How RoboMowerIndex handles mower data

Current owners, past owners, and regular household users can rate a mower, including early failures and returns. Overall satisfaction is rated independently of the six core categories. Writing and ownership evidence are optional.

Each active, published consumer rating with a confirmed email counts equally. Overall scores are simple arithmetic means, rounded to one decimal. Category scores exclude skipped responses and show their own counts. Samples under five ratings are labeled “Early ratings”; an empty sample is “Not rated yet.” Updating a rating replaces its vote, and withdrawing it removes its vote.

Manufacturer, competitor, dealer, and compensated-review feedback is attributed separately and excluded from consumer averages. Research alone is not eligible. Owner ratings are separate from manufacturer specifications and external review counts.

“Email confirmed” means inbox access was confirmed—not ownership. “Ownership evidence submitted — not checked” means a private file was received. “Ownership evidence checked” means an administrator examined supporting evidence during an investigation. Evidence never increases rating weight and does not establish impartiality.

Optional evidence is a redacted receipt or a mower photo with a reviewer- and model-specific code that expires in seven days. Never include an address, government ID, full serial number, or manufacturer login. Evidence is private, can be replaced or removed, and raw files are scheduled for deletion after 90 days with retries on failure. Minimal status, decisions, and duplicate-detection information remain.

Private flags identify possible duplicate text, reused proof, or coordinated bursts. Flagged reviews stay public and counted until an administrator acts. Reports, star values, new accounts, shared networks, or a failure to answer us do not alone prove fraud. Praise and criticism follow the same standards. Affected reviewers receive a decision and can appeal through their secure rating-management link.

Email confirmation and these safeguards discourage casual spam; they cannot guarantee impartiality or prevent coordinated reviewers with separate accounts from temporarily affecting scores.