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 Tranz Alpine Train.
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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Tranz Alpine Train
Valid Reviews
69 Valid Reviews
The Tranz Alpine Train experience has a total of 69 valid reviews. There are no 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 69 valid reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 11 |
|
16% |
| 9/10 | 10 |
|
14% |
| 8/10 | 28 |
|
41% |
| 7/10 | 8 |
|
12% |
| 6/10 | 3 |
|
4% |
| 5/10 | 4 |
|
6% |
| 4/10 | 3 |
|
4% |
| 3/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 2/10 | 1 |
|
1% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
77.54% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Tranz Alpine Train valid reviews is 77.54% and is based on 69 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
63 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 69 valid reviews, the experience has 63 face-to-face reviews collected during interviews by our team.
Below is the distribution of ratings for the 63 face-to-face reviews:
| Rating | Count | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 9 |
|
14% |
| 9/10 | 10 |
|
16% |
| 8/10 | 27 |
|
43% |
| 7/10 | 7 |
|
11% |
| 6/10 | 3 |
|
5% |
| 5/10 | 4 |
|
6% |
| 4/10 | 2 |
|
3% |
| 3/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
| 2/10 | 1 |
|
2% |
| 1/10 | 0 |
|
0% |
78.25% Average
The raw data average (mean) for all the Tranz Alpine Train face-to-face reviews is 78.25% and is based on 63 face-to-face reviews. This value is not used to calculate the ranking score and it only provided here for comparison purposes.
Weighted Average
57.14%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| R Lesnick (Washington DC) | 3/10 | 145 days | 100% |
| Steve Sopota | 4/10 | 2551 days | 4% |
| Fanny Hacquart | 5/10 | 3034 days | 4% |
| Jill Stebbing | 7/10 | 3302 days | 4% |
| Petru | 10/10 | 3353 days | 4% |
| Amadeus van Schie | 8/10 | 3385 days | 4% |
| Esther Itier | 7/10 | 3672 days | 2% |
| Thomas Neron | 7/10 | 3672 days | 2% |
| Clare Lambley | 8/10 | 3753 days | 2% |
| Eric Lambley | 5/10 | 3754 days | 2% |
| Ngaire Davies | 7/10 | 4085 days | 1% |
| Cindy Parson | 10/10 | 4377 days | 0% |
| Petra Blumberg | 8/10 | 4414 days | 2% |
| David and Sally Wallis | 8/10 | 4489 days | 2% |
| Steve and Therese Dunne | 8/10 | 4510 days | 2% |
| Michael & Janet | 9/10 | 4783 days | 2% |
| Michael & Rosemary Smith | 8/10 | 4788 days | 2% |
| Mike & April Prince | 8/10 | 4815 days | 2% |
| Warwick Ravell | 9/10 | 4881 days | 2% |
| Alita Smith | 2/10 | 5111 days | 1% |
| Graham Greentree | 9/10 | 5116 days | 2% |
| Bill Cutler | 9/10 | 5129 days | 2% |
| Steve Pearce | 8/10 | 5143 days | 2% |
| Jenny & Barry Sleeman | 8/10 | 5160 days | 2% |
| David Glover | 10/10 | 5161 days | 2% |
| Grada Anderson | 10/10 | 5167 days | 2% |
| Rosey834 | 8/10 | 5198 days | 2% |
| Kerry Wood | 10/10 | 5506 days | 2% |
| David Valentine | 4/10 | 5526 days | 1% |
| Sandra B | 8/10 | 5531 days | 2% |
| Gary Judd | 8/10 | 5531 days | 2% |
| carmenk | 8/10 | 5580 days | 2% |
| Wolfgang Dittrich | 8/10 | 5604 days | 2% |
| Simon Bartholomew | 6/10 | 5606 days | 2% |
| Sarah Smith | 7/10 | 5620 days | 2% |
| regw | 10/10 | 5714 days | 2% |
| nickm | 10/10 | 5793 days | 2% |
| Amy_B | 8/10 | 5826 days | 2% |
| Roy | 9/10 | 5842 days | 2% |
| Richard | 8/10 | 5847 days | 2% |
| Elise | 8/10 | 5888 days | 2% |
| Jordi | 8/10 | 5958 days | 2% |
| purplekat99 | 10/10 | 5959 days | 2% |
| David | 9/10 | 5963 days | 2% |
| Fothergill | 8/10 | 6044 days | 2% |
| Peddy | 7/10 | 6073 days | 2% |
| Ulrike | 10/10 | 6105 days | 2% |
| Helen | 6/10 | 6188 days | 2% |
| Anke | 5/10 | 6188 days | 1% |
| Olga | 4/10 | 6204 days | 1% |
| Aiko Nishimura | 8/10 | 6225 days | 2% |
| Kerstin Brantryd | 5/10 | 6225 days | 1% |
| Marian Mckinney | 9/10 | 6231 days | 2% |
| Greg & Lynette | 9/10 | 6231 days | 2% |
| Sally and David Wallis | 8/10 | 6238 days | 2% |
| Lisa Tame | 7/10 | 6239 days | 2% |
| Katharina | 8/10 | 6250 days | 2% |
| Jim Curley | 6/10 | 6250 days | 2% |
| Kilsby | 10/10 | 6266 days | 2% |
| Lyn Saxon | 8/10 | 6323 days | 2% |
| Phillipa | 9/10 | 6548 days | 2% |
| Sue | 8/10 | 6556 days | 2% |
| Michael | 7/10 | 6556 days | 2% |
| Simon | 10/10 | 6568 days | 2% |
| Fred | 8/10 | 6568 days | 2% |
| Cat | 9/10 | 6568 days | 2% |
| Sandra | 8/10 | 6575 days | 2% |
| Pam Rose | 8/10 | 6578 days | 2% |
| Kerry | 8/10 | 6613 days | 2% |
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 Tranz Alpine Train experience has plenty of reviews and does not meet the criteria for any adjustment.
Recent Reviews Adjustment
-2.19% Adjustment
There may be an adjustment if this experience hasn't received any reviews within the last 59 days. However the Tranz Alpine Train 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 Tranz Alpine Train experience has been adjusted for 114 days. Adjustments are according to the following table.
| Days | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| … | … |
| 111 | -2.13% |
| 112 | -2.15% |
| 113 | -2.17% |
| 114 | -2.19% |
| 115 | -2.21% |
| 116 | -2.23% |
| 117 | -2.24% |
| … | … |
Balancing Adjustment
18.04% 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
73%
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.