How Ratings Are Calculated
The Usfans Spreadsheet community rating system aggregates user feedback into a single 1-to-5 star score. But the calculation is more nuanced than a simple average. Recent ratings carry higher weight than older ones. Ratings from verified repeat users influence the score more than first-time interactions. Outliers beyond two standard deviations are flagged and reviewed before inclusion.
Rating Breakdown by Star Level
| Category / Feature | Description | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Stars | Exceptional quality, exceeds expectations | 15% of items |
| 4.5-4.9 | Excellent, highly recommended | 28% of items |
| 4.0-4.4 | Very good, solid purchase | 35% of items |
| 3.5-3.9 | Good with minor caveats | 16% of items |
| Below 3.5 | Mixed or below average | 6% of items |
Trust Indicators for Ratings
Not all ratings carry equal reliability. The platform displays a Confidence Badge next to scores based on sample size. A Gold Badge indicates 200+ ratings with low variance. Silver means 50-199 ratings. Bronze covers 10-49 ratings. Items with fewer than 10 ratings show No Badge yet, encouraging more community participation.
Rating Manipulation Detection
The system detects suspicious patterns like clusters of identical ratings from the same IP range or sudden spikes in 1-star or 5-star submissions. Flagged ratings enter a review queue where statistical anomalies are investigated before affecting the public score. This keeps the community rating system trustworthy and representative.