Our Editorial Process
PickyScan is a shopping publication. We combine AI research with human editing to work out whether a deal is actually worth buying. This page explains exactly how that works — including where our limits are.
1. AI research and drafting
Every deal page starts as an AI-written draft. Our system reads the product listing and the merchant's own specifications, then writes the summary, pros and cons, and buying advice in our own words. The AI is instructed to work only from that material — it is not allowed to invent specifications, prices, or test results.
2. Human review before publishing
Nothing publishes itself. An editor reads each draft, checks the claims against the merchant listing, corrects anything that reads as marketing copy rather than assessment, and removes advice that does not hold up. Drafts that cannot be verified are not published. High-discount and unusual offers are reviewed by an administrator before being featured. Our internal validation applies additional scrutiny to extreme discounts: offers under 80% follow the normal workflow; 80–89% discounts receive additional fact-checking for MRP legitimacy and merchant reputation; and 90%+ discounts require mandatory senior review for listing accuracy. This prevents inflated MRP claims and suspicious pricing from reaching the site.
3. Automated offer checks
Once a deal is live, we periodically verify the current offer is still available. This ensures expired listings are flagged and our recommendations stay current. When we call something a strong discount, the percentage comes from the merchant's own MRP — not from a price we invented.
4. Editorial independence
We earn a commission when you buy through our links, and that does not change what we write. No merchant or brand pays us for placement, for a higher score, or for favourable wording. When a deal is mediocre we say so, and our reviews carry an explicit "who should skip this" section for exactly that reason.
What we do not claim
- We have not physically tested most of the products we cover. Our assessments come from specifications, listing details, and published information — never from hands-on testing we did not do.
- Prices and availability change constantly. Every price on this site is a timestamped observation, not a guarantee. Always confirm the final price on the merchant's page before buying.
- Deal listings are based on product information available at the time of publication and may become outdated.
- AI-drafted text can still be wrong. If you spot an error, tell us and we will correct or remove it.
How we make money
PickyScan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programmes. When you buy through a link on this site we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. That commission is what funds the editorial work. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
Found something wrong on a deal page? Tell us and we will fix it.