Deal Score Methodology

Every product on Valley Firearms has a Deal Score: a 0 to 100 number that answers one question: is this a good price right now?This page explains the signals behind the score and how to read it.

Component weights

Deal Score is a weighted composite of six signals. Price-based signals dominate the score; availability and trust signals refine it.

• ~40%: how the current price compares to the 30-day average
• ~20%: how the current price compares to MSRP
• ~10%: whether the product is in stock right now
• ~10%: retailer reputation (fulfillment reliability, return policy, shipping)
• ~10%: how many retailers currently carry the product (signal of legitimacy)
• ~10%: category demand (higher for historically competitive categories)

How to read a Deal Score

Higher scores mean a stronger combination of price, availability, and retailer trust. We use plain-language verdicts on product pages (Steal, Great deal, Good deal, Average price) so you don't have to memorize a number. The verdict tells you whether the current listing is worth acting on right now; the underlying score lets us sort and surface the strongest deals across the catalog.

• Steal. The combination of current price, availability, and retailer reputation is exceptional. These are rare and often don't last a day.
• Great deal. Meaningfully below the 30-day average from a trustworthy retailer with stock on hand. Buy with confidence.
• Good deal. Better than average. Worth it if you were already planning to buy, but not necessarily worth abandoning a wishlist for.
• Average price. Not a deal. Wait for a drop unless you need the product today.

Component details

1. Price vs. 30-day average

We compute the mean of the product's lowest daily price across our retailer network for the last 30 days, then compare the current lowest price to that mean. Larger discounts below the 30-day average contribute more to the score; prices at or above the 30-day average contribute nothing.

2. Price vs. MSRP

For products with a published MSRP, we compare the current lowest price to MSRP. Larger discounts below MSRP contribute more to the score; prices at or above MSRP contribute nothing.

3. In-stock status

If at least one retailer in our network has the product listed as in stock right now, the product receives full credit for this component. A great price you can't actually buy is not a deal.

4. Retailer reputation

Each retailer in our network has a reputation score based on fulfillment speed, return policy, FFL handling quality, and customer-service responsiveness. The score uses the reputation of the retailer offering the lowest price, binned into tiers. We review retailer tiers quarterly based on reader-reported issues and our own test orders.

5. Multi-retailer availability

Products carried by multiple retailers in our network are less likely to be bait-and-switch listings. Broader availability contributes more to the score than single-retailer listings.

6. Category demand

Some categories are historically more competitive than others, so a given discount carries more signal. Highly competitive categories (core firearms and optics) contribute more than accessories.

What Deal Score is not

• It is not a product quality score.A "Steal" Deal Score means the price is exceptional, not that we think the product itself is best-in-class.
• It is not influenced by affiliate rates. The formula has no commission input. A retailer that pays us 2% is evaluated on the same reputation scale as one that pays 10%.
• It is not a guarantee. Prices go stale between refreshes. Always verify at checkout.

Price data sources

We poll retailer listings throughout the day and snapshot the lowest advertised price plus stock status for each product on our catalog. Snapshots go into a price history table that we use to compute the 30-day average, the 60-day and 90-day comparisons on review pages, and the price-drop detection that feeds the Price Drops page.

If you spot a price that looks stale or wrong, email editors [at] valleyfirearms.com and we'll fix it.

Editorial process

Our deal coverage and category guides are researched with AI assistance and reviewed by the Valley Firearms editorial team before publication. Reviews and hands-on assessments are written by named contributors who own or have personally handled the products they cover; see our editorial guidelines for the line we draw between AI-assisted research and human-written reviews. Specific data sources are cited inline on each guide and product page where the claim is made.

Update cadence

Deal Score inputs (current price, in-stock status, retailer availability) refresh continuously throughout the day. The 30-day average rolls forward each night. Retailer reputation tiers are reviewed quarterly. Score weights are stable; we revise them only when a real signal change requires it, and we log the change in this page.

Changes to the formula

When we change a weight or add a signal, we note it here with the date and a short explanation. We avoid changing the formula retroactively: historical Deal Scores on published reviews stay at the score computed when the review ran.

Last updated: April 16, 2026