Methodology
How DealDrift scores a deal
DealDrift is intentionally practical. It does not scrape the internet or claim perfect market truth. It turns a shopper’s best recent reference price plus a few risk signals into a cleaner buy / wait / walk brief.
1. Real discount beats headline discount
The main score driver is the delivered price versus the recent typical price. If an item says “50% off” but only lands 4% below what it usually sells for, the banner is not the truth that matters.
2. Anchor drift matters
DealDrift compares the claimed old price against the recent typical price. A large gap means the crossed-out number may be exaggerating the story.
3. Friction is part of the price
Shipping, weak return policies, unknown sellers, and unclear warranty support all reduce the strength of a deal because they raise the real cost of being wrong.
4. Urgency can rescue only so much
If you truly need the item now, a decent but not exceptional offer may still be acceptable. DealDrift gives a small urgency lift, but it does not allow urgency to hide a weak or risky purchase.
5. This is a first-pass decision brief
DealDrift does not guarantee that a seller is compliant with any specific consumer law, nor does it replace a full price-history database. It is meant to stop obvious pricing theatre and push shoppers toward cleaner comparisons.