Direct Documentation Review
- Request COAs directly from suppliers (minimum 5 products)
- Verify lab accreditation through ISO and certification body databases
- Review company registration through state business registries
- Check facility certifications through FDA and regulatory databases
Step 2: Independent Lab Verification
- Contact testing labs listed on COAs to confirm authenticity
- Verify test dates, batch numbers, and result consistency
- Cross-reference lab contact information against official records
- Request sample test reports for validation
Step 3: Customer Experience Sampling
- Analyze 50+ customer reviews across multiple platforms
- Conduct direct interviews with verified buyers (10+ per supplier)
- Monitor Reddit threads, forums, and community discussions
- Track complaint patterns and resolution outcomes
Step 4: Test Purchases
- Place actual orders to evaluate the full customer experience
- Test shipping times, packaging quality, and product documentation
- Evaluate customer service responsiveness and knowledge
- Review all communications for professionalism and accuracy
Step 5: Ongoing Monitoring
- Set up alerts for supplier mentions across web and social media
- Review updated COAs quarterly
- Track changes in company information or certifications
- Monitor for regulatory actions or industry warnings
Testing Methodology
While we don't operate our own laboratory, we validate supplier testing through a systematic approach:
COA Validation Protocol
Document Authentication:
- Verify lab contact information matches official records
- Confirm test methods match claimed equipment (HPLC, MS, etc.)
- Check for proper documentation formatting and signatures
- Validate batch numbers against supplier records
Technical Review:
- Analyze whether purity results align with testing method capabilities
- Check for appropriate detection limits and measurement ranges
- Review whether all expected contaminants were tested
- Verify testing date currency (not using old reports for new batches)
Pattern Analysis:
- Compare multiple COAs to identify suspiciously consistent results
- Look for natural batch variation vs. unlikely perfection
- Track whether testing frequency matches claimed schedules
- Flag suppliers who refuse to provide batch-specific documentation
Third-Party Testing Partnerships
For select high-priority reviews, we commission independent testing through:
- ISO 17025-accredited laboratories in the United States
- HPLC analysis for purity verification
- Mass spectrometry for identity confirmation
- Endotoxin testing where applicable
Testing Criteria:
- Focus on top-ranked suppliers and new market entrants
- Test popular compounds with highest customer interest
- Re-test when supplier COAs show inconsistencies
- Publish full test results with supplier consent or in case of significant discrepancies
Rating Calculation Formulas
Here's the exact math behind our supplier scores:
Overall Score Calculation
Overall Score = Σ (Criterion Score × Criterion Weight)
Where:
- Criterion Score = Raw score (0-100) for each criterion
- Criterion Weight = Percentage weight assigned to criterion
- Σ = Sum of all weighted criterion scores
Example Calculation:
Supplier X:
Third-Party Testing: 90 × 0.20 = 18.0
Product Purity: 95 × 0.15 = 14.25
Source Transparency: 85 × 0.12 = 10.2
Customer Service: 80 × 0.10 = 8.0
Shipping Reliability: 88 × 0.09 = 7.92
Pricing and Value: 75 × 0.08 = 6.0
Product Selection: 70 × 0.07 = 4.9
Company Reputation: 92 × 0.06 = 5.52
Website Experience: 85 × 0.05 = 4.25
Return Policy: 80 × 0.04 = 3.2
Educational Resources: 65 × 0.02 = 1.3
Legal Compliance: 100 × 0.02 = 2.0
Overall Score = 85.54/100
Tier Classification
Suppliers are placed into tiers based on overall scores:
- Tier 1 (Premium): 85-100 points
- Tier 2 (Recommended): 70-84 points
- Tier 3 (Acceptable): 55-69 points
- Not Recommended: Below 55 points
Automatic Disqualifiers:
- Third-Party Testing score below 25 = Maximum Tier 3
- Product Purity score below 25 = Maximum Tier 3
- Legal Compliance score of 0 = Not Recommended regardless of other scores
- Company Reputation score of 0 = Not Recommended regardless of other scores
Confidence Rating
Each supplier review includes a confidence rating based on data quality:
Confidence Score = (Data Points Verified / Total Data Points) × 100
High Confidence: 80%+ data points verified
Medium Confidence: 60-79% data points verified
Low Confidence: Below 60% data points verified
Data points include:
- COAs reviewed and verified (5+ = full points)
- Customer reviews analyzed (50+ = full points)
- Direct customer interviews conducted (10+ = full points)
- Test purchases completed (1+ = full points)
- Months of monitoring data (6+ = full points)
Update Protocols
Supplier rankings are living documents. Here's our update schedule:
Quarterly Reviews (Every 3 Months)
- Request updated COAs for recent batches
- Review customer feedback from past 90 days
- Check for changes in pricing or policies
- Verify continued lab accreditation status
- Update scores if material changes occurred
Semi-Annual Deep Dives (Every 6 Months)
- Conduct new test purchases
- Re-evaluate all 12 criteria completely
- Interview new customer sample (10+ people)
- Review competitive landscape changes
- Adjust weighting if methodology improves
Real-Time Monitoring
- Daily monitoring of supplier mentions and reviews
- Immediate investigation of serious complaints or warnings
- Breaking news updates for regulatory actions
- Rapid response to community-reported issues
Triggered Updates
Immediate re-evaluation occurs when:
- Multiple reports of adverse events surface
- Supplier changes ownership or management
- Major policy changes are announced
- Testing failures or purity issues are reported
- Regulatory actions or legal issues arise
- Supplier requests re-evaluation after improvements
Update Publication:
- Minor updates (score changes <5 points) = Quarterly publication
- Major updates (score changes >5 points) = Immediate publication with changelog
- All updates include "Last Updated" timestamp and brief explanation of changes
Conflict of Interest Management
Trust requires transparency about our business model and potential conflicts. Here's exactly how we maintain objectivity:
Revenue Model Disclosure
How We Make Money:
- Affiliate Commissions: We earn commissions when readers purchase through our links (typically 5-15% of sale)
- Display Advertising: Standard banner ads through ethical ad networks
- Sponsored Content: Clearly labeled paid reviews or articles (never affects rankings)
How We DON'T Make Money:
- We do not accept payment for improved rankings
- We do not offer "featured placement" opportunities
- We do not alter scores based on affiliate commission rates
- We do not suppress negative information about affiliates
Editorial Independence Policy
Strict Separation:
- Business development team has zero input on rankings or reviews
- Writers and researchers evaluate suppliers before affiliate relationships are considered
- Scores are finalized and locked before monetization decisions are made
- Editorial team can veto affiliate relationships with low-quality suppliers
Affiliate Disclosure Protocol:
- Every affiliate link is clearly marked with "affiliate link" disclosure
- Top of every review includes affiliate relationship disclosure
- Footer of every page includes full affiliate policy explanation
- Non-affiliate suppliers are ranked alongside affiliates without penalty
Testing and Review Integrity
Blind Evaluation Process:
- Initial scoring is completed by researchers without knowledge of affiliate status
- Test purchases use separate email addresses and payment methods
- Customer service testing is conducted anonymously
- Lab verification doesn't reveal PeptideRecon affiliation
No Pay-for-Play:
- Suppliers cannot pay to be reviewed
- Suppliers cannot pay to improve their rankings
- Advertising purchases do not influence editorial content
- Sponsored content is created separately from ranking system
Transparency Commitments
- Publish Our Criteria: This entire methodology is public (you're reading it)
- Show Our Math: Scoring formulas are completely transparent
- Disclose Relationships: Every affiliate partnership is clearly marked
- Update Consistently: Reviews follow the same schedule regardless of affiliate status
- Accept Criticism: We welcome challenges to our methodology and respond publicly
What Happens When We Get It Wrong
If we make an error in ranking or review:
- Acknowledge publicly in the affected review with correction notice
- Correct immediately and update all affected scores
- Explain what happened and how we're preventing similar errors
- Notify affected suppliers of the correction
- Never delete — corrections are always additive with edit history
Limitations and Disclaimers
Complete transparency means acknowledging what we can't do and what you should know:
What Our Rankings Can't Tell You
Individual Product Testing:
- We can't test every batch from every supplier
- We rely primarily on supplier-provided COAs with verification
- Your specific batch may differ from what we evaluated
- Always request your batch-specific COA
Personal Response:
- Rankings focus on product quality and vendor reliability
- We cannot predict how peptides will affect your individual biology
- Safety and efficacy vary person to person
- Consult healthcare providers before using research peptides
Legal Status:
- Peptide regulations vary by country, state, and even local jurisdiction
- Our rankings don't constitute legal advice
- Suppliers may ship to some locations but not others
- Verify legality in your jurisdiction before purchasing
Future Performance:
- High rankings reflect current and historical performance
- Supplier quality can change due to ownership, sourcing, or policy shifts
- Past reliability doesn't guarantee future consistency
- Check for recent updates before making purchase decisions
Research Context
Not Medical Advice:
- Our content is for informational purposes only
- We are not doctors, pharmacists, or medical professionals
- Research peptides are not FDA-approved for human use
- We do not recommend or endorse using peptides outside of legitimate research
Research Chemical Status:
- Peptides we review are sold as research chemicals, not drugs
- They are intended for laboratory research only
- Safety and efficacy in humans has not been established for most compounds
- Using research chemicals outside approved settings carries significant risks
Methodology Limitations
Sample Size:
- We typically test 1-3 orders per supplier, not hundreds
- Customer reviews represent a vocal subset, not all customers
- COA analysis covers sample products, not entire catalogs
Time Constraints:
- Reviews reflect conditions at specific points in time
- Shipping times may vary by destination and season
- Customer service quality can fluctuate with staffing changes
Information Access:
- Some suppliers refuse to provide documentation we request
- Not all claims can be independently verified
- Proprietary information limits transparency in some cases
Data Source Limitations
Customer Reviews:
- May be biased toward extreme experiences (very good or very bad)
- Can't always verify reviewer identity or purchase authenticity
- Some platforms allow suppliers to influence reviews
Lab Testing:
- COAs can be faked or doctored (we verify, but it's not foolproof)
- Labs may make errors or have varying standards
- Testing methods have detection limits and potential inaccuracies
Supplier Information:
- Suppliers may misrepresent manufacturing or sourcing
- Company claims require trust when documentation is unavailable
- Some information simply can't be verified from the outside
Use This Information Responsibly
Our rankings are one input for your decision-making, not the only input. Consider:
- Your specific research needs and requirements
- Legal and regulatory constraints in your jurisdiction
- Your risk tolerance and budget
- Professional guidance from qualified experts
- Current user experiences beyond our review date
Do Your Own Research:
- Request COAs directly from suppliers before purchasing
- Read recent customer reviews on multiple platforms
- Start with small test orders before committing to large purchases
- Verify supplier claims through independent sources
- Stay informed about regulatory changes in the peptide space
Feedback and Challenges
We're committed to continuous improvement. If you:
- Disagree with our methodology or specific rankings
- Have evidence that contradicts our findings
- Spot errors or outdated information
- Represent a supplier and want to provide updated documentation
- Have suggestions for improving our evaluation process
Contact us: We respond to all substantive feedback and update rankings when presented with credible new information.
Transparency is a two-way street. We show you how we work—and we expect you to hold us accountable when we fall short.
Last Updated: December 2025 | Next Scheduled Review: March 2026
This methodology document itself is subject to improvement. If we discover better ways to evaluate suppliers, we'll update this page and clearly indicate what changed and why.