Frequently asked questions
Everything readers and vendors ask us most, in one place. If your question is missing, ask us directly.
Do you sell peptides?
No, and we never will. Checkthevendor is an independent grading site. We rate the vendors who sell peptides; we have no store, no inventory, and no checkout.
How do you make money?
Two ways: affiliate links (marked, and they never change the price you pay) and clearly labelled sponsored placements. Neither touches a grade or the merit ranking. The full breakdown is on our Disclosure page.
Can a vendor pay for a better grade?
No. The same public rubric applies to every vendor, paying or not. Sponsored slots are ads in labelled spaces; they never enter the ranking. If a vendor offered money for a better score, the answer would be no and the grade would not move.
What do the letter grades mean?
A means excellent (90 to 100), B great (80 to 89), C fair (70 to 79), D poor (60 to 69), and F below 60, avoid. We use plus and minus steps inside each band. The letter is computed from a weighted 0 to 100 composite across eight criteria.
What is the integrity gate?
A binding cap that sits above the maths. A vendor with no independent third-party COA cannot score above D+ (69/100), no matter how good everything else looks. A vendor caught publishing fabricated or reused evidence is capped at F.
What does the confidence label mean?
It tells you how much evidence sits behind a grade. High means at least one independent test or per-lot COA in the past 12 months plus 20 or more community data points. Medium means the evidence is present but sparse. Limited means vendor-supplied data only, treat the grade as provisional.
What is the difference between Trusted, Verified, and Claimed?
Verified means we checked the vendor's independent COA and confirmed the website domain. Trusted is our strongest editorial endorsement, reserved for consistently strong evidence over time. Claimed by owner simply means the company has claimed its listing; it is not an endorsement and changes nothing about the grade.
How often do you re-review vendors?
Pricing quarterly, COAs and purity per batch or at least every 6 months, reputation every 6 months, and a full re-grade at least annually. Every scorecard shows when it was last reviewed, and the Grade changes page lists the latest updates.
I found an error on a scorecard. What do I do?
Tell us. Factual errors get corrected quickly and noted. Use the Corrections page or the Contact page; vendors also have a free right of reply that we publish on the scorecard.
I run a vendor. How do I claim my listing?
Use the claim form on the Submit a vendor page. We verify every claim by hand, usually by confirming you control the company domain. Claiming is free, gets you the Claimed badge, a right of reply, and fact corrections. It never changes your grade.
Are the community reviews moderated?
Yes. Reviews are held until a human approves them, and we exclude spam and obvious astroturfing. Community reviews never change the editorial grade; they are shown separately.
Is any of this medical advice?
No. We grade vendor reliability only, never the safety, efficacy, or legality of any product. Research peptides are research-use-only materials.