The rubric
How we grade
Every grade is DealTeacher's call, and we make it the same way every time, using the rules on this page. They're all written down, so if you disagree, you can check our work against the price history. And no, stores can't pay for a better letter.
The short version
- DealTeacher grades each deal A, B, C, D, or F, and gives it one verdict: Buy now, Wait, or Skip.
- Every grade comes down to three things: the price history, what other stores charge for the same item, and who's selling it (and whether the tag is honest).
- A big percent off doesn't earn a good grade on its own. What matters is how today's price compares with its price history.
- A crossed-out 'was' price that never shows up in the price history isn't a discount. We flag it, ignore it, and grade the real price against the price history.
- D and F grades stay public in Detention, our Skip It list. An F is never a buy.
- Stores don't pay for grades. When DealTeacher earns a commission, the grade stays exactly the same.
1. The chart
We care about what the item has actually sold for, not how big the percent off looks. A price at the bottom of its history, and not one that pops up every week, can earn an A or a B. A price the item hits during every predictable sale is usually a Wait, even if the tag looks dramatic. And a price above its usual range gets a D or an F.
The chart on a deal page shows those recorded prices, and only the ones where we know which store charged them. Some deals get a short written price note instead. Either way, it's a record of past prices, not a live price lookup.
2. The other stores
If a store we'd actually order from has the same item for less, the grade goes down. Open-box and refurbished units only win when the warranty holds up and the discount is real. When we find the same item somewhere else, we list it on the deal page, and the button always tells you which store you're headed to.
3. The seller and the tag
A crossed-out price that never shows up in the history isn't a discount. It's a costume, and it gets an F. Same goes for a marketplace seller with no warranty, or a price gap that usually means a missing charger or a unit you can't return. That's an F, no matter how big the percent.
D and F grades go to Detention, our Skip It list. A D means wait. An F means skip. A deals site that only shows you winners is just a catalog.
What each grade means
| Grade | What it means | Usual verdict |
|---|---|---|
| At or near the lowest price in its history, from a store we'd order from. | Buy now | |
| A solid price. There's a catch, and the lesson tells you what it is. | Buy now, sometimes Wait | |
| Just okay. The sale tag is doing more work than the price. | Wait | |
| Weak, or another store already has it for less. | Wait | |
| A price that's higher than usual, or a seller we wouldn't buy from. | Skip |
The grade and the verdict are related, but they're not the same. The grade rates the price, and the verdict tells you what to do about it. A B can still say Wait when the lesson is "this price comes back." An A that's worth buying today says Buy now. An F says Skip, and an F is never a buy.
We use AI tools to help gather and summarize price data; every grade is checked against the price history before it's published.
Want a read on a deal we haven't graded? Ask the DealTeacher can give a quick take from a link and a price. Our published grades always follow this rubric.
After the bell
If a deal has an end time, you'll see a Final Bell countdown. When the bell rings, or the price goes back up early, the page stays up with a Class Dismissed stamp and the same grade. It just drops off the main lists. That way an old link still shows you what a good price looked like. Deals without an end time don't get a countdown.
What we won't do
- Sell a grade. If we ever run a sponsored placement, it'll be labeled, and it still has to pass this rubric.
- Show vote or comment counts. Every grade is DealTeacher's call, made the same way every time.
- Make up a price history. We only draw a chart from recorded prices where we know the store.
Questions about grades
What do the DealTeacher letter grades mean?
A: At or near the lowest price in its history, from a store we'd order from. B: A solid price. There's a catch, and the lesson tells you what it is. C: Just okay. The sale tag is doing more work than the price. D: Weak, or another store already has it for less. F: A price that's higher than usual, or a seller we wouldn't buy from.
Does a bigger percent off mean a better grade?
No. We look at what the item has actually sold for, not how big the percent is. If it hits this price during every predictable sale, it's usually a Wait, no matter how dramatic the tag looks.
What is the difference between the grade and the verdict?
They're related, but they're not the same. The grade rates the price, and the verdict tells you what to do about it. A B can still say Wait when the lesson is "this price comes back." An A that's worth buying today says Buy now. An F says Skip.
Do stores pay for a grade?
No. Stores can't pay for a letter. DealTeacher may earn a commission if you buy through a link, but that never changes the grade. If we ever run a sponsored placement, it'll be clearly labeled, and it still has to pass this rubric.
What happens to a grade when a deal ends?
The page stays up with a Class Dismissed stamp and the same grade. It just drops off the main deal lists.
Want the same checks in plain shopping terms? Read How to spot a fake discount. Our editorial policy explains how we handle corrections.