Hi, 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
88 Valid Reviews
The Cougar Line experience has a total of 92 reviews. There are 88 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 88 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 56 |
|
64% |
| 9/10 | 16 |
|
18% |
| 8/10 | 11 |
|
13% |
| 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% |
92.73% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Cougar Line valid reviews is 92.73% and is based on 88 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 88 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
96.64%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregory Munro | 10/10 | 949 days | 100% |
| Anne Allen | 10/10 | 979 days | 94% |
| Kaye | 10/10 | 1010 days | 88% |
| Ray Middleton | 9/10 | 1069 days | 76% |
| Gabrielle Johnston | 10/10 | 2652 days | 7% |
| nzthrillseekers | 10/10 | 3017 days | 5% |
| Sandra Wilson | 10/10 | 3048 days | 5% |
| Wolfgang | 9/10 | 3301 days | 4% |
| Robyn Hallowell | 9/10 | 3659 days | 2% |
| Polly Foster | 10/10 | 3901 days | 2% |
| Ben and Morgane | 9/10 | 3966 days | 1% |
| Simon L | 10/10 | 4297 days | 0% |
| Anthony Richards | 10/10 | 4356 days | 0% |
| Yana W. | 10/10 | 4387 days | 2% |
| James Wilson | 10/10 | 4448 days | 2% |
| Shirley Piggott | 10/10 | 4601 days | 2% |
| Howie Weir | 8/10 | 4690 days | 2% |
| Nadine | 8/10 | 4734 days | 2% |
| Sian Harries | 10/10 | 4752 days | 2% |
| Sasha and Sandra Bonavia | 9/10 | 4752 days | 2% |
| Denise Albrecht | 10/10 | 4756 days | 2% |
| svenanka | 10/10 | 4782 days | 2% |
| fayedoig | 10/10 | 4996 days | 2% |
| voyager64 | 10/10 | 4996 days | 2% |
| Jonathan Tuthill | 9/10 | 5012 days | 2% |
| EmmaNewman | 10/10 | 5027 days | 2% |
| Hiro1403 | 9/10 | 5027 days | 2% |
| RichardClough | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| Michelle | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| jennyhuckstep | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| AnneGrange | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| Rhi | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| kainga | 10/10 | 5087 days | 2% |
| skphilpott | 1/10 | 5118 days | 1% |
| Cornelia & Josef | 9/10 | 5130 days | 2% |
| SimonPayne | 10/10 | 5148 days | 2% |
| Beachfan | 10/10 | 5179 days | 2% |
| calamityalex | 10/10 | 5179 days | 2% |
| Brian & Di | 8/10 | 5375 days | 2% |
| Janice OConnor | 9/10 | 5376 days | 2% |
| W Groshops | 7/10 | 5382 days | 2% |
| Richard Broughton | 9/10 | 5387 days | 2% |
| nzMuppet | 10/10 | 5393 days | 2% |
| Hartheib Schmid | 4/10 | 5396 days | 1% |
| Katharina Dierkes | 5/10 | 5408 days | 1% |
| Isbabel | 9/10 | 5419 days | 2% |
| didine | 10/10 | 5421 days | 2% |
| grumpy2 | 9/10 | 5452 days | 2% |
| Mattie | 10/10 | 5513 days | 2% |
| Bianca | 10/10 | 5574 days | 2% |
| Vanessa | 10/10 | 5697 days | 2% |
| letstraveltogether | 10/10 | 5727 days | 2% |
| JTT | 10/10 | 5727 days | 2% |
| Theresa | 10/10 | 5746 days | 2% |
| bdgenge | 10/10 | 5758 days | 2% |
| SB | 9/10 | 5760 days | 2% |
| Helen Power | 9/10 | 5781 days | 2% |
| Adriane | 8/10 | 5782 days | 2% |
| chloeA | 10/10 | 5786 days | 2% |
| Markus | 10/10 | 5802 days | 2% |
| Duncan Fea | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| Heather | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| Annie | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| sue pentelow | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| jenny | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| lizi | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| judy | 10/10 | 5817 days | 2% |
| ronella | 10/10 | 5848 days | 2% |
| Barney_Biker | 10/10 | 5878 days | 2% |
| Ruth Kinder | 10/10 | 5909 days | 2% |
| NZJenJen | 8/10 | 5939 days | 2% |
| Tanya | 10/10 | 6062 days | 2% |
| Colleen Doherty | 10/10 | 6062 days | 2% |
| penny hoyle | 10/10 | 6062 days | 2% |
| Esther Craddock-Taylor | 10/10 | 6062 days | 2% |
| Conrad Duden | 10/10 | 6092 days | 2% |
| scottl | 10/10 | 6092 days | 2% |
| BrunoS | 8/10 | 6127 days | 2% |
| Eva Duessler | 10/10 | 6182 days | 2% |
| Groen | 8/10 | 6205 days | 2% |
| Frauke | 10/10 | 6224 days | 2% |
| Caroline Cole | 8/10 | 6469 days | 2% |
| Andy | 8/10 | 6535 days | 2% |
| Lauren | 8/10 | 6799 days | 2% |
| Cohen | 7/10 | 6818 days | 2% |
| Andreas | 8/10 | 6858 days | 2% |
| Elaine | 9/10 | 6870 days | 2% |
| KikiNelissen | 9/10 | 6870 days | 2% |
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
-4.07% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 42 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 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 197 | -4.01% |
| 198 | -4.03% |
| 199 | -4.05% |
| 200 | -4.07% |
| 201 | -4.09% |
| 202 | -4.11% |
| 203 | -4.13% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
0.68% 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
93%
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.