G'day, 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 Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa.
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.
Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa
Valid Reviews
60 Valid Reviews
The Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa experience has a total of 61 reviews. There are 60 valid reviews that are included when calculating the ranking score and 1 invalid review 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 60 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 23 |
|
38% |
| 9/10 | 12 |
|
20% |
| 8/10 | 12 |
|
20% |
| 7/10 | 10 |
|
17% |
| 6/10 | 2 |
|
3% |
| 5/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 4/10 | 1 |
|
2% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
86.67% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa valid reviews is 86.67% and is based on 60 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
53 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 60 valid reviews, the experience has 53 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 53 face-to-face reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 18 |
|
34% |
| 9/10 | 11 |
|
21% |
| 8/10 | 12 |
|
23% |
| 7/10 | 9 |
|
17% |
| 6/10 | 2 |
|
4% |
| 5/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 4/10 | 1 |
|
2% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
85.66% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa face-to-face reviews is 85.66% and is based on 53 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.
Weighted Average
87.25%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel | 4/10 | 3791 days | 0% |
| Alix | 10/10 | 3794 days | 100% |
| Claire | 10/10 | 3794 days | 100% |
| Lena | 7/10 | 3834 days | 61% |
| Stefano | 8/10 | 3861 days | 62% |
| Ivan Dupont | 7/10 | 3865 days | 47% |
| Max Backelandt | 7/10 | 4534 days | 45% |
| Marie Toulemonde | 8/10 | 4534 days | 58% |
| Annika Marz | 7/10 | 4547 days | 45% |
| Julian Zeissler | 7/10 | 4547 days | 45% |
| Lena Hanhart | 7/10 | 4552 days | 45% |
| Barbara | 10/10 | 4570 days | 63% |
| Mark and Eefie | 9/10 | 4995 days | 60% |
| Nigel Leighton | 10/10 | 4998 days | 63% |
| Laura Diepeveen | 8/10 | 5290 days | 58% |
| Stam | 8/10 | 5296 days | 58% |
| cpope | 10/10 | 5345 days | 63% |
| Naomi Kosteaman | 9/10 | 5655 days | 60% |
| Samuel Prechel | 9/10 | 5671 days | 60% |
| Niels Van Welsenes | 10/10 | 5679 days | 63% |
| salsnz | 10/10 | 5955 days | 63% |
| Jvjm Family | 6/10 | 6004 days | 27% |
| Sinjc Grude | 8/10 | 6041 days | 58% |
| Rachel & Barak | 9/10 | 6042 days | 60% |
| Jeremy & Sarah Rind | 10/10 | 6043 days | 63% |
| Andreas Sterki | 8/10 | 6114 days | 58% |
| Gina Swindells | 10/10 | 6117 days | 63% |
| bogaard | 9/10 | 6232 days | 60% |
| Amy_B | 10/10 | 6338 days | 63% |
| NancyB | 9/10 | 6338 days | 60% |
| TraceyM | 8/10 | 6338 days | 58% |
| DanielGermany | 6/10 | 6343 days | 27% |
| AndreaT | 10/10 | 6346 days | 63% |
| Sue Green | 10/10 | 6350 days | 63% |
| Greg18 | 7/10 | 6350 days | 45% |
| DavidJ | 8/10 | 6356 days | 58% |
| Stolz | 10/10 | 6373 days | 63% |
| LindaV | 7/10 | 6384 days | 45% |
| Ian | 10/10 | 6398 days | 63% |
| HelenUK | 8/10 | 6400 days | 58% |
| enthusejohn | 10/10 | 6400 days | 63% |
| Camilla E | 9/10 | 6405 days | 60% |
| Zoe Summers | 10/10 | 6562 days | 63% |
| Benjamin Throk | 9/10 | 6729 days | 60% |
| Marion | 10/10 | 6730 days | 63% |
| Maria Fahlander | 7/10 | 6740 days | 45% |
| Ellie | 10/10 | 6743 days | 63% |
| Sanne | 8/10 | 6743 days | 58% |
| Claire Masling | 8/10 | 6750 days | 58% |
| Sally and David Wallis | 9/10 | 6750 days | 60% |
| Jody | 9/10 | 6762 days | 60% |
| Eliase | 7/10 | 6764 days | 45% |
| Vicki Cook | 9/10 | 6777 days | 60% |
| Carola Haaparinne | 10/10 | 6778 days | 63% |
| Wayne Best | 10/10 | 6786 days | 63% |
| Martin Wright | 10/10 | 6798 days | 63% |
| Floren | 9/10 | 6839 days | 60% |
| Sebastian | 8/10 | 7068 days | 58% |
| Tracy | 10/10 | 7113 days | 63% |
| Jacobien | 10/10 | 7120 days | 63% |
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 Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-2.38% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 109 days. However the Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa 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 Swimming with Dolphins Akaroa experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 197 | -2.34% |
| 198 | -2.36% |
| 199 | -2.37% |
| 200 | -2.38% |
| 201 | -2.39% |
| 202 | -2.40% |
| 203 | -2.42% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
1.85% 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
87%
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.