Core Peptides is the longest-running vendor in the current catalog - 7+ years in operation with over 100 SKUs - and scores lowest on documentation among established operations. The site claims independent verification but names no lab, publishes no COA database, and provides no lot codes. The gap between operational scale and verifiable documentation is what drives the Low score: it is not that testing is absent, but that none of the claimed testing is independently confirmable from public materials.
| Dimension | Max | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Testing Practice | 30 | Homepage states "US lab-tested peptides are independently verified for purity." About page repeats the independent verification claim. No dedicated lab testing page, no testing protocol detail, no named lab, no method description (HPLC, MS, etc.), and no indication of per-batch vs. periodic testing. The claim exists; the evidence chain does not. | 10/30 |
| Batch Traceability & Verification | 20 | No lot codes visible on product pages, no batch number system described, no COA searchable by batch. No mechanism exists for a buyer to match what they received to a specific test result. Generic documentation is the implied model. | 3/20 |
| COA Accessibility | 15 | No COA database, no COA links on product pages, no specimen COA publicly available anywhere on the site. No stated process for requesting COAs. Accessibility is effectively absent from the public-facing site. | 2/15 |
| COA Completeness | 15 | Cannot score: no COA is publicly accessible to evaluate. The testing claim exists but no documentation is available for review. Scored as insufficient evidence rather than zero, acknowledging the claim without being able to verify the substance behind it. | 3/15 |
| Testing Recency | 10 | No dated COAs publicly available. Cannot assess whether testing is current. Minor credit for active site maintenance (OG image updated July 2026) suggesting the operation is active. | 2/10 |
| Policy Transparency | 5 | Shipping and returns page exists at a dedicated URL. 30-day refund window stated. No lot-mismatch or quality-incident specific language, no RMA process described. Basic policy present but thin on specifics relative to what a buyer needs to know. | 3/5 |
| Operational Track Record | 5 | Site states "serving the research community for over 7 years." WordPress OG modified date of July 2026 and active product catalog confirm ongoing operation. Domain registered and maintained over multiple years. Strongest dimension relative to the score. | 5/5 |
| Total | 28/100 |