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 Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

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.

Cymen Crick's avatar

Cymen Crick

Rankers Owner

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Valid Reviews

290 Valid Reviews

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves experience has a total of 291 reviews. There are 290 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 290 valid reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 36
12%
9/10 52
18%
8/10 81
28%
7/10 66
23%
6/10 22
8%
5/10 13
4%
4/10 8
3%
3/10 5
2%
2/10 4
1%
1/10 3
1%

75.62% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Waitomo Glowworm Caves valid reviews is 75.62% and is based on 290 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

263 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 290 valid reviews, the experience has 263 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.

Below is the distribution of ratings for the 263 face-to-face reviews:

Rating Count Percentage
10/10 29
11%
9/10 49
19%
8/10 76
29%
7/10 57
22%
6/10 21
8%
5/10 13
5%
4/10 7
3%
3/10 5
2%
2/10 4
2%
1/10 2
1%

75.36% Average

The raw data average (mean) for all the Waitomo Glowworm Caves face-to-face reviews is 75.36% and is based on 263 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.

Weighted Average

75.57%

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
Somysolanki 7/10 218 days 100%
Anne 7/10 553 days 85%
ros fraser 4/10 2563 days 3%
wynden 1/10 2591 days 2%
Rado Hank 10/10 2678 days 4%
Lizzie Edmonds 8/10 2679 days 4%
Anis Quentin 7/10 2686 days 3%
Jeny Smolders 7/10 2690 days 3%
Oscar Petersen 8/10 2697 days 4%
Ani 9/10 2806 days 3%
Martin Murlik 8/10 2918 days 3%
Laura 9/10 2929 days 3%
Melanie Farrell 7/10 2937 days 3%
Andy 10/10 2944 days 3%
Julia Achatz 5/10 2958 days 2%
Auba Mateos 7/10 2964 days 3%
Charlotte 7/10 2964 days 3%
Isabel Zedelius 8/10 2967 days 3%
Dries 8/10 3007 days 3%
Clarissa Glaser 8/10 3008 days 3%
Alna 10/10 3013 days 3%
Holger Worner 9/10 3013 days 3%
Karlee Hormell 9/10 3022 days 3%
Alonso 9/10 3026 days 3%
Rose Guillaume 8/10 3029 days 3%
Caroline Coudray 8/10 3033 days 3%
Barbara 8/10 3033 days 3%
Leonie Brabers 7/10 3041 days 3%
Bina Johansson 10/10 3041 days 3%
Sam Staines 9/10 3045 days 3%
Erik 6/10 3048 days 2%
Nicole Signer 8/10 3055 days 3%
Sam Taylor 7/10 3059 days 3%
Vanuxem 8/10 3263 days 2%
Clara Bertomeu 10/10 3263 days 2%
Lukas Boller 9/10 3265 days 2%
Mette Elholm 7/10 3279 days 2%
Mathilde Arp 8/10 3279 days 2%
Chloe and Guillame 9/10 3283 days 2%
Andre 9/10 3285 days 2%
Doerte 10/10 3285 days 2%
Saskia Peek 9/10 3286 days 2%
Erika Tarant 8/10 3286 days 2%
Jennifer Nguyen 7/10 3287 days 2%
Julie Duvert 7/10 3287 days 2%
Dan Ramsl 4/10 3287 days 1%
Lucy Mulvin 7/10 3288 days 2%
Fine Kochling 9/10 3290 days 2%
Eberhard 9/10 3290 days 2%
Hannes 8/10 3291 days 2%
Calum Penn 9/10 3293 days 2%
Arthur Portolleau 6/10 3294 days 2%
Elisabet 10/10 3295 days 2%
Tommy Mannien 8/10 3296 days 2%
Solange Bourbeois 8/10 3299 days 2%
Talissa Missiato 10/10 3299 days 2%
Severin Knegsch 9/10 3300 days 2%
Pierre Jouffineau 10/10 3301 days 2%
Lewis Whittle 8/10 3303 days 2%
Ben and Pauline 8/10 3305 days 2%
Ann-Kathrin 7/10 3310 days 2%
Natasha Harbinson 10/10 3311 days 2%
Sebastian 2/10 3312 days 1%
Jaquein Bucholz 3/10 3312 days 1%
Chiara 7/10 3312 days 2%
Cariotta Kemper 3/10 3312 days 1%
Megan Lenox 7/10 3315 days 2%
Max Mustermann 8/10 3317 days 2%
Amy Stafford 8/10 3320 days 2%
Carl 7/10 3320 days 2%
Briony 7/10 3322 days 2%
Melanie Kronbichler 8/10 3323 days 2%
Andreas Schiefer 7/10 3324 days 2%
Veronique Kaplan 3/10 3326 days 1%
Robin Ings 6/10 3327 days 2%
Stula Vladimir 7/10 3328 days 2%
David Soukal 8/10 3328 days 2%
Olivia Aliprandi 7/10 3329 days 2%
Isabelle 2/10 3331 days 1%
Jonathan Gourmel 8/10 3331 days 2%
Mikkel Palleson 4/10 3334 days 1%
Franziska and Sabine 7/10 3335 days 2%
Chloe Guerillot 7/10 3335 days 2%
Faye Oliver 7/10 3337 days 2%
Iris Kerbler 9/10 3337 days 2%
Til Schaebitz 6/10 3338 days 2%
Elisabeth Grabner 9/10 3340 days 2%
Berith 10/10 3340 days 2%
Chris Simpson 6/10 3343 days 2%
Pekka and Jonna 9/10 3343 days 2%
Jonas Hoerning 8/10 3344 days 2%
Nils 10/10 3344 days 2%
Mark Rosema 8/10 3345 days 2%
Lisa Huber 10/10 3345 days 2%
Nicola Wiggan 9/10 3366 days 2%
Linda and Gunther 4/10 3367 days 1%
Julie 9/10 3368 days 2%
Maria Schaer 7/10 3372 days 2%
Mette and Jesper 5/10 3374 days 2%
Pierre and Alexandra 6/10 3380 days 2%
Julia Waenninger 8/10 3392 days 2%
Sarah Boettcher 9/10 3428 days 2%
Suzanne Vermeulen 6/10 3445 days 2%
Blandine Giusti 7/10 3648 days 1%
Bart Hanssen 6/10 3727 days 1%
Astrid Egesten 7/10 3779 days 1%
Jean Curry 9/10 4002 days 1%
Carla Oyarzun 1/10 4006 days 0%
Philippe Chiasson 9/10 4012 days 1%
Helma Druyken 4/10 4022 days 0%
Florian Guttler 7/10 4025 days 1%
Casandra Prunica 8/10 4026 days 1%
Lauren Hedley 7/10 4026 days 1%
Janina Zwerver 8/10 4026 days 1%
Marieke Feyteres 4/10 4030 days 0%
van Linda Werner 5/10 4030 days 1%
Philip Donachie 7/10 4040 days 1%
Luisa Bach 8/10 4040 days 1%
Kristina 7/10 4042 days 1%
Eugen Lehner 6/10 4043 days 1%
Manuel Bach 7/10 4043 days 1%
Matthias Freiling 2/10 4050 days 0%
Debora Grusler 6/10 4053 days 1%
Andreas Brodhaeker 8/10 4066 days 1%
Renee van der Syde 7/10 4067 days 1%
Martha Horst 8/10 4067 days 1%
Roland Beer 7/10 4071 days 1%
Johanna Bak 4/10 4071 days 0%
Lior Bakski 9/10 4081 days 1%
Bet 9/10 4082 days 1%
Memain 8/10 4355 days 0%
Konza 7/10 4356 days 0%
Steen Rausmussen 8/10 4387 days 1%
David Restell 10/10 4417 days 1%
Christina Rodewald 9/10 4422 days 1%
Hanneke P 7/10 4448 days 1%
Kohler 9/10 4468 days 1%
Alexandra van den Brack 6/10 4476 days 1%
Paul Lawrence 9/10 4477 days 1%
Abby Rushmer 7/10 4478 days 1%
Stephan Olivier 7/10 4483 days 1%
Stephan Olivier 7/10 4483 days 1%
Faassen 8/10 4487 days 1%
Julie Lamart 8/10 4488 days 1%
Adrian Weidell 5/10 4684 days 1%
Jonathan Tuthill 9/10 4739 days 1%
A Ormsby 10/10 4751 days 1%
Gillian Rowe 10/10 4764 days 1%
Ryan Pynappels 8/10 4765 days 1%
Peter Dellen 8/10 4766 days 1%
Jorg Steffens 8/10 4766 days 1%
Danielle & Jobbe 9/10 4768 days 1%
Christina 6/10 4769 days 1%
Jop Veldhuis 7/10 4769 days 1%
Paul Weidenfeld 8/10 4770 days 1%
Sophie Dorrepaal 7/10 4770 days 1%
Fannette Peyreplane 5/10 4771 days 1%
Norm Cooper 7/10 4775 days 1%
Gloria, Rose & An 8/10 4775 days 1%
A Sorg 10/10 4775 days 1%
Samplonius 5/10 4778 days 1%
Petra 10/10 4778 days 1%
Bethany Hamilton 8/10 4782 days 1%
suffolkhouse69 9/10 4783 days 1%
a a 8/10 4814 days 1%
Julia Balionis 7/10 4828 days 1%
Julia Hartman 3/10 4829 days 1%
Fabienne Indergand 7/10 4849 days 1%
Waldemar Schuler 9/10 4861 days 1%
pepette31 7/10 4936 days 1%
Craig Hathaway 9/10 5088 days 1%
Stephane Lebel 9/10 5093 days 1%
Rens Hemselmans 7/10 5106 days 1%
Isabell 10/10 5108 days 1%
Holly Cave 5/10 5108 days 1%
J Palmer 6/10 5112 days 1%
Liz & Jim 10/10 5114 days 1%
Edgar & Marilyn Berry 9/10 5116 days 1%
Simon Vickers 2/10 5119 days 0%
Leslie 8/10 5132 days 1%
Jean-Francois Guilbault 8/10 5133 days 1%
Selina Mueller 7/10 5134 days 1%
Tamlin Barton 3/10 5135 days 1%
Cara Dungay 8/10 5136 days 1%
Bottcher 10/10 5136 days 1%
Alexandra 10/10 5137 days 1%
Philipp Rau 7/10 5139 days 1%
Dan Aldridge 9/10 5141 days 1%
John Allen 8/10 5143 days 1%
Curtis Penner 8/10 5143 days 1%
Brandt 8/10 5145 days 1%
Nadia Husain 5/10 5148 days 1%
T J Andrews 6/10 5164 days 1%
Charli Skinner 7/10 5415 days 1%
Carl_Larsen 10/10 5424 days 1%
Susan & Richard 10/10 5485 days 1%
Rik 9/10 5486 days 1%
Jonathan Martin 7/10 5488 days 1%
Gunda G 9/10 5493 days 1%
Aaron 8/10 5495 days 1%
Will Jemma 6/10 5498 days 1%
Christen Hans 10/10 5499 days 1%
Monica and Danie. 7/10 5507 days 1%
Stephen 5/10 5509 days 1%
Susan 10/10 5509 days 1%
snodge 8/10 5513 days 1%
Bo Moenstead 9/10 5522 days 1%
Alain Deslandres 8/10 5526 days 1%
Jakob Jurgen 10/10 5527 days 1%
EA Anders 8/10 5530 days 1%
Helen and Hans Walser 1/10 5533 days 0%
kevinp 8/10 5556 days 1%
warrenp 9/10 5560 days 1%
braunweiler 9/10 5564 days 1%
pimn 9/10 5569 days 1%
asiacritics 7/10 5575 days 1%
Chris Mackamul 8/10 5582 days 1%
Debbie Rathbone 10/10 5582 days 1%
Lisette X 9/10 5583 days 1%
Martin 10/10 5585 days 1%
Thomas Willi 10/10 5585 days 1%
Elodie 7/10 5586 days 1%
richardh 7/10 5700 days 1%
trvlbug 8/10 5728 days 1%
glennandjen 10/10 5789 days 1%
BryonyS 9/10 5807 days 1%
Marion 9/10 5823 days 1%
Mikey 7/10 5824 days 1%
Richard Komzik 6/10 5825 days 1%
Michael Walsall 10/10 5829 days 1%
Anna 8/10 5843 days 1%
Abigail 7/10 5843 days 1%
lannie 7/10 5853 days 1%
SimonR 8/10 5853 days 1%
SonjaG 7/10 5853 days 1%
Chris 8/10 5859 days 1%
AurelieD 8/10 5866 days 1%
Yunker 10/10 5867 days 1%
Andrew 8/10 5870 days 1%
Erin 9/10 5870 days 1%
Christopher Gallaga 8/10 5875 days 1%
Amy 10/10 5881 days 1%
Shona 8/10 5881 days 1%
plumbaum 9/10 5884 days 1%
Sandra 10/10 5891 days 1%
Evangelista 8/10 5891 days 1%
Oliver 5/10 5893 days 1%
Kat 9/10 5923 days 1%
Lisa 8/10 5950 days 1%
siobhan 8/10 5952 days 1%
Alice 8/10 5952 days 1%
NORTZ 7/10 5981 days 1%
Stefan 8/10 5983 days 1%
Hugh Trenchard 9/10 5999 days 1%
Niamh 4/10 6006 days 1%
Jenny 9/10 6030 days 1%
Louise 8/10 6039 days 1%
Peddy 10/10 6048 days 1%
Katie Wise 8/10 6051 days 1%
Thomas Bachmann 8/10 6067 days 1%
Daniala 8/10 6086 days 1%
Tom Ben 9/10 6190 days 1%
Sarah Maudsley 8/10 6205 days 1%
Alan Bellerby 8/10 6205 days 1%
Tina Daly 5/10 6211 days 1%
John Woodrow 8/10 6220 days 1%
Ernst Seter 9/10 6220 days 1%
Jim Curley 7/10 6231 days 1%
Daniel 7/10 6232 days 1%
Marc Hertogs 7/10 6235 days 1%
Laura Sutton 5/10 6259 days 1%
Jeroen 5/10 6261 days 1%
Mum! 6/10 6261 days 1%
Gail 9/10 6265 days 1%
Heike Julia 6/10 6266 days 1%
Lanni 8/10 6266 days 1%
Amanda Finger 7/10 6267 days 1%
Desiree Muri 7/10 6267 days 1%
Jan Grzejik 8/10 6294 days 1%
Wouter Ewalts 8/10 6301 days 1%
Matilde 6/10 6309 days 1%
Kim 6/10 6506 days 1%
Gillian 8/10 6548 days 1%
Denise Nick 6/10 6558 days 1%
ranker_110 8/10 6577 days 1%
Jasper 7/10 6584 days 1%
Mary 8/10 6584 days 1%
Lucy 6/10 6584 days 1%
Lukas 8/10 6595 days 1%
Hanna 7/10 6597 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 Waitomo Glowworm Caves 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 56 days. However the Waitomo Glowworm Caves 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 Waitomo Glowworm Caves 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

6.20% 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

78%

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.