The Science of Ratings Why 45 Stars May Be Better Than 5

Have you ever left a review for a restaurant or product and wished there was a way to say, “It was better than 3 stars, but not quite a 4”? You’re not alone. Many people feel the typical 5-star rating system is just too limited. That’s where the idea of a 45-star system comes in—and surprisingly, it makes a lot of sense.

A website like https://reputationbuilder.us focuses on helping businesses understand their reviews, and they’ve noticed something interesting: people give better feedback when they have more choices. If you have only five stars to choose from, each star carries a lot of weight. It can be hard to decide if an experience was “good” or “great” because there’s no in-between. Adding more stars—like going from 5 to 45—gives people more room to show exactly how they feel.

Think about it this way: imagine rating pizza on a scale of 1 to 5. If it was pretty good but not amazing, you might pick 3 or 4 stars. But on a scale of 1 to 45, you could choose 31 stars—not perfect, but clearly better than average. This helps businesses see more clearly how they’re doing. And for customers, it just feels more honest.

Researchers have looked into this too. Studies show that when people have more options, their ratings are more accurate. They're also more likely to leave reviews in the first place, since they don’t feel like they’re being forced into a box. And with more detailed ratings, companies can make smarter decisions to improve their services.

Of course, there’s a balance. Too many choices can be confusing. But 45 stars? It turns out that number works well. It offers enough range for detailed feedback without being overwhelming. It also helps prevent all those middle-of-the-road 3-star reviews that don’t really tell you much.

So next time you're scrolling through reviews, imagine what a 32-star rating might say that a 3-star rating doesn’t. A more flexible scale gives everyone a better shot at sharing and understanding real opinions. And in the end, that makes things easier for both customers and businesses.


 

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