xkcd: TornadoGuard
That made me smile
(for the intended or otherwise subtlety I might add).
Now I've never used Trustpilot (TP) and didn't know of it's existence until reading this thread but I was intrigued to read on
Wikipedia:
"Trustpilot differs from other customer review websites in that it accepts fees directly from some of the companies being reviewed....Fee paying companies have additional control over their reviews."
I'm not sure that I'd be happy about the integrity of anything I read on a site that potentially allows skewing of data as this could. Certainly it makes its value as a truly unbiased consumer review site somewhat limited IMO.
While I recognise the importance of ensuring that any reports made are accurate, and so some element of editorial control may be necessary, what I read here on PPuNe suggests that TP may be further skewing data through wholesale deletions of reports - possibly so far as to make it not fit for purpose (and thus untrustworthy).
I'm not sure how TP do their stats, probably it's a fairly simple process, but I'd suggest that there are elements of 'proper' analysis that can reduce the effects of rogue reports without potentially biased human intervention.... it would be interesting to know if there are any other review sites around that are perhaps less interventionist and also don't allow company payments/control in this way?
Disclaimer: I have still never used TP - they wanted me to accept cookies that I wouldn't allow - so all my information comes from 3rd parties. TP may have legitimate and reasonable reason to delete data, however IMO the reasons and methodology of this should be open for public scrutiny so that the integrity of what one reads is very clear.
FP.