How we check a shop
We run 25 checks on every shop and repeat them every week. Here you can read what we check, where the data comes from and how we turn it into a score and a verdict.
What we check
The 25 checks fall into four groups. On every shop page you can open each group and see the result of each check.
Who is behind it
Whether there is a real company behind the shop and whether you can reach it.
Business identity, EU VAT register, Contact details, and Domain age
Safety
Whether the site is safe to visit and to pay on.
Malware and phishing, SSL certificate, Secure connection (HTTPS), Email and DNS security, Domain risk, and Content risk
Buying and returns
What you need to know before you order: your rights, how you can pay and whether the reviews look genuine.
Consumer rights information, Return policy, Payment methods, Payment risk, Checkout transparency, Terms and conditions, Privacy policy, Cookie consent, and Review integrity
Technical details
How well the site is built. Shown for information only: these checks do not change the score.
Page speed, Mobile friendly, Search basics, Structured data, Website online, and Social media
Where the data comes from
- The shop's own website
- We read the home page, the contact page, the legal notice, the terms, the privacy and returns pages, and the payment methods the shop shows.
- EU VAT register (VIES)
- We read the VAT number from the shop's pages and look it up in VIES. It only counts when VIES lists it under the shop's own name. A number that belongs to a payment provider or a marketplace is ignored.
- Google Web Risk
- Google's list of sites that spread malware or phishing.
- Public domain records
- When the domain was registered, and its DNS and e-mail security settings.
- Reviews on CheckShop
- Reviews from buyers. We look for signs of fake reviews, such as copied texts, many reviews at once or many from the same network.
- Google rating
- The Google rating we hold for the shop. We show it once there are at least 5 reviews. It never counts toward the score.
How often we check
Every shop is checked again every week. The shop page shows the date of the last check. A shop owner can ask for a new check sooner from the dashboard.
How the score is made
The score runs from 0 to 100. It is made of six parts, each with a fixed weight.
| Part | Weight |
|---|---|
| Reputation: Google Web Risk, domain age, domains that imitate another brand | 25% |
| Security: certificate, e-mail and DNS security, payment risk | 20% |
| Information about your consumer rights | 20% |
| Company details on the site and in the EU VAT register | 20% |
| Clear checkout: prices, delivery and total costs | 10% |
| Genuine reviews | 5% |
A part we could not check is left out, and the other parts count for more.
Some findings set a maximum score
- Google reports malware or phishing, or the home page does not load: at most 25.
- The domain imitates another brand: at most 40.
- Only bank transfer or crypto, with no payment method that offers buyer protection: at most 45.
- The shop gave us a VAT number that the EU register rejects: at most 55.
What does not count
The Google rating, the average star rating on CheckShop and the technical details group. We show them because they help you, but they say little about whether a shop is safe.
The word next to the score
The word depends on the score alone. It is the same word as on the badge shops show on their own site.
| Score | Word |
|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent |
| 80–89 | Great |
| 70–79 | Good |
| 50–69 | Average |
| 0–49 | Poor |
| No score yet | Pending review |
The verdict at the top of a shop page
Above the score you see one sentence. It looks at the score and at what the checks found, so it can be stricter than the word. We decide it in this order.
- Google reports this site as unsafe
Google Web Risk reports malware or phishing on the site. This verdict is always red, whatever the score.
- Not fully checked yet
We could check less than 45% of the evidence, or the score is low but we found nothing concrete against the shop. We then show no score instead of a number we cannot stand behind.
- Serious warning signs found
The score is below 55 and we found a concrete problem, such as a domain that imitates another brand, a VAT number the register rejects or only risky ways to pay.
- Some points need attention
The score is 55 or higher, but not everything needed for a green verdict is in place.
- No warning signs found
The score is 80 or higher, the Google check ran and found nothing, no VAT number was rejected and we could check at least 65% of the evidence.
What “not checked” means
Sometimes a check cannot run: the site blocks our visit, a register does not answer, the shop shows no VAT number or there are no reviews yet. The check then says “Not checked”. It never counts as a fail. If too much is missing, the shop page says “Not fully checked yet” and shows no score.
Shops cannot pay for a better score
Every shop is scored by the same rules, with or without a paid plan. Paid plans add tools, such as a badge designer and more review invitations. They do not change how the score is calculated.
Is this your shop? Correct your data
- Claim your profile for free, with an e-mail address on your own domain or a Google Workspace account on that domain.
- Put your company name and VAT number on your contact page or legal notice, exactly as registered.
- Fix what the checks found, then request a new check from your dashboard. The new result replaces the old one.
Think we got something wrong? Send us the details and we will look into it.
Questions
Does a high score mean a shop is safe?
No. A score shows what we could see on the day of the check. It is not a guarantee. Pay with buyer protection, such as a credit card, PayPal or Klarna.
Why does a shop page say “Not fully checked yet”?
We could not check enough to stand behind a number, for example because the site blocked our visit. We then show no score rather than a low one.
Can a shop pay for a better score?
No. The same rules apply to every shop, with or without a paid plan.
Does the Google rating count toward the score?
No. We show it from 5 reviews as extra information, but it is never part of the score.
How often is a shop checked?
Every week. A shop owner can also request a new check from the dashboard.