How I Choose Products for Best Lists

At thatAnonymousArtist.com, I’m completely transparent about my review process. I put together this page to help you understand how I choose the brands and products I recommend on my “best stickers” lists.

I start by finding the top websites based on multiple criteria, including third-party testing, product quality, value, transparency, reputation, and customer service.

Next, I consider factors such as online reviews about shipping and returns to pick the ideal sticker sites for a specific category.

For example, my list of the best stickers to buy online avoids low-rated sites and suggests several options with top-rated customer reviews.

Read on for a closer look at how I choose sites and products that are top-quality and safe to buy online.

Factors I Consider

Here’s a detailed explanation of the criteria I use to judge websites and products to provide the best possible recommendations.

Personal & Third-Party Testing

The first and most important factor I look at, besides my own experience with the sticker sites and their products, is third-party testing.

Personal & third-party testing (in the form of customer reviews) is the best way to ensure that you’re getting a quality product in an unregulated industry. That’s why I only recommend third-party reviewed sites and products.

More importantly, I’ve built a database of third-party test results published by review sites, to see if they match my experience of the sites and products. For example, I compare service, value, shipping, returns, and quality.

As one final step, I even do my own personal testing by secretly buying products on sticker sites (with my own money). The results of these tests are published in my comprehensive site/product reviews.

Product Quality & Manufacturing Process

Another key factor I consider is how the products are made and the manufacturing process.

Value

Stickers and other printed products are not cheap, which is why I also account for their cost.

I’ve recently looked at the cost of 65 types of stickers from more than 9 sticker sites, giving me a good idea of what’s considered low, average, and high pricing.

Having said that, in the sticker industry, a higher price doesn’t necessarily mean higher quality. In fact, there are many affordable sites with exceptional products.

That’s why I look for sticker (art/printing) companies that offer the greatest value; the best products at the most reasonable prices.

Product Variety

Stickers comes in many different product forms. I also consider the variety of products offered by a sticker site as well as the optimal medium for a particular sticker.

Transparency

Due to a lack of regulation, it’s important to find sites you can trust. To achieve that, I look for sites that are transparent about their business practices.

That includes easily accessible, up-to-date third-party reviews, information about the manufacturing process and source of materials, and other helpful details like the company’s return policy and history.

Reputation

A company’s reputation is another important factor. Here, I take a look at customer reviews and in some cases interview companies.

I also consider the company’s ethical and charitable initiatives.

Customer Service

Customer service is important as well. That’s why I buy products to see how difficult it is to navigate the company’s website and make a purchase, as well as how long the shipping takes.

I also contact companies to get a sense of how quickly and how well they respond to customer inquiries.

Disclaimer

Except for products that I’ve purchased and have been reviewed by third-party reviewers, all of my recommendations are based on public information provided by each company.

I’m also continually working to improve our product and sticker site review process, which is why my product suggestions and the way I evaluate them may change over time.

Keep in mind that due to the size of the sticker market, I can’t talk about every reputable company offering stickers and similar products. If a product you like isn’t mentioned, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s of low quality.

There are dozens of high-quality sites selling stickers and I’m always updating my reviews to make the best possible recommendations.