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Ranking Score Explained

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 Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura.

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.

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Cymen Crick

Rankers Owner

Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura

Valid Reviews

256 Valid Reviews

The Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura experience has a total of 258 reviews. There are 256 valid reviews that are included when calculating the ranking score and 2 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 256 valid reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 136
53%
9/10 75
29%
8/10 31
12%
7/10 13
5%
6/10 1
0%
5/10 0
0%
4/10 0
0%
3/10 0
0%
2/10 0
0%
1/10 0
0%

92.97% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura valid reviews is 92.97% and is based on 256 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

210 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 256 valid reviews, the experience has 210 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.

Below is the distribution of ratings for the 210 face-to-face reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 104
50%
9/10 66
31%
8/10 30
14%
7/10 10
5%
6/10 0
0%
5/10 0
0%
4/10 0
0%
3/10 0
0%
2/10 0
0%
1/10 0
0%

92.57% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura face-to-face reviews is 92.57% and is based on 210 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.

Weighted Average

93.04%

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
Wil 9/10 497 days 100%
Lisa 10/10 1196 days 32%
Michael Holm 9/10 2713 days 3%
Stefan Zink 10/10 2965 days 3%
Fentrup 9/10 2971 days 3%
Katharina Koch 10/10 2975 days 3%
Aurelie and Ben Marie 9/10 2977 days 3%
Sebastian Braun 9/10 3065 days 2%
Joanne Woo 10/10 3082 days 2%
Chris 6/10 3113 days 2%
Olivier Reculeau 10/10 3299 days 2%
Susanne Breudel 10/10 3304 days 2%
Josh Legge 10/10 3312 days 2%
Daniel Weber 9/10 3314 days 2%
Virginia Fradin 10/10 3318 days 2%
Olivier Anciaux 9/10 3321 days 2%
Wendy van Boom 10/10 3321 days 2%
Bas Hoogteijling 10/10 3324 days 2%
Mira Huckfield 10/10 3334 days 2%
Maike Santelmann 10/10 3346 days 2%
Levin Stuers 10/10 3351 days 2%
magdalena gomez haedo 9/10 3354 days 2%
Lucca Weisbender 10/10 3356 days 2%
Anna Scholten 10/10 3357 days 2%
Nils Kissel 10/10 3367 days 2%
Madita and Lisann 10/10 3403 days 2%
sanneke tangel 10/10 3409 days 2%
Georgia Coleman 10/10 3409 days 2%
Virgil Spruit 8/10 3413 days 2%
Xue Rong Kok 7/10 3418 days 1%
Anthony Jacobs 10/10 3540 days 1%
Sofie Jebsen 10/10 3683 days 1%
Tobias 10/10 3683 days 1%
Annika Funk 10/10 3719 days 1%
Dawn Mulligan 10/10 3735 days 1%
Christophe Scieszka 10/10 3752 days 1%
Hubert 8/10 3792 days 1%
Ondrej Stepanek 8/10 4028 days 0%
Boneschova Jarka 10/10 4028 days 0%
Heike Heller 10/10 4037 days 0%
Andreas Mouteiro 9/10 4037 days 0%
Josefin Lind 10/10 4038 days 0%
Herman Holmgist 10/10 4038 days 0%
Felicitas 9/10 4060 days 0%
Antoine 8/10 4068 days 0%
Mara K 10/10 4087 days 0%
Emilie Chanbon 10/10 4090 days 0%
Alexis Redor 10/10 4090 days 0%
Julia Amberger 8/10 4109 days 0%
Annalina Drebald 8/10 4109 days 0%
balesdent 9/10 4115 days 0%
Alineet Gautier 10/10 4118 days 0%
Annika Schmidt 10/10 4398 days 1%
Patrick Stoeit 10/10 4398 days 1%
Audrey Ripoche 9/10 4400 days 1%
Rey Germain 9/10 4400 days 1%
Christofer Tonn 10/10 4410 days 1%
Ann Furlong 10/10 4418 days 1%
Trudy Ryan 8/10 4418 days 1%
Jill Fischer 10/10 4424 days 1%
Kim 10/10 4424 days 1%
Francois Marchar 9/10 4434 days 1%
Jan Zimmerman 10/10 4439 days 1%
Elvin Teo 10/10 4452 days 1%
Rob 9/10 4500 days 1%
Andreas Garbin 10/10 4502 days 1%
Joanna 9/10 4520 days 1%
Mellow 10/10 4544 days 1%
whalelover88 10/10 4697 days 1%
Jos Schieveen 8/10 4768 days 1%
Goran Backlund 9/10 4774 days 1%
Nathan Sait 10/10 4781 days 1%
Toby Clark 10/10 4781 days 1%
Maxine Gilman 10/10 4784 days 1%
Harald 9/10 4798 days 1%
Dominik Langenegger 9/10 4800 days 1%
Rebecca Richardson 9/10 4800 days 1%
Andrew Powell 9/10 4800 days 1%
Peter Field 10/10 4800 days 1%
Eric Lombaard 8/10 4801 days 1%
Nicholas Prakenhammar 10/10 4802 days 1%
Peter Wall 7/10 4802 days 0%
Verne Heath 8/10 4803 days 1%
John O'Donnell 10/10 4804 days 1%
Paul Fairbrass 10/10 4811 days 1%
Frank Krivauek 10/10 4812 days 1%
Rocco Christian 7/10 4812 days 0%
Kurt & Noemi Buhler 7/10 4813 days 0%
Therese 7/10 4816 days 0%
Katie K 9/10 4827 days 1%
CMJ 10/10 4849 days 1%
Jacqueline 10/10 4880 days 1%
Marc & Pauline 9/10 4886 days 1%
Kevin & Chris 9/10 4887 days 1%
Robin & Sandra Dijke 9/10 4889 days 1%
Laura McCusker 8/10 4896 days 1%
Dexter 10/10 5094 days 1%
Jasmin Loeffler 10/10 5100 days 1%
Natascha Rachel 10/10 5100 days 1%
Res Kormann 10/10 5113 days 1%
Sarah James 10/10 5123 days 1%
Nick Taylor 10/10 5123 days 1%
Nicola Young 10/10 5123 days 1%
Stefan Elsenbruch 9/10 5128 days 1%
Stefanie 7/10 5138 days 0%
Koen Vanlede 10/10 5141 days 1%
Van Vliet 8/10 5142 days 1%
Vanessa Vogel 10/10 5145 days 1%
Marcel Camsch 9/10 5147 days 1%
Keely & Mark Haynes 10/10 5148 days 1%
Svea Sauter 10/10 5148 days 1%
henriket 10/10 5149 days 1%
Amanda Wells 10/10 5149 days 1%
K & J Overton 9/10 5149 days 1%
Jerry & Floon 9/10 5153 days 1%
Bartl 10/10 5153 days 1%
travellingfamilyof6 10/10 5155 days 1%
WeddingMaven 10/10 5155 days 1%
Lieve Verdonck 8/10 5156 days 1%
Victoria Purver 8/10 5158 days 1%
Thelia Beament 9/10 5158 days 1%
Edwards 9/10 5162 days 1%
Mark Irwin 9/10 5166 days 1%
Agnes McMillan 10/10 5167 days 1%
Leslie 9/10 5167 days 1%
Selina Mueller 10/10 5169 days 1%
Jill Dean 10/10 5170 days 1%
Chloe Finster 10/10 5170 days 1%
Vanderhorst 9/10 5171 days 1%
Judith K. 10/10 5173 days 1%
Amanda Wallace 9/10 5173 days 1%
Mark Aarts 10/10 5174 days 1%
Forestal Youri 9/10 5175 days 1%
Dave and Lin Mungham 10/10 5176 days 1%
Jane Hancock 10/10 5178 days 1%
Stephi 10/10 5183 days 1%
Amanda 10/10 5183 days 1%
Mick Doherty 9/10 5214 days 1%
hendrik king 7/10 5214 days 0%
Shoe 10/10 5245 days 1%
marcvergroesen 9/10 5459 days 1%
Jenny Leyland 9/10 5459 days 1%
MarcyMark 10/10 5489 days 1%
katrina Marshall 10/10 5506 days 1%
Von 9/10 5520 days 1%
Judith 8/10 5526 days 1%
Doris Resch 10/10 5526 days 1%
Sheila Morgan 10/10 5529 days 1%
Maria Newton 9/10 5530 days 1%
Faller 10/10 5543 days 1%
Wim Van Gastel 8/10 5546 days 1%
Laura Walters 9/10 5547 days 1%
Chance McGuire 10/10 5548 days 1%
cees juffermans 9/10 5561 days 1%
Markus 10/10 5564 days 1%
Grainne Ahern 10/10 5579 days 1%
sutuckey 10/10 5579 days 1%
Honeymooners 10/10 5579 days 1%
sophiep 9/10 5594 days 1%
chuckchallenger 10/10 5610 days 1%
mdarras 9/10 5614 days 1%
joramv 9/10 5614 days 1%
Michelle Kraemer 10/10 5617 days 1%
Kimberly Skyes 10/10 5617 days 1%
Ruth Colmer 9/10 5620 days 1%
maleta 8/10 5631 days 1%
Simon_and_Jane_OZ 9/10 5824 days 1%
JoF 10/10 5846 days 1%
Christian Kamm 10/10 5851 days 1%
Michael Maddams 7/10 5852 days 0%
Joanna Harrnon 10/10 5853 days 1%
Sarah 8/10 5853 days 1%
David 10/10 5854 days 1%
jjakkeren 9/10 5854 days 1%
Alanna 10/10 5855 days 1%
ElissaH 10/10 5856 days 1%
Andrew Smith 9/10 5860 days 1%
Jean 10/10 5870 days 1%
CarinaB1 10/10 5875 days 1%
Lindsey 9/10 5885 days 1%
Lisa 10/10 5890 days 1%
Laura 8/10 5893 days 1%
kiwibrit86 9/10 5896 days 1%
Visken 10/10 5897 days 1%
Christina 10/10 5902 days 1%
RachaelO 10/10 5904 days 1%
Marianne 10/10 5904 days 1%
Peppa 10/10 5904 days 1%
Jackie 9/10 5918 days 1%
Patrick 9/10 5918 days 1%
Carla 8/10 5920 days 1%
Keith 10/10 5926 days 1%
Saskia 9/10 5926 days 1%
Patrick 10/10 5930 days 1%
Charlie 9/10 5934 days 1%
Ten 10/10 5934 days 1%
Kevin Dangerfield 10/10 5943 days 1%
Graham 9/10 5958 days 1%
David 10/10 5967 days 1%
Eveline 10/10 5967 days 1%
Mette 10/10 5974 days 1%
Rowan 9/10 5999 days 1%
Hanna 10/10 5999 days 1%
Sally Walker 10/10 6005 days 1%
abby 10/10 6011 days 1%
Paul 10/10 6021 days 1%
Peter 10/10 6029 days 1%
Anna 10/10 6051 days 1%
Liz 9/10 6060 days 1%
Laura 8/10 6060 days 1%
Amy Shields 7/10 6064 days 0%
Erin 9/10 6072 days 1%
George Burgas 7/10 6078 days 0%
Sharon Curly 7/10 6086 days 0%
Peddy 8/10 6089 days 1%
Christine 9/10 6102 days 1%
Charlie Bond 8/10 6135 days 1%
SandyS 10/10 6189 days 1%
BexStar 10/10 6203 days 1%
Galen 9/10 6220 days 1%
Monica Black 10/10 6220 days 1%
Denise 10/10 6237 days 1%
Ria 9/10 6241 days 1%
Christian 7/10 6241 days 0%
Wiebke 9/10 6245 days 1%
Phil Connelly 9/10 6246 days 1%
Amanda 9/10 6252 days 1%
Erwin de Kleijn 9/10 6259 days 1%
Nick 10/10 6268 days 1%
John 9/10 6268 days 1%
Sandra Gustafson 10/10 6296 days 1%
Jo 10/10 6296 days 1%
Helena 10/10 6297 days 1%
Seldam 8/10 6302 days 1%
Andrew Purdam 7/10 6310 days 0%
Gerber Liselotte 10/10 6328 days 1%
Gabriela Herger 8/10 6336 days 1%
Jane Coleman 8/10 6339 days 1%
Wendy Williams 9/10 6346 days 1%
Claire 8/10 6570 days 1%
Will 9/10 6570 days 1%
JanKovar 10/10 6572 days 1%
Justin 10/10 6575 days 1%
Beth 9/10 6581 days 1%
Hanneke 9/10 6582 days 1%
Cat 8/10 6584 days 1%
MartinTrenker 9/10 6590 days 1%
Janneke 10/10 6591 days 1%
Renee 9/10 6594 days 1%
Elke 8/10 6609 days 1%
Malon 10/10 6610 days 1%
Ralph 10/10 6619 days 1%
Lucy 10/10 6619 days 1%
Gordon 8/10 6631 days 1%
Beate 9/10 6632 days 1%
MartinJago 8/10 6643 days 1%

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 Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.

Recent Reviews Adjustment

-3.55% Adjustment

There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 63 days. However the Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura 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 Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.

Days Adjustment
… …
197 -3.49%
198 -3.51%
199 -3.53%
200 -3.55%
201 -3.56%
202 -3.58%
203 -3.60%
… …

Balancing Adjustment

1.07% 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

91%

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.