How TT Grade Works

TT Grade is a letter rating system that scores every toy in our database from S (the best) to D (the worst). It represents overall toy quality and value based on real customer feedback, review data, pricing patterns, and market positioning.

Think of it like a report card for toys. Instead of spending hours reading hundreds of Amazon reviews and comparing prices across weeks, you can glance at the TT Grade and immediately know whether a toy is worth your attention. An "S" or "A+" graded toy has been validated by a large number of satisfied customers and offers genuine value, while a "C" or "D" graded toy may have quality issues, poor reviews, or an inflated price.

TT Grade is calculated algorithmically using publicly available data. No brand can pay to influence their grade. The only way to earn a higher TT Grade is to be a genuinely good product with satisfied customers and fair pricing.

While TT Grade measures overall quality, TT Score is a numeric value from 0 to 100 that measures deal quality. It answers the question: "Is this toy a good deal right now?"

TT Score factors in several deal-specific signals:

• Current price vs. historical average -- Is the toy cheaper than usual right now?
• Discount depth -- How large is the current discount compared to the original or list price?
• Price stability -- Does this toy stay at a consistent price, or does it fluctuate frequently? Stable low prices score well.
• Review quality -- A cheap toy with terrible reviews is not actually a good deal.

A toy can have a high TT Grade (great quality) but a low TT Score (not on sale, or overpriced right now). Conversely, a mid-tier toy with a big discount might have a high TT Score even if its TT Grade is only a B. Both metrics are useful depending on what you care about most.

Toy Tap monitors Amazon prices on 20,000+ toys daily. This gives us a detailed picture of how prices move over time, which feeds into both TT Grade and TT Score calculations.

What "Lowest Ever" means: When you see a "Lowest Ever" badge on a toy, it means the current price is the lowest we have recorded since we started tracking that product. This is not a marketing claim -- it is based on our actual price history data. These are often the best times to buy.

How price alerts work: Registered users can add toys to their watchlist. When a watched toy drops in price or hits a new lowest-ever price, we flag it so you can act quickly. Price drops on popular toys often do not last long, especially around holidays.

Why this matters: Many toys have a "list price" that rarely reflects what people actually pay. By tracking real transaction prices over time, we can tell you whether a "50% off" sale is genuinely a good deal or if the toy is always priced that way. This prevents you from falling for inflated list prices and fake discounts.

Objectivity is the foundation of the TT Grade system. Here is how we maintain it:

• Algorithmic scoring: Every grade is calculated by our algorithm using the same criteria for every product. No human manually assigns or adjusts grades.
• No pay-for-placement: Toy brands cannot pay to boost their TT Grade or appear higher in our rankings. Period.
• Updated daily: Grades reflect the latest available data, not a one-time snapshot. If a product improves or declines, its grade moves accordingly.
• Transparent methodology: You are reading this page. We explain what goes into our scores because we believe informed consumers make better decisions.

We do earn affiliate commissions when you purchase a toy through our Amazon links (via the Amazon Associates program). This is how we fund the service. However, affiliate revenue has zero influence on TT Grade calculations. A toy we earn more commission on does not receive a higher grade.