At Zippicks, we believe that choosing the right place shouldn’t be guesswork. That’s why we’ve designed a smarter, more transparent scoring system that gives you a fuller picture—beyond generic stars and vague ratings.
Here’s how it works:
1. 10-Point Scoring System
All scores on Zippicks use a 1.0 to 10.0 scale for more precision and clarity.
- Critic Score: Based on verified reviews from trusted experts and local contributors.
- User Score: Based on ratings submitted by the Zippicks community.
- Overall Score: A weighted average of critic and user scores.
2. Weighted Overall Score
The Overall Score is designed to reflect both expert insight and real customer feedback.
By default:
- 60% Critic Score
- 40% User Score
This gives both voices a seat at the table, with room for you to sort or filter by what matters most to you.
3. Approval Ratings (% Liked It)
Alongside scores, we show Approval Percentages for added context:
- Critic Approval: The percentage of critics who rated the business 8.0 or higher.
- User Approval: The percentage of users who gave it 8.0 or higher.
These numbers show how many people actually liked a place—not just how strongly some people did.
4. Tags from Real Reviews
We highlight the most common themes from reviews, so you can quickly understand why people recommend a place.
Examples:
“Great service” · “Cozy atmosphere” · “Overpriced” · “Perfect for date night”
These Top Tags are updated regularly based on actual feedback.
5. Quality Badges
Zippicks awards badges to highlight businesses that stand out:
- Critic Favorite: High critic score and approval (≥8.5 & 85%)
- Fan Approved: High user score and approval (≥8.0 & 80%)
- Hidden Gem: Strong score with low visibility or newer reviews
- Mixed Feedback: Moderate score with mixed approval
Badges make it easy to recognize standout places at a glance.
Why We Don’t Use Stars
Stars oversimplify the experience. Most businesses fall into the same narrow range (3.5–4.5), making it hard to tell them apart. Our scoring system gives you:
- More detail
- Better comparisons
- Real reasons to trust a rating
Have questions about how we score?
Reach out anytime—we’re happy to explain more or adjust based on community feedback.