Kia ora, 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 Swim with the Dolphins.
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.
Swim with the Dolphins
Valid Reviews
91 Valid Reviews
The Swim with the Dolphins experience has a total of 93 reviews. There are 91 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 91 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 15 |
|
16% |
| 9/10 | 26 |
|
29% |
| 8/10 | 25 |
|
27% |
| 7/10 | 12 |
|
13% |
| 6/10 | 4 |
|
4% |
| 5/10 | 2 |
|
2% |
| 4/10 | 4 |
|
4% |
| 3/10 | 3 |
|
3% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
79.89% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Swim with the Dolphins valid reviews is 79.89% and is based on 91 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
80 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 91 valid reviews, the experience has 80 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 80 face-to-face reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 12 |
|
15% |
| 9/10 | 25 |
|
31% |
| 8/10 | 24 |
|
30% |
| 7/10 | 10 |
|
13% |
| 6/10 | 3 |
|
4% |
| 5/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 4/10 | 4 |
|
5% |
| 3/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 2/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
81.13% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Swim with the Dolphins face-to-face reviews is 81.13% and is based on 80 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.
Weighted Average
80.76%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nadja Guiliani | 4/10 | 3238 days | 67% |
| Ben Blackwell | 8/10 | 3252 days | 100% |
| mathieu boustie | 5/10 | 3349 days | 71% |
| Mattias | 7/10 | 3960 days | 35% |
| Arnaud Memay | 7/10 | 4041 days | 28% |
| Susser | 8/10 | 4041 days | 30% |
| Samuel Fritscher | 9/10 | 4349 days | 2% |
| Fabian and Teresa | 10/10 | 4375 days | 0% |
| Joroen Borkert | 7/10 | 4431 days | 43% |
| Faassen | 8/10 | 4452 days | 45% |
| Ben Simons | 9/10 | 4715 days | 46% |
| Martin Beuker | 4/10 | 4725 days | 30% |
| Romla | 8/10 | 4726 days | 45% |
| Marie Dutron | 8/10 | 4729 days | 45% |
| Preben vil Helmsen | 10/10 | 4731 days | 46% |
| Rick & Suus | 8/10 | 4732 days | 45% |
| Nora | 9/10 | 4732 days | 46% |
| Barry Baily | 9/10 | 4732 days | 46% |
| Christiane & Dirk | 8/10 | 4733 days | 45% |
| Scott Simpson | 5/10 | 4736 days | 35% |
| Wolfgang Beute | 8/10 | 4736 days | 45% |
| batzi | 3/10 | 4840 days | 25% |
| bow | 3/10 | 4993 days | 25% |
| Nick van de Belt | 9/10 | 5062 days | 46% |
| Patrick Gloede | 9/10 | 5068 days | 46% |
| Stoop | 9/10 | 5071 days | 46% |
| Siegfried Tuiel | 10/10 | 5074 days | 46% |
| Laura Leigh | 6/10 | 5078 days | 40% |
| John Taylor | 7/10 | 5084 days | 43% |
| Jon_and_Family | 7/10 | 5085 days | 43% |
| Marjan Van Den Braak | 4/10 | 5086 days | 30% |
| Wouter Teensma | 8/10 | 5089 days | 45% |
| Ann Parry | 10/10 | 5089 days | 46% |
| Rob | 8/10 | 5100 days | 45% |
| Alan & Gill Geach | 7/10 | 5107 days | 43% |
| Sarah Ewing | 9/10 | 5110 days | 46% |
| John N | 8/10 | 5444 days | 45% |
| Elisabeth Egerup | 10/10 | 5457 days | 46% |
| Wielink | 8/10 | 5458 days | 45% |
| Pierre Pilon | 9/10 | 5458 days | 46% |
| Pascal Auber | 8/10 | 5464 days | 45% |
| Lamb | 9/10 | 5477 days | 46% |
| Tonny | 8/10 | 5477 days | 45% |
| Dawn Campbell | 10/10 | 5509 days | 46% |
| guichard | 7/10 | 5529 days | 43% |
| HairyHaggis | 10/10 | 5540 days | 46% |
| katepat | 10/10 | 5540 days | 46% |
| Colin S | 10/10 | 5548 days | 46% |
| Ulyate | 6/10 | 5551 days | 40% |
| Alex D'Souza | 7/10 | 5601 days | 43% |
| Patrick | 9/10 | 5631 days | 46% |
| billdee | 10/10 | 5662 days | 46% |
| EvertG | 8/10 | 5765 days | 45% |
| KatrinK | 10/10 | 5777 days | 46% |
| David | 8/10 | 5784 days | 45% |
| neeltjec | 9/10 | 5784 days | 46% |
| monikav | 10/10 | 5784 days | 46% |
| Martien van Brakel | 9/10 | 5784 days | 46% |
| kymberlyw | 9/10 | 5785 days | 46% |
| Katy1 | 8/10 | 5786 days | 45% |
| Anneleen | 8/10 | 5814 days | 45% |
| RosC | 6/10 | 5819 days | 40% |
| Simon | 9/10 | 5833 days | 46% |
| Gunhild | 9/10 | 5848 days | 46% |
| Lars | 10/10 | 5851 days | 46% |
| Miha | 7/10 | 5889 days | 43% |
| Ana | 7/10 | 5896 days | 43% |
| Cindy | 9/10 | 5897 days | 46% |
| Mark | 9/10 | 5915 days | 46% |
| Stephanie Schikora | 10/10 | 5927 days | 46% |
| Rhys Howell | 6/10 | 6118 days | 40% |
| Ben | 9/10 | 6155 days | 46% |
| Vikki | 10/10 | 6160 days | 46% |
| Kelly Noirin | 8/10 | 6171 days | 45% |
| Ohad | 9/10 | 6177 days | 46% |
| Trinkler | 9/10 | 6177 days | 46% |
| Nancy Dol | 9/10 | 6181 days | 46% |
| George Clark | 7/10 | 6181 days | 43% |
| Kathy Hawey | 8/10 | 6183 days | 45% |
| Myrtille de Vries | 9/10 | 6188 days | 46% |
| Buys | 9/10 | 6189 days | 46% |
| Haemnerli | 8/10 | 6189 days | 45% |
| Vaclaf | 9/10 | 6195 days | 46% |
| Jenny Hulsebosch | 9/10 | 6212 days | 46% |
| Willemien | 8/10 | 6276 days | 45% |
| Vern | 7/10 | 6386 days | 43% |
| James | 8/10 | 6386 days | 45% |
| Rietveld | 8/10 | 6542 days | 45% |
| Janne | 8/10 | 6554 days | 45% |
| Nina | 3/10 | 6556 days | 25% |
| Inga | 4/10 | 6556 days | 30% |
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 Swim with the Dolphins experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-4.14% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 49 days. However the Swim with the Dolphins 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 Swim with the Dolphins experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 197 | -4.08% |
| 198 | -4.10% |
| 199 | -4.12% |
| 200 | -4.14% |
| 201 | -4.16% |
| 202 | -4.18% |
| 203 | -4.20% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
4.05% 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
81%
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.