1. What TrueCost is estimating
TrueCost estimates the likely cost of producing a product and getting it into the relevant market. Depending on the evidence available, that may include components, materials, assembly, manufacturing overhead, packaging, freight, duty and other directly attributable landed-cost items.
It is not a claim about the manufacturer's confidential accounting records and should not be described as a manufacturer-reported cost unless a source expressly provides that information.
2. Research process
TrueCost uses AI-assisted web research to identify the exact product and collect evidence. The research process prioritises sources roughly in this order:
- Official manufacturer product pages and specifications.
- Recognised retailers for current UK retail pricing and product details.
- Teardowns, component analysis, technical publications and credible supply-chain sources.
- Other reputable secondary sources where primary evidence is unavailable.
Marketplace listings, forums and similar sources may provide useful signals, but they are treated more cautiously and should not override stronger primary evidence without a clear reason.
3. AI-assisted research
Artificial intelligence helps TrueCost search, compare and structure public information. AI can make mistakes, misunderstand a source or infer something that is not directly stated. For that reason, TrueCost records evidence indicators, assumptions and source links rather than presenting the AI output as unquestionable fact.
4. Cost model
After research, the product is broken into cost components. Each component may have an estimated cost, reasoning and confidence level. The component estimates are modelled from available evidence and comparable manufacturing information where exact data is unavailable.
The final arithmetic is performed deterministically by TrueCost's application code. AI assists with research and modelling inputs; it does not simply invent a final headline number and present it as a calculation.
5. Range and confidence
Manufacturing information is often incomplete. TrueCost therefore aims to show a range and confidence assessment rather than false precision. A higher confidence score means stronger evidence was available; it does not mean the estimate is guaranteed to be accurate.
6. Retail prices
Retail prices can change rapidly. TrueCost checks current UK pricing when products are researched and may refresh older prices when a product is requested again. A displayed price may still differ from the price available from a retailer at the time you view the page.
7. The retail-price difference is not profit
The difference between a product's retail price and TrueCost's estimated landed cost is not manufacturer profit, retailer profit, gross margin or net margin.
Retail prices can include VAT and must support many costs that are outside a product-level landed-cost model, including retailer margin, warehousing, distribution, marketing, product development, software, customer support, warranty, returns, sales commissions, staff, premises, financing, taxes and corporate overhead.
8. Images
Images are used to help identify and illustrate products. TrueCost attempts to validate that an image represents the correct product and model. Image rights remain with their respective owners. The production version of TrueCost should use images only where there is an appropriate licence, permission or other lawful basis for publication.
9. Corrections
Estimates can be challenged. If you identify an incorrect product, price, source, assumption or cost component, use the corrections process. TrueCost may amend, refresh or remove an analysis when better evidence becomes available.