How CostCutTen ranks a deal

First: confirm the current price

A ranking starts with a current Costco price and the product identity. The product name, item number, model and pack size are kept with the observation so the number has context. Current online availability is also checked when the national catalogue is collected.

Second: measure the official reduction

When Costco provides a current and regular online price, CostCutTen calculates the cash and percentage reduction. This is useful evidence of a Costco promotion, but it remains labelled as an official Costco reduction—not a saving against the entire market.

Third: look for an exact market match

For products that can be matched confidently, the current Costco price is compared with the lowest relevant delivered price found at another retailer. The retailer and check date remain visible. Similar-looking products, different model numbers and different pack sizes are not treated as exact matches.

A positive market saving can strengthen a deal's rank. When no exact comparison exists, the product can still appear because of a strong official reduction, but the card explains that distinction.

Finally: preserve confidence and freshness

Every source has a date. National catalogue collection uses coverage checks so a partial response cannot silently replace a complete dataset. Local reports are photo reviewed and expire after seven days. If data is unavailable, the app prefers a clear fallback message to false precision.

• Exact matches rank above vague comparisons.
• Cash saving and percentage saving are both considered.
• The price source is shown on the card.
• A Top 10 is a shortlist, not personal financial advice.