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 Swimming with 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.
Swimming with Dolphins
Valid Reviews
60 Valid Reviews
The Swimming with Dolphins 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 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 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
86.55%
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 | 3189 days | 48% |
| Alix | 10/10 | 3192 days | 100% |
| Claire | 10/10 | 3192 days | 100% |
| Lena | 7/10 | 3232 days | 85% |
| Stefano | 8/10 | 3259 days | 89% |
| Ivan Dupont | 7/10 | 3263 days | 81% |
| Max Backelandt | 7/10 | 3932 days | 2% |
| Marie Toulemonde | 8/10 | 3932 days | 5% |
| Annika Marz | 7/10 | 3945 days | 1% |
| Julian Zeissler | 7/10 | 3945 days | 1% |
| Lena Hanhart | 7/10 | 3950 days | 0% |
| Barbara | 10/10 | 3968 days | 1% |
| Mark and Eefie | 9/10 | 4393 days | 13% |
| Nigel Leighton | 10/10 | 4396 days | 14% |
| Laura Diepeveen | 8/10 | 4688 days | 13% |
| Stam | 8/10 | 4694 days | 13% |
| cpope | 10/10 | 4743 days | 14% |
| Naomi Kosteaman | 9/10 | 5053 days | 13% |
| Samuel Prechel | 9/10 | 5069 days | 13% |
| Niels Van Welsenes | 10/10 | 5077 days | 14% |
| salsnz | 10/10 | 5353 days | 14% |
| Jvjm Family | 6/10 | 5402 days | 5% |
| Sinjc Grude | 8/10 | 5439 days | 13% |
| Rachel & Barak | 9/10 | 5440 days | 13% |
| Jeremy & Sarah Rind | 10/10 | 5441 days | 14% |
| Andreas Sterki | 8/10 | 5512 days | 13% |
| Gina Swindells | 10/10 | 5515 days | 14% |
| bogaard | 9/10 | 5630 days | 13% |
| Amy_B | 10/10 | 5736 days | 14% |
| NancyB | 9/10 | 5736 days | 13% |
| TraceyM | 8/10 | 5736 days | 13% |
| DanielGermany | 6/10 | 5741 days | 5% |
| AndreaT | 10/10 | 5744 days | 14% |
| Sue Green | 10/10 | 5748 days | 14% |
| Greg18 | 7/10 | 5748 days | 10% |
| DavidJ | 8/10 | 5754 days | 13% |
| Stolz | 10/10 | 5771 days | 14% |
| LindaV | 7/10 | 5782 days | 10% |
| Ian | 10/10 | 5796 days | 14% |
| HelenUK | 8/10 | 5798 days | 13% |
| enthusejohn | 10/10 | 5798 days | 14% |
| Camilla E | 9/10 | 5803 days | 13% |
| Zoe Summers | 10/10 | 5960 days | 14% |
| Benjamin Throk | 9/10 | 6127 days | 13% |
| Marion | 10/10 | 6128 days | 14% |
| Maria Fahlander | 7/10 | 6138 days | 10% |
| Ellie | 10/10 | 6141 days | 14% |
| Sanne | 8/10 | 6141 days | 13% |
| Claire Masling | 8/10 | 6148 days | 13% |
| Sally and David Wallis | 9/10 | 6148 days | 13% |
| Jody | 9/10 | 6160 days | 13% |
| Eliase | 7/10 | 6162 days | 10% |
| Vicki Cook | 9/10 | 6175 days | 13% |
| Carola Haaparinne | 10/10 | 6176 days | 14% |
| Wayne Best | 10/10 | 6184 days | 14% |
| Martin Wright | 10/10 | 6196 days | 14% |
| Floren | 9/10 | 6237 days | 13% |
| Sebastian | 8/10 | 6466 days | 13% |
| Tracy | 10/10 | 6511 days | 14% |
| Jacobien | 10/10 | 6518 days | 14% |
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 experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-4.02% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 41 days. However the Swimming with 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 Swimming with Dolphins experience has been adjusted for 200 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 197 | -3.96% |
| 198 | -3.98% |
| 199 | -4.00% |
| 200 | -4.02% |
| 201 | -4.04% |
| 202 | -4.06% |
| 203 | -4.08% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
2.35% 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
85%
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.