Hey, thanks for your interest in how we calculate an experience's ranking score. It's at the core of Rankers so I'm pleased you're curious.
The ranking score percentage is used to compare and sort experiences in ranking tables. It is not necessarily a direct measurement of the quality of a particular experience as rated by its customers. I've found it a useful tool to allow me to find the best experiences with confidence. But I've also found it important to read the customer reviews before making any final judgements!
We calculate an experience's ranking score using a multi-factor data model instead of a raw data average (mean). This model takes into account several important questions. For instance - is there a trusted body of reviews? What is the age of a review and is the review from a credible source?
Below you'll find details around some of the important factors that went into calculating the ranking score for Cougar Line.
If you have any questions or comments about our ranking score calculation please get in touch at info@rankers.co.nz. We don't believe this is perfect or complete so we're always interested in ways we might make improvements.
Cougar Line
Valid Reviews
89 Valid Reviews
The Cougar Line experience has a total of 93 reviews. There are 89 valid reviews that are included when calculating the ranking score and 4 invalid reviews that are excluded from the calculation. Reviews can be excluded only when a reviewer is not verified or after an investigation by our team determines the reviewer is not genuine.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 89 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 57 |
|
64% |
| 9/10 | 16 |
|
18% |
| 8/10 | 11 |
|
12% |
| 7/10 | 2 |
|
2% |
| 6/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 5/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 4/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
92.81% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Cougar Line valid reviews is 92.81% and is based on 89 valid reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here as a comparison to the weighted average.
Face-to-Face Reviews
31 Face-to-Face Reviews
The Rankers team meets with travellers while they’re in New Zealand and conducts face-to-face surveys. These reviews, in our opinion, are the most trusted in the industry and represent a critical control sample. To our knowledge, we are the only travel review website in the world that has gone to this extent.
More about face-to-face reviews
Within the 89 valid reviews, the experience has 31 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 31 face-to-face reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 5 |
|
16% |
| 9/10 | 13 |
|
42% |
| 8/10 | 9 |
|
29% |
| 7/10 | 2 |
|
6% |
| 6/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 5/10 | 1 |
|
3% |
| 4/10 | 1 |
|
3% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
84.52% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Cougar Line face-to-face reviews is 84.52% and is based on 31 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.
Weighted Average
97.57%
Rankers calculates a weighted mean as a base average on which we can improve. Individual review's ratings are given a weight based on several factors. The weight of a review determines the overall impact it'll have on the final weighted average.
Recent reviews have more weight as they are more relevant and reflect the experience as it currently operates. Over time reviews become less relevant and loose their impact on the ranking score.
Low rating reviews carry slightly less weight. This dampens the effect of very low ratings for every experience across the board. This is especially important when the experience has few reviews overall and a single negative rating can grossly mischaracterise an experience. Consistent poor reviews will still result in the experience receiving a comparitively low ranking score.
Credible sources provide reviews that can be trusted. If we have verified a reviewer is genuine via a face-to-face meeting then the review carries additional weight.
| Reviewer | Rating | Age | Relative Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annoymus | 10/10 | 20 days | 100% |
| Gregory Munro | 10/10 | 1086 days | 36% |
| Anne Allen | 10/10 | 1116 days | 33% |
| Kaye | 10/10 | 1147 days | 31% |
| Ray Middleton | 9/10 | 1206 days | 26% |
| Gabrielle Johnston | 10/10 | 2789 days | 3% |
| nzthrillseekers | 10/10 | 3153 days | 2% |
| Sandra Wilson | 10/10 | 3184 days | 2% |
| Wolfgang | 9/10 | 3438 days | 1% |
| Robyn Hallowell | 9/10 | 3796 days | 1% |
| Polly Foster | 10/10 | 4037 days | 0% |
| Ben and Morgane | 9/10 | 4103 days | 0% |
| Simon L | 10/10 | 4434 days | 1% |
| Anthony Richards | 10/10 | 4493 days | 1% |
| Yana W. | 10/10 | 4524 days | 1% |
| James Wilson | 10/10 | 4585 days | 1% |
| Shirley Piggott | 10/10 | 4738 days | 1% |
| Howie Weir | 8/10 | 4827 days | 1% |
| Nadine | 8/10 | 4871 days | 0% |
| Sian Harries | 10/10 | 4889 days | 1% |
| Sasha and Sandra Bonavia | 9/10 | 4889 days | 0% |
| Denise Albrecht | 10/10 | 4893 days | 0% |
| svenanka | 10/10 | 4919 days | 1% |
| fayedoig | 10/10 | 5133 days | 1% |
| voyager64 | 10/10 | 5133 days | 1% |
| Jonathan Tuthill | 9/10 | 5149 days | 0% |
| EmmaNewman | 10/10 | 5164 days | 1% |
| Hiro1403 | 9/10 | 5164 days | 1% |
| RichardClough | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| Michelle | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| jennyhuckstep | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| AnneGrange | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| Rhi | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| kainga | 10/10 | 5224 days | 1% |
| skphilpott | 1/10 | 5255 days | 0% |
| Cornelia & Josef | 9/10 | 5267 days | 0% |
| SimonPayne | 10/10 | 5285 days | 1% |
| Beachfan | 10/10 | 5316 days | 1% |
| calamityalex | 10/10 | 5316 days | 1% |
| Brian & Di | 8/10 | 5512 days | 0% |
| Janice OConnor | 9/10 | 5513 days | 0% |
| W Groshops | 7/10 | 5519 days | 0% |
| Richard Broughton | 9/10 | 5524 days | 0% |
| nzMuppet | 10/10 | 5530 days | 1% |
| Hartheib Schmid | 4/10 | 5533 days | 0% |
| Katharina Dierkes | 5/10 | 5545 days | 0% |
| Isbabel | 9/10 | 5556 days | 0% |
| didine | 10/10 | 5558 days | 1% |
| grumpy2 | 9/10 | 5589 days | 1% |
| Mattie | 10/10 | 5650 days | 1% |
| Bianca | 10/10 | 5711 days | 1% |
| Vanessa | 10/10 | 5834 days | 1% |
| letstraveltogether | 10/10 | 5864 days | 1% |
| JTT | 10/10 | 5864 days | 1% |
| Theresa | 10/10 | 5883 days | 0% |
| bdgenge | 10/10 | 5895 days | 1% |
| SB | 9/10 | 5897 days | 0% |
| Helen Power | 9/10 | 5918 days | 0% |
| Adriane | 8/10 | 5919 days | 0% |
| chloeA | 10/10 | 5923 days | 1% |
| Markus | 10/10 | 5939 days | 0% |
| Duncan Fea | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| Heather | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| Annie | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| sue pentelow | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| jenny | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| lizi | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| judy | 10/10 | 5954 days | 1% |
| ronella | 10/10 | 5985 days | 1% |
| Barney_Biker | 10/10 | 6015 days | 1% |
| Ruth Kinder | 10/10 | 6046 days | 1% |
| NZJenJen | 8/10 | 6076 days | 1% |
| Tanya | 10/10 | 6199 days | 1% |
| Colleen Doherty | 10/10 | 6199 days | 1% |
| penny hoyle | 10/10 | 6199 days | 1% |
| Esther Craddock-Taylor | 10/10 | 6199 days | 1% |
| Conrad Duden | 10/10 | 6229 days | 1% |
| scottl | 10/10 | 6229 days | 0% |
| BrunoS | 8/10 | 6264 days | 0% |
| Eva Duessler | 10/10 | 6319 days | 1% |
| Groen | 8/10 | 6341 days | 0% |
| Frauke | 10/10 | 6360 days | 0% |
| Caroline Cole | 8/10 | 6606 days | 0% |
| Andy | 8/10 | 6672 days | 0% |
| Lauren | 8/10 | 6936 days | 0% |
| Cohen | 7/10 | 6955 days | 0% |
| Andreas | 8/10 | 6995 days | 0% |
| Elaine | 9/10 | 7007 days | 0% |
| KikiNelissen | 9/10 | 7007 days | 0% |
Adjustments
Several adjustments to the weighted average are added to improve relevancy and credibility. These adjustments apply equally to all experiences that meet the criteria.
Sample Size Adjustment
No Adjustment
A reasonable number of reviews are necessary in order for the average to be credible and for an experience to take a prime position within the ranking tables. As such, experiences with only a few reviews have a moderated score. This does not mean that the experience or the reviews can't be trusted. The Cougar Line experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-0.28% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 70 days. However the Cougar Line experience does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
In addition, an experience's ranking score may be adjusted for each day there is no new ranking. After 1 day the adjustment comes into effect. The maximum number of days that can be adjusted for is 200 days. Due to the seasonal nature of many businesses, this adjustment is applied dynamically throughout the year.
The Cougar Line experience has been adjusted for 17 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 14 | -0.23% |
| 15 | -0.25% |
| 16 | -0.27% |
| 17 | -0.28% |
| 18 | -0.30% |
| 19 | -0.32% |
| 20 | -0.33% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
0.23% Adjustment
Every experience's review score is adjusted to balance out the disproportional number of negative reviews that are contributed.
You won't be surprised to learn that disgruntled customers are more likely to leave a review than happy ones. They are motivated to share their experience and warn others. We consider this a good thing and it's why reading the reviews is important. However we've learned it can misrepresent the experience in a more overall sense.
We apply a balancing adjustment to counteract this effect and ensure the ranking score is a more fair representation of the experience. This adjustment is applied equally to all experiences.
Final Ranking Score
98%
The final ranking score once any adjustments, ratings, and rounding has been applied. This value is recalculated each day and a short rolling average is applied. Therefore it may not be precisely accurate based on the other values presented.