fix(copy): truthful catalog figures and privacy/Honey wording (claim integrity)

README.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # Caramel - Trusted Coupon Finder
 
 **Caramel is the open‑source, privacy‑first alternative to Honey.**  
-It automatically tests codes at checkout, never sells your data, and never overwrites creators’ affiliate links. Today Caramel already supports more than **5 000 stores**. You can find even more information at https://grabcaramel.com.
+It automatically tests codes at checkout, never sells your data, and never overwrites creators’ affiliate links. Today Caramel already supports more than **4,000 stores**. You can find even more information at https://grabcaramel.com.
 
 <a href="https://grabcaramel.com">
   <img width="300" height="180" alt="caramel-banner" src="https://grabcaramel.com/caramel_banner.png" />
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ It automatically tests codes at checkout, never sells your data, and never overw
 ## Why choose Caramel?
 
 - **100% open source** – every release is on GitHub for public audit
-- **Privacy first** – the extension only asks for tab access while you shop, nothing more
-- **Real‑time savings meter** – see exactly how much a coupon saves you before you commit
+- **Privacy first** – the extension asks only for the permissions it needs to find the store you're on, read the checkout page and apply codes (tabs, storage, sign-in) – no ads, no third‑party trackers
+- **Real‑time savings meter** – see exactly how much each code saved as it is tested
 - **Creator‑friendly** – Caramel keeps existing affiliate links intact so influencers get the credit they deserve
 - **Community‑powered** – join our Discord, file issues, or open PRs to make Caramel even sweeter
 

apps/caramel-app/e2e/home.spec.ts

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ test.describe('Home Page - Critical Sections', () => {
             page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Creator-Friendly' }),
         ).toBeVisible()
         await expect(
-            page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Lightning Fast' }),
+            page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Fast & Lightweight' }),
         ).toBeVisible()
         await expect(
             page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Cross-Browser Support' }),

apps/caramel-app/e2e/pages.spec.ts

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ test.describe('Coupons Page', () => {
         await expect(
             page.getByRole('heading', {
                 level: 1,
-                name: /verified coupon codes/i,
+                name: /today's coupon codes/i,
             }),
         ).toBeVisible()
         await expect(page.getByText(/browse.*coupon/i).first()).toBeVisible()

apps/caramel-app/e2e/seo-regression.spec.ts

@@ -223,6 +223,33 @@ test.describe('SEO regression gate (raw server HTML)', () => {
         expect(types).toContain('"@type":"SoftwareApplication"')
     })
 
+    // Claim-integrity pin (2026-09-11): the two catalog figures the site is
+    // allowed to quote are "4,000+ stores" and "100,000+ coupon codes",
+    // rounded DOWN from prod on that date (4,314 store pages in sitemap.xml,
+    // 107,827 from GET /api/coupons?limit=1 → total). Both are static copy
+    // (heroStats.ts, FaqSection.tsx, PricingSection.tsx, SupportedSection.tsx)
+    // so this holds in both e2e contexts. The negative pin is the retired
+    // "139,000" FAQ number that outlived the stats-census change for six
+    // weeks — a figure must never drift back silently. Re-verify the live
+    // counts before changing either string; never round up.
+    test('home raw HTML quotes only the reconciled catalog figures', async ({
+        page,
+    }) => {
+        const html = await (await page.request.get('/')).text()
+        expect(html, 'store count must read 4,000+').toContain('4,000+')
+        expect(html, 'coupon count must read 100,000').toContain(
+            'over 100,000 coupon codes across more than 4,000 online stores',
+        )
+        expect(
+            html,
+            'retired FAQ figure 139,000 must not reappear',
+        ).not.toContain('139,000')
+        expect(
+            html,
+            'superseded store count 3,000+ must not reappear',
+        ).not.toContain('3,000+')
+    })
+
     test('robots.txt honours the env-aware indexing contract', async ({
         baseURL,
         page,

apps/caramel-app/src/app/(marketing)/coupons/[store]/page.tsx

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export async function generateMetadata({
     // here or these pages share links with no preview image at all.
     const banner = `${baseUrl}/caramel_banner.png`
     const title = `${base} Coupons & Promo Codes | Caramel`
-    const description = `Find verified ${base} coupon codes, promo codes, and discounts. Updated daily.`
+    const description = `Find ${base} coupon codes, promo codes, and discounts — refreshed as new codes are found.`
     // Canonical always points at the NORMALIZED base-domain URL: this route
     // serves the same content for /coupons/www.nike.com, /coupons/shop.nike.com
     // and /coupons/nike.com, so every variant must canonicalize to ONE URL or
@@ -238,9 +238,9 @@ export default async function StoreCouponsPage({
                     codes for that store from its own catalog, tries them in the
                     promo-code field, and keeps the one with the biggest
                     discount. It never replaces affiliate links, and it reports
-                    back only whether a code worked — with no account
-                    information attached — so code rankings stay accurate for
-                    every shopper.
+                    back whether a code worked (linked to your account only when
+                    you're signed in) so code rankings stay accurate for every
+                    shopper.
                 </p>
             </section>
             <PopularStores currentSite={base} />

apps/caramel-app/src/app/(marketing)/coupons/page.tsx

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const PAGE_SIZE = 5
 
 const title = 'Coupon Codes & Promo Codes for Top Stores | Caramel'
 const description =
-    'Browse verified coupon codes and promo codes for your favorite stores. Caramel finds and applies the best deals automatically at checkout.'
+    'Browse coupon codes and promo codes for your favorite stores. Caramel finds and applies the best deals automatically at checkout.'
 const canonicalUrl = 'https://grabcaramel.com/coupons'
 const banner = `${BASE_URL}/caramel_banner.png`
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default async function CouponsPage() {
     const structuredData = {
         '@context': 'https://schema.org',
         '@type': 'ItemList',
-        name: 'Verified coupon codes and promo codes',
+        name: 'Coupon codes and promo codes',
         url: canonicalUrl,
         numberOfItems: total,
         itemListElement: couponsWithSignals.map((coupon, idx) => ({
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ export default async function CouponsPage() {
                 initialCoupons={couponsWithSignals}
                 initialTotal={total}
                 disableInitialFetch
-                heroTitle="Today's Verified Coupon Codes"
-                heroSubtitle="Browse verified coupon codes, promo codes, and offers for your favorite stores."
+                heroTitle="Today's Coupon Codes"
+                heroSubtitle="Browse coupon codes, promo codes, and offers for your favorite stores."
             />
             <PopularStores />
             <script

apps/caramel-app/src/app/(marketing)/sources/page.tsx

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export const dynamic = 'force-dynamic'
 
 const title = 'Where Caramel Coupon Codes Come From | Sources'
 const description =
-    'See every source Caramel pulls coupon codes from, how many codes each one contributes, and its success rate — or request a new source.'
+    "Where Caramel's coupon codes come from: the sources feeding the catalog, with the code count and success rate of each one as it is published — or request a new source."
 const base = BASE_URL
 const canonicalUrl = `${base}/sources`
 const banner = `${base}/caramel_banner.png`

apps/caramel-app/src/app/llms.txt/route.ts

@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ const LLMS_TXT = `# Caramel
 - [Coupons](${origin}/coupons): browse the full coupon catalog.
 - [Store coupon pages](${origin}/coupons/amazon.com): per-store codes, one page
   per store domain, e.g. /coupons/amazon.com or /coupons/nike.com.
-- [Supported stores](${origin}/supported-stores): which stores Caramel can
-  auto-apply codes on.
-- [Sources](${origin}/sources): the transparency page listing where Caramel's
-  coupon codes come from.
+- [Supported stores](${origin}/supported-stores): which stores Caramel holds
+  coupon codes for.
+- [Sources](${origin}/sources): where Caramel's coupon codes come from, and
+  where to request a new source.
 - [Privacy policy](${origin}/privacy): what data Caramel does and does not
   collect.
 

apps/caramel-app/src/components/FaqSection.tsx

@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ import { FaChevronDown } from 'react-icons/fa'
 //   + cart-signals.js payload (title/meta/up to 6 item names, no payment data);
 //   sign-in token lives in browser extension storage (popup.js/coupon-runner.js).
 // - browsers: the four live store listings in src/lib/brandLinks.ts.
-// - numbers: 139,340 active codes / 3,402 distinct stores from the PROD
-//   /api/coupons/stats + catalog on 2026-07-28, rounded DOWN. Never round up.
+// - numbers: 107,827 visible codes (GET /api/coupons?limit=1 → total) /
+//   4,314 stores with live codes (sitemap /coupons/<store> URLs) from PROD on
+//   2026-09-11, rounded DOWN. Never round up, and never derive the catalog
+//   size from /api/coupons/stats (a valid-only trust census that undercounts).
 const faqItems = [
     {
         question: 'Does Caramel replace or hijack creator affiliate links?',
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ const faqItems = [
     },
     {
         question: 'What data does the Caramel extension collect?',
-        answer: "The extension never sells or shares your personal information, and it contains no ads and no third-party trackers. To do its job it talks to Caramel's own servers: when you reach checkout on a supported store it fetches coupon codes for that store's domain, sends the page and cart context (page title and item names — never payment details) so the right category of codes is chosen, and reports whether a code worked so rankings stay accurate for everyone. Your settings and optional sign-in are kept in your browser's extension storage.",
+        answer: "The extension never sells or shares your personal information, and it contains no ads and no third-party trackers. To do its job it talks to Caramel's own servers: as you browse, it asks whether Caramel has codes for the current site's domain so the toolbar badge can show a count; when you reach checkout on a supported store it fetches those codes, sends the page and cart context (page title and item names — never payment details) so the right category of codes is chosen, and reports whether a code worked (linked to your account only if you're signed in) so rankings stay accurate for everyone. Your settings and optional sign-in are kept in your browser's extension storage.",
     },
     {
         question: 'How is Caramel different from Honey?',
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ const faqItems = [
     },
     {
         question: 'How many coupon codes does Caramel have?',
-        answer: "Caramel's catalog holds over 139,000 active coupon codes across more than 3,000 online stores, and it is refreshed continuously as new codes are found and dead ones are retired.",
+        answer: "Caramel's catalog holds over 100,000 coupon codes across more than 4,000 online stores, and it is refreshed continuously as new codes are found and dead ones are retired.",
     },
     {
         question: 'Do I need an account to use Caramel?',

apps/caramel-app/src/components/FeaturesSection.tsx

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ const features = [
     {
         title: 'Automated Coupon Application',
         desc: 'Saves you money by finding and applying the best coupon codes.',
-        detail: 'We monitor thousands of coupon codes across 3,000+ stores, ensuring you always get the best deal without lifting a finger.',
+        detail: 'We monitor thousands of coupon codes across 4,000+ stores, ensuring you always get the best deal without lifting a finger.',
         icon: <FaDollarSign />,
     },
     {
@@ -42,44 +42,44 @@ const features = [
         icon: <FaHeart />,
     },
     {
-        title: 'Lightning Fast',
-        desc: 'Instant coupon discovery and application at checkout.',
-        detail: 'Our optimized algorithms search and apply coupons in seconds, never slowing down your shopping experience.',
+        title: 'Fast & Lightweight',
+        desc: 'Automatic coupon discovery and application at checkout.',
+        detail: 'Our optimized algorithms search and apply coupons at checkout, never slowing down your shopping experience.',
         icon: <FaBolt />,
     },
     {
         title: 'Cross-Browser Support',
         desc: 'Works seamlessly across Chrome, Firefox, and more.',
-        detail: 'One extension, all browsers. Consistent experience regardless of your browser preference with automatic updates.',
+        detail: 'One extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. Consistent experience regardless of your browser preference with automatic updates.',
         icon: <FaGlobe />,
     },
 ]
 
 const comparisonItems = [
     {
         title: 'Privacy Protection',
-        other: 'Opaque data practices',
+        other: 'Often opaque data practices',
         caramel: '100% privacy-first approach',
     },
     {
         title: 'Data Collection',
-        other: 'Tracks your browsing habits',
+        other: 'May track your browsing habits',
         caramel: 'No ad tracking or data selling',
     },
     {
         title: 'Creator Support',
-        other: 'Hijacks affiliate commissions',
+        other: 'Hijacked affiliate commissions',
         caramel: 'Protects creator earnings',
     },
     {
         title: 'Code Transparency',
         other: 'Closed source & hidden',
-        caramel: 'Fully open source & peer-reviewed',
+        caramel: 'Fully open source & publicly reviewable',
     },
     {
         title: 'Performance',
-        other: 'Slow and resource-heavy',
-        caramel: 'Lightning fast & lightweight',
+        other: 'Often resource-heavy',
+        caramel: 'Fast & lightweight',
     },
 ]
 

apps/caramel-app/src/components/HeroTicketScene.tsx

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ const STAT_FRONT = STAT.depth / 2 + STAT.bevel
 // the third (no straight line through the scatter). Varied x/y/z, individual
 // base rotations and per-coupon float parameters keep it reading as coupons
 // drifting in space:
-//   [0] "3,000+ Supported Stores" — bottom-left, nearest the camera and the
+//   [0] "4,000+ Supported Stores" — bottom-left, nearest the camera and the
 //       largest (the headline stat). Its top-right corner deliberately fans
 //       OVER the deeper [2] ticket's blank bottom-left corner — a coupon-
 //       stack moment, kept clear of [2]'s type (see the occlusion contract
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ interface MeasuredText extends THREE.Mesh {
 
 // Digits + smaller suffix, centered AS A PAIR from LIVE troika measurements.
 // The value counts up from 0, so the digit run's width changes every frame
-// ("0" → "3,000") — hard-coded offsets would only fit the final number.
+// ("0" → "4,000") — hard-coded offsets would only fit the final number.
 // onSync fires after every glyph-layout pass; re-centering there keeps the
 // pair balanced mid-count-up AND at rest.
 function StatValueText({

apps/caramel-app/src/components/OpenSourceSection.tsx

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ const contributions = [
 const securityFeatures = [
     {
         title: 'Open Security Reviews',
-        desc: 'Every change is peer-reviewed in public',
+        desc: 'Every change is publicly reviewable',
         icon: <FaLock />,
     },
     {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ const securityFeatures = [
     },
     {
         title: 'No Ad Tracking',
-        desc: 'We never sell or share your personal information',
+        desc: 'We never sell your personal information or share it with advertisers',
         icon: <FaBan />,
     },
     {
@@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ export default function OpenSourceSection() {
                         Open Source & Community Driven
                     </h2>
                     <p className="mx-auto max-w-3xl text-xl leading-relaxed text-gray-600 dark:text-gray-300 lg:text-lg">
-                        Transparency is our core. Every line of code is open,
-                        auditable, and community-driven. Join the developers
-                        building a better alternative to proprietary extensions.
+                        Transparency is our core. The extension and web app are
+                        open, auditable, and community-driven. Join the
+                        developers building a better alternative to proprietary
+                        extensions.
                     </p>
                 </motion.div>
 

apps/caramel-app/src/components/PricingSection.tsx

@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ import { HiCheckCircle } from 'react-icons/hi'
 
 const features = [
     'Automated coupon application at checkout',
-    'Works on 3,000+ supported stores',
+    'Works on 4,000+ supported stores',
     'Zero ads or data selling',
     'Open source & community-driven',
     'Never hijacks affiliate commissions',
-    'Lightning fast performance',
+    'Fast, lightweight performance',
     'Cross-browser support (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, iOS Safari)',
     'Regular updates & new features',
     'No credit card required',
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const stats = [
         icon: <FaGithub />,
     },
     {
-        title: '3,000+',
+        title: '4,000+',
         desc: 'Stores Supported',
         icon: <FaHeart />,
     },
@@ -299,8 +299,8 @@ export default function PricingSection() {
                                 We believe in transparency.
                             </strong>{' '}
                             Unlike other extensions that monetize your data or
-                            hijack affiliate commissions, Caramel is built by
-                            the community, for the community.
+                            hijack affiliate commissions, Caramel is built in
+                            the open, for the community.
                         </motion.p>
                         <motion.p
                             initial={{ opacity: 0 }}

apps/caramel-app/src/components/SupportedSection.tsx

@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ export default function SupportedSection() {
                     className="mb-20 text-center"
                 >
                     <h2 className="mb-8 bg-gradient-to-r from-caramel to-orange-600 bg-clip-text pb-1 text-5xl font-extrabold leading-tight tracking-tight text-transparent lg:text-4xl">
-                        3,000+ Supported Stores
+                        4,000+ Supported Stores
                     </h2>
                     <p className="max-w mx-auto text-xl leading-relaxed text-gray-600 dark:text-gray-300 lg:text-lg">
                         From major retailers to niche marketplaces, Caramel
-                        works everywhere you shop online.
+                        works at thousands of stores.
                     </p>
                     <motion.div className="mt-8">
                         <motion.a