How we check

Every recommendation shows one of four evidence labels. The label is always the weakest evidence behind that recommendation, so a single unconfirmed price pulls the whole recommendation down.

The four evidence labels

Hands-on tested

Full task script conducted by us on the current version within the required testing window.

Trialled

We used our own trial/account but did not perform the full test script.

Vendor documentation verified

Claims verified against current first-party vendor documentation.

Desk research only

Research from secondary information or incomplete verification.

Where we are today

Nothing on Kit Sorted is labelled Hands-on tested or Trialled yet, because we haven't run our task script or used our own trial accounts on any product. Every recommendation is either Vendor documentation verified or Desk research only. When we do trial a product, the label changes only for the claims we actually checked.

The rules

• Weakest link. A recommendation's label is the weakest label among the claims that matter to it, such as price, availability in Australia and integrations.
• Buy Brief level. Each Buy Brief's evidence level is the lowest level of any product claim it relies on; individual recommendations show their own label.
• Freshness. Every price and claim shows the date we checked it. We re-check and rebuild the site at least every 30 days, and anything we haven't re-checked in that time is shown as Desk research only.
• First-party only for vendor documentation. Reviews, comparison pages and price guides from anyone other than the vendor count as Desk research only, even if they look official.
• Picks need more than desk research. If the best we have is Desk research only, we call it a shortlist ("book a demo first"), not a pick.
• Unknowns stay visible. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked UNVERIFIED instead of guessed.
• Prices. We show prices exactly as the vendor publishes them. We never convert currencies. We only say a price includes or excludes GST if the vendor says so. If we add GST to an ex-GST AUD price, we label it "calculated".
• Money never changes a label. Affiliate links and sponsorships are labelled separately and never upgrade evidence. See the disclosure.

What a Hands-on tested label will require

For a product to be labelled Hands-on tested, we must complete a written task script on the current version in our own account (for a job app, roughly: create a customer, quote, convert to a job, invoice, sync to accounting) within the last 90 days, and keep dated notes of what we did and didn't cover.

Corrections

Vendors and readers can send corrections to hello@kitsorted.com.au.