How Trust Scores Work - TrustPlay

How Trust Scores Work

Gaming marketplaces and trading sites can be tricky to evaluate. That's why we created the TrustPlay Trust Score – a comprehensive rating from 0 to 100 that helps you quickly understand how reliable and trustworthy a site is. Think of it as a health check that examines every important aspect of a gaming marketplace.

The Science Behind Our Scores

We don't just rely on basic star ratings or user reviews. Instead, we combine a wide range of data points to give you the full picture. Our scores come from analyzing verified user experiences, monitoring site performance, and tracking long-term reliability.

Our team carefully checks every review to ensure it's genuine, and we focus on measurable data rather than gut feelings.

Breaking Down the Trust Score

We build our Trust Score on three main foundations:

User Reviews (70% of the Total Score)

This is the heart of our scoring system. We look at what real users say about their experiences, how ratings change over time, and whether recent reviews show any concerning patterns. Every review goes through our verification process to ensure it's authentic.

Site Traffic (15% of the Total Score)

Popular sites aren't automatically trustworthy, but healthy traffic is a good sign. We track monthly visitors, how these numbers change over time, and how users interact with the site. This helps us spot platforms that consistently serve their users well.

Review Quantity (15% of the Total Score)

The number of reviews matters because it shows how many people actually use and trust a site. We look at total reviews, how often new ones come in, and whether people stay engaged with the platform over time.

What the Scores Mean

Here's what you can expect from sites at different score levels:

🟢 90-100: Exceptional

  • Outstanding user satisfaction
  • High traffic and engagement
  • Consistent positive reviews
  • Strong security measures

🟢 80-89: Very Good

  • Strong performance overall
  • Good user feedback
  • Regular site activity
  • Minor issues, if any

🟡 70-79: Good

  • Above average performance
  • Generally positive reviews
  • Some areas for improvement
  • Reliable service overall

🟡 60-69: Fair

  • Average performance
  • Mixed user feedback
  • Several areas needing improvement
  • Generally functional

🔴 Below 60: Caution

  • Below average performance
  • Significant user concerns
  • Multiple reported issues
  • Needs major improvements

Score Penalties

Trust isn't just earned – it can also be lost. We take certain issues very seriously and apply immediate score penalties when we discover them. For example, if a site is found to manipulate its Trustpilot reviews, we automatically deduct 30 points from its Trust Score. This kind of deduction reflects our zero-tolerance policy for deceptive practices.

We believe it's crucial to penalize dishonest behavior because it helps protect our community. A site might have great traffic numbers and seemingly positive reviews, but if they're willing to fake reviews on Trustpilot, how can you trust them with your money or items?

Keeping Scores Current

A Trust Score isn't set in stone. Our system updates scores every day to reflect changes in:

  • Recent user reviews and experiences
  • Site traffic and performance
  • Platform improvements or issues
  • Overall user satisfaction

Making the Most of Trust Scores

While Trust Scores are a powerful way to evaluate gaming sites, they work best as part of your overall research. We recommend reading recent reviews, checking how scores have changed over time, and considering what specific features matter most to you.

Check out our site verification guide for another helpful tool in making your decision.

Our Commitment to Transparency

We take pride in being open about how we evaluate sites. While we keep our exact algorithm private to prevent manipulation, we're always clear about what factors we consider, how we weigh different elements, and how often we update scores.

Got Questions?

We're here to help you understand how we evaluate gaming sites. If you have questions about our Trust Score system or need help interpreting a score, just reach out to our team.

Our goal is to help you make confident, informed decisions about where to trade your gaming items.