Transparent Affiliate Review
Design a product review page that makes testing evidence, commercial relationships, and comparison criteria easy to inspect.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
Affiliate-funded reviews can help readers compare products, but trust erodes when sponsorship, testing methods, ownership, and link commissions are hidden or when every option is presented as best.
User context
Theo is comparing noise-cancelling headphones for travel. He wants to know which models were tested, how scores were derived, and whether purchases support the publisher.
Product problem
Readers need commercial disclosure and evidence close to the recommendation, not buried in generic policy pages.
Objective
Create a review, comparison, methodology, and outbound-link confirmation experience for an affiliate publication.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Scan the recommendation and intended use case
- Compare products by consistent criteria
- Inspect testing notes and update history
- Understand commission disclosure before visiting a retailer
Screens and states
- Review article
- Product comparison
- Testing methodology
- Retailer link disclosure
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Theo sees who the top pick suits and who should avoid it
- 02
He compares comfort, battery, repairability, and price
- 03
He opens the test protocol and sample limitations
- 04
He follows a labeled affiliate link after seeing the relationship
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Place compensation and supplied-product disclosures near recommendations
- Separate measured results, reviewer judgment, and manufacturer claims
- Show publication and material update dates
- Include drawbacks and non-affiliate alternatives
Constraints
- Commercial terms cannot change the visible scoring method
- Unavailable products need a dated status
- Retail prices must name source and capture time
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Four responsive page states demonstrating disclosure and evidence
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.