Methodology
Transparency is core to what we do. This page explains exactly how our data, comparisons, and value calculator work.
Where Our Specs Come From
Every specification on StealGear is sourced from manufacturer data sheets and verified retailer listings (Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, etc.). We never invent specifications. If a manufacturer does not publish a particular spec, we mark it as unavailable rather than guessing.
Raw spec data is programmatically normalized into a consistent format per product category (e.g., all battery life in hours, all weights in grams). We use AI to assist with normalization but never to generate spec values.
How Fair Price Is Computed
Our value calculator relies on a "fair market price" for each product, computed using a tiered approach:
- Median retailer price (preferred): When we have current prices from 2 or more retailers, the fair price is the median of those prices. Confidence increases with more data points.
- Launch price with decay (fallback): When current retailer data is limited, we start with the product's launch MSRP and apply an age-based depreciation (typically 12% per year, capped at 60% total). This gives a reasonable estimate for older or less common products.
- Manual override: In rare cases, we set fair price manually when market conditions are unusual (limited editions, supply shortages, etc.).
Value Calculator Tiers
When you enter a price in our calculator, we compare it to the fair market price:
| Tier | Your Price vs. Fair | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Steal | Below 75% | Exceptional deal -- buy with confidence |
| Great Deal | 75-90% | Below market -- solid pick |
| Fair | 90-110% | Normal market price |
| Overpriced | 110-125% | Above market -- consider waiting |
| Rip-off | Above 125% | Walk away -- look elsewhere |
For used and refurbished products, we adjust the fair price downward (85% for refurbished, 65% for used) before computing the tier.
How Comparisons Are Written
Our comparison articles are AI-assisted, using Google's Gemini language model. The AI receives only verified specifications and is instructed to never reference data it was not given. Every generated comparison goes through quality checks:
- Spec values mentioned in prose are cross-checked against our database
- Duplicate content is detected using text embeddings and rejected
- Articles below quality thresholds are regenerated or excluded from indexing
We believe in being upfront about AI usage. Our AI generates prose from real data -- it does not generate the data itself.
Prices & Availability
Prices are refreshed daily from our affiliate partners. However, prices can change at any time. The prices shown on StealGear are snapshots -- always verify the current price at the retailer before purchasing.
Questions About Our Methods
We welcome scrutiny. If you have questions about how we compute a specific fair price, value verdict, or comparison, email us at hello@stealgear.com.