Claims testing guide for product testers

What is a claims tester & how can it help your business?

Ever picked up a product and wondered if it really does what the label says? As a product tester, you play a crucial role in answering that question. Claims testing is where you get to verify whether a product's promises match up with real-world performance. Your feedback helps brands understand if their claims are believable, relevant, and actually resonate with people like you. By testing products and evaluating their claims, you're helping shape better products and more honest marketing.

Keep reading to discover how you can become part of the claims testing process and make your voice heard in product development.

What is Claims Testing and Why Does It Matter?

Ever wondered why you believe some product claims instantly while others make you skeptical? That's where claims testing comes in. It's the process of evaluating product statements to see which ones actually resonate with real consumers—people like you.

Claims testing matters because your opinion directly influences what products make it to market and how they're presented. When you participate in claims testing, you're helping brands understand what matters to real shoppers, not just what sounds good in a boardroom.

76% of consumers report that product claims influence their purchase decisions
Products with tested and optimized claims typically see 15-30% higher conversion rates
82% of shoppers will pay more for products with claims that resonate with their values

As a claims tester, you help brands understand:

Which benefits actually matter to everyday consumers
How to communicate those benefits clearly
Whether claims are believable and trustworthy
If claims make a product stand out from competitors

The process involves reviewing potential product claims and sharing your honest reactions. You might rate how likely you'd be to purchase, how believable a claim seems, or how unique it feels compared to other products you've seen.

Remember that your feedback isn't just data—it's helping brands make promises they can actually keep. Claims testing ensures companies are communicating honestly with shoppers and delivering products that meet real needs.

Types of Product Claims You'll Test

Not all product claims are created equal. As a product tester, you'll encounter different types of claims that serve different purposes. Understanding these categories helps you provide more thoughtful, valuable feedback.

Here are the primary types of claims you might evaluate:

Functional Claims Focus on what the product does and how it performs.

"Removes 99% of bacteria"
"Lasts up to 24 hours"
"50% more absorbent than the leading brand"

Emotional Claims Appeal to feelings and aspirations.

"Feel confident all day"
"Brings families together"
"Experience pure relaxation"

Comparative Claims Position the product against competitors.

"Preferred by 7 out of 10 consumers"
"Cleans better than the leading brand"
"The #1 recommended brand by doctors"

Ingredient/Composition Claims Highlight what's in (or not in) the product.

"Made with organic ingredients"
"Free from artificial colors"
"Contains vitamin C for immune support"

Process Claims Emphasize craftsmanship or production methods.

"Cold-pressed for maximum nutrient retention"
"Hand-crafted in small batches"
"Sustainably harvested"

Certification Claims Leverage third-party validation.

"USDA Organic certified"
"Dermatologist tested"
"B Corporation certified"

When you're testing claims, think about which types resonate most with you and why. Your authentic reactions to different claim styles help brands understand what connects with their target audience.

For more information on the role and responsibilities of product testers, visit our product testers application page.

What to Expect During a Claims Test

Ready to participate in your first claims test? Understanding what happens during the testing process helps you provide better feedback and makes the experience smoother for everyone involved.

Here's what typically happens when you participate in claims testing:

1. You'll review product claims You might see claims presented in different ways:

Monadic: You evaluate one claim at a time
Sequential monadic: You review multiple claims one after another
Comparative: You directly compare different claims side-by-side

2. You'll see clear, concise statements Claims you evaluate will typically:

Be short and easy to understand (5-15 words)
Cover different product benefits
Vary in tone and style
Range from conservative to bold

3. You'll answer specific questions You'll be asked to rate claims on:

Purchase intent (Would you buy this?)
Believability (Does this seem true?)
Uniqueness (Is this different from other products?)
Relevance (Does this matter to you?)
Appeal (Do you like this claim?)

4. You'll represent real consumers You're selected because you:

Match the target demographic for the product
Have experience with similar products
Can provide authentic, thoughtful feedback
Are part of a diverse group of testers

5. You'll see claims in context Often, you'll view claims:

On mock packaging designs
In simulated shopping environments
As they might appear in actual marketing materials

Your honest reactions are what make claims testing valuable. There are no "right" answers—brands want to know what real people genuinely think.

For those interested in learning more about product testing opportunities, product testing services connect testers with brands looking for authentic consumer feedback to improve their products and marketing.

What You'll Be Asked to Evaluate

How do you know what makes a good product claim? When you participate in claims testing, you'll be asked to evaluate several key aspects. Your responses help brands understand which claims work and which don't.

Here are the main things you'll evaluate:

Purchase Intent measures how likely you'd be to buy the product based on the claim. You'll use a simple rating scale, and your response shows if the claim motivates purchase. This is often the most important metric brands look at when deciding which claims to use.

Believability assesses whether the claim seems truthful and credible to you. This helps identify claims that seem exaggerated and shows if brands need more proof for their claims. When consumers don't believe a claim, it can actually hurt sales rather than help them.

Differentiation evaluates how unique the claim feels compared to other products. This identifies claims that stand out and helps brands avoid sounding like everyone else in their category. In crowded markets, differentiation can be the deciding factor in whether a product succeeds.

Relevance determines how important the claimed benefit is to you personally. This shows which product features matter most and helps brands prioritize what to highlight in their marketing. A claim might be believable and unique, but if it's not relevant to consumers, it won't drive purchases.

Emotional Response captures how the claim makes you feel. This can reveal positive or negative associations and can be measured through ratings or open-ended feedback. Emotional connections often drive purchasing decisions more than rational features alone.

Comprehension tests whether you understand what the claim means. This identifies confusing language or jargon and ensures claims communicate clearly. If consumers don't understand a claim, they can't act on it, no matter how compelling it might be.

Your feedback across these dimensions helps brands create claims that are honest, compelling, and meaningful to real consumers like you.

What You'll Rate	Question You'll Answer	How You'll Rate It	What Brands Look For
Purchase Intent	"How likely would you be to purchase this product?"	1-5 scale (Not at all likely to Very likely)	Most testers rating 4-5
Believability	"How believable is this claim?"	1-5 scale (Not at all believable to Very believable)	Most testers rating 4-5
Differentiation	"How different is this from other products?"	1-5 scale (Not at all different to Very different)	At least half rating 4-5
Relevance	"How important is this benefit to you?"	1-5 scale (Not at all important to Very important)	Most testers rating 4-5

Understanding Your Impact as a Claims Tester

You've completed your claims test—now what happens? Your feedback doesn't just disappear into a database. It becomes part of a larger analysis that directly influences what products you'll see on shelves and how they're marketed to you.

Here's how brands use your feedback:

They identify winning claims: Your ratings help brands see which claims resonate most with consumers. The claims you and other testers rate highest are the ones most likely to be used in actual marketing.

They spot patterns in responses: Brands analyze feedback by demographics, shopping habits, and attitudes. Your responses are compared with others like you to understand what appeals to different consumer groups.

They refine their messaging: Based on your feedback, brands fine-tune claims to be more believable, relevant, or compelling. Your comments about what confused you or what you liked help shape the final wording.

They validate claims with evidence: When you rate a claim as unbelievable, it signals to brands that they need stronger proof. Your skepticism helps ensure companies can back up what they promise.

They test in real-world contexts: Top-performing claims from your testing are often tested again in more realistic settings—on actual packaging or in real stores—to confirm your feedback holds up.

Your role as a claims tester is about more than just answering questions. You're helping ensure that the products you and others buy are marketed honestly and that the claims brands make actually matter to real people.

Get Started with Highlight

At Highlight, we recognize that quality feedback from real consumers is essential to making sound product decisions. Our highly selective Highlighter community (with an acceptance rate of only 48%) ensures that your voice is heard alongside other thoughtful, engaged testers. When you join Highlight, you become part of a community that has answered thousands of questions and helped improve more than 260,000 products. Your feedback reaches brands quickly—typically within 3 weeks from start to finish—so you can see your impact on real products faster than traditional testing methods allow.

Sign up to be a claims tester today!