How Lowvyn Scores Work
Every badge and number you see on Lowvyn is calculated from real price history. No guesswork, no opinions. Just data.
Lowvyn Score (0 to 100)
The Lowvyn Score is a single number that tells you how good a deal you are getting right now. Higher is better. A score of 85 means this is a great time to buy. A score of 30 means you should probably wait.
The score is built from five components:
Price position (40 points)
Where is the current price compared to the lowest and highest prices we have recorded? If the price is at or near its all-time low, this component gives close to 40 points. If it is near the highest price we have seen, it gives close to zero.
Freshness (15 points)
Has the price changed recently? A price that dropped in the last week is more relevant than one that has not moved in a month. If the price changed within seven days, this component gives the full 15 points. After 30 days without a change, it drops to zero.
Stability (15 points)
How predictable is this product's price? Products with stable, consistent pricing score higher here because you can trust that the current price reflects the real value. Products with wild swings score lower because today's price might not last.
Deal authenticity (20 points)
This component checks whether a sale price is genuine or misleading. Retailers sometimes raise prices before a sale to make the discount look bigger than it is. This component starts at 20 points and will decrease as we build more data on price manipulation patterns.
Cross-retailer comparison (10 points)
When the same product is available at multiple stores, this component checks whether you are getting the best price across retailers. This feature is still in development. Currently all products receive a baseline of 10 points.
Example: A car seat priced at $299 with an all-time low of $279 and an all-time high of $399 might score 72. The price is in the lower range (good position), it dropped recently (fresh), and it has been stable over the past month (reliable). That adds up to a solid score.
Price Signal
The price signal is a quick label that tells you where the current price sits in the product's historical range. It is based on the price percentile, which measures how close the current price is to the all-time low versus the all-time high.
| Signal | What it means | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Buy Now | Price is near the all-time low. This is a rare opportunity. | Bottom 15% |
| Good Price | Price is below average. A solid time to buy. | 15% to 35% |
| Average | Price is in the middle of its range. Not great, not bad. | 35% to 65% |
| Wait | Price is above average. It has been cheaper before. | 65% to 85% |
| Wait for Drop | Price is near the highest we have recorded. Not a good time to buy. | Top 15% |
Deal Verdict
The deal verdict compares the current price to the average price over the last 90 data points. It answers a simple question: is this price actually lower than what this product normally costs?
This is different from the price signal. A product can be at a "Good Price" (relative to its all-time range) but still be at "Average Price" (relative to its recent average). The deal verdict focuses on what you would typically pay, not the extremes.
| Verdict | What it means | Discount vs average |
|---|---|---|
| Real Deal | This is genuinely cheaper than usual. Buy with confidence. | 20%+ below average |
| Modest Deal | Slightly below the typical price. A small saving. | 5% to 20% below |
| Average Price | Close to what this product normally costs. No rush. | Within 5% of average |
| Above Average | More expensive than usual. Consider waiting. | 5% to 15% above |
| Bad Time to Buy | Significantly overpriced compared to recent history. | 15%+ above average |
All-time Low Badge
When a product is at or below the lowest price we have ever recorded for it, it gets a green "All-time low" badge. This is the simplest and most powerful signal. If you have been waiting for a good price, this is it.
How much data do we need?
Scores improve as we collect more price history. Here is how the experience changes over time:
- 1 to 2 data points: We show the price signal (based on lowest and highest recorded) but mark the deal verdict as "Checking" since we do not have enough history yet.
- 3 or more data points: The deal verdict becomes active. We can now calculate a meaningful average and tell you whether the current price is above or below it.
- 7 or more data points: The Lowvyn Score becomes more reliable. Freshness and stability components have enough data to produce accurate results.
- 30 or more data points: Full confidence. The score, signal, and verdict all reflect a solid baseline of price behaviour.
What we do not do
Lowvyn scores are based entirely on historical price data. We do not factor in reviews, popularity, brand reputation, or personal preferences. We also do not accept payment from retailers or brands to influence scores. If a product scores 90, it is because the price data says so.
Scores are recalculated every time you view a product. They are never cached or manually adjusted. The same product will get different scores on different days as prices change.
Questions about how a specific product scored? Check the product's price history chart on its detail page. The chart shows every price point we have recorded, so you can see exactly why the score is what it is.