Meet the team behind Australia's trusted independent shopping resource
Real Shops Online was founded in 2020 with a simple mission: to help everyday Australians make smarter, more confident purchasing decisions. We noticed that finding reliable, unbiased product information was increasingly difficult. Between sponsored content, paid placements, and the overwhelming number of choices in the market, consumers were left confused and uncertain about where to turn for honest advice.
We're a passionate group of product enthusiasts, researchers, and consumer advocates based across Australia.
Founder & Lead Researcher
Sarah brings over 12 years of experience in consumer electronics and home technology. She previously worked in product development and has a deep understanding of what makes a quality product. Her expertise spans smart home systems, audio equipment, and kitchen appliances. Sarah oversees all product testing protocols and ensures our reviews maintain the highest standards of accuracy.
Senior Product Analyst
Michael is our go-to expert for electronics and gaming equipment. With a background in electrical engineering and years of experience building custom PCs, he brings technical expertise to our team. Michael handles in-depth technical specifications, benchmark testing, and ensures we understand the engineering behind the products we review.
Consumer Rights Specialist
Emma is passionate about consumer advocacy and has worked extensively with Australian consumer protection organisations. She writes our guides on warranties, consumer rights, and helps readers understand their legal protections. Emma ensures all our content complies with Australian consumer law and advertising standards.
At Real Shops Online, we take our responsibility to you seriously. Every piece of content we publish goes through a rigorous research and review process. We don't just skim specifications sheets or rewrite manufacturer marketing material. Instead, we dive deep into real-world performance, durability, value for money, and the actual user experience.
Our research methodology includes extensive market analysis, hands-on testing where possible, aggregating verified customer experiences, consulting with industry experts, and continuously updating our recommendations as products and markets evolve. We also consider uniquely Australian factors such as local warranty coverage, availability through Australian retailers, shipping considerations, and compatibility with Australian standards and power requirements.
We understand that Australian consumers have specific needs. Our harsh climate affects product durability differently than other regions. Our electrical standards differ from other countries. Shipping costs and delivery times from international retailers matter. That's why we focus exclusively on products and retailers that serve the Australian market well, ensuring the advice we provide is directly relevant to your purchasing decisions.
Transparency is fundamental to everything we do. We clearly disclose when we use affiliate links, and we never let potential commissions influence our recommendations. Our reviews are based purely on product merit, and we're not afraid to criticise popular products or recommend lesser-known alternatives when they offer better value. Your trust is more important to us than any commission.
We conduct our own thorough research without influence from manufacturers or retailers. Our recommendations are based solely on product quality and value.
We clearly disclose all affiliate relationships and never hide our business model. You always know when clicking a link may result in a commission for us.
We understand the unique needs of Australian shoppers and focus on products, retailers, and advice relevant to our local market.
Every decision we make prioritises the interests of our readers. We exist to help you save money, avoid poor purchases, and find products that genuinely meet your needs.
Have questions, suggestions, or feedback? We'd love to hear from you. Whether you want to suggest a product category for us to cover, report an issue with our content, or simply say hello, our team is always happy to connect with our readers.