# How we pick and price products

How Gift Ideas chooses products, what the price on a product page means, and how affiliate links and featured placements work.

Updated 2026-10-31. Also on the [web page](https://giftideas.fyi/guides/how-we-pick-and-price-products).

This page is the short version of our method: how products get onto the
site, what the price means, and how the site makes money. It exists so
you can weigh what you read here the same way we wrote it.

## How products get picked

Every product on the site was added because it answers a real brief:
stocking stuffers, white elephant, under $25, for him, for her — the
occasions and budgets people actually shop. We write the brief first and
find products that fit it, not the other way round.

A product page shows what we could verify from the retailer's own page:
the name, what it is, and the price we saw. We do not quote review scores
or sales ranks we cannot reproduce, and we do not say a product is
"best" — different people need different things. We say what it is and
what it cost when we looked.

## What the price means

The price on a product page is the price shown on the retailer's page on
the date stated next to it. It is a snapshot, not a quote:

- Prices change. The retailer's page is the only current price.
- The price may not include shipping, taxes or variations — size, colour
  and edition can all move the number.
- A price that looks wrong is usually a different variant or a sale that
  ended. Trust the retailer's page on the day you buy.

## How the site makes money

Two ways, both labelled:

- **Affiliate links.** Some links to retailers — including Amazon and
  Etsy — earn us a commission when you buy through them. The price you
  pay is the same either way; the retailer pays the commission.
- **Featured placements.** A shop or brand can pay to place a product in
  a featured slot. Featured items are labelled on the page, and the
  current terms are on the [pricing page](/pricing). Payment buys
  placement, not a review, a rating or the word "best".

## What we do not do

- We do not invent prices, discounts or review counts.
- We do not accept payment for editorial opinions — a paid slot is
  placement only, and it is labelled.
- We do not claim a product is in stock, the right choice for you, or the
  cheapest option anywhere. Check the retailer's page for the live price
  and availability.

## Corrections

If a price, name or detail on a product page is wrong, tell us at
[hello@giftideas.fyi](mailto:hello@giftideas.fyi) with the page URL and
what you saw. We fix factual errors and note the date we checked.

## Questions

### Do affiliate links change the price I pay?

No. The price at the retailer is the same whether you arrive through our link or not. The retailer pays us a commission for the referral.

### Does a featured label mean the product is better?

No. Featured means a shop or brand paid for placement. It is labelled as featured on the page. It is not an editorial pick and not a quality rating.