The format of performance scores significantly influences how consumers perceive ratings and reviews. Companies like Uber and Amazon use different presentation styles, such as incremental scores (individual ratings) and cumulative averages (overall ratings). A study published in the Journal of Marketing Research explores how these formats impact user evaluations. When a generally well-rated service receives a negative score, presenting this information as a cumulative average can lessen the perceived severity of the negative feedback. This approach helps reduce consumer churn by minimizing negativity bias. In contrast, incremental formats make each score stand out, which can be useful when accountability is essential. The study suggests that different contexts call for different score formats. For instance, a restaurant with inconsistent quality might benefit from incremental scores to highlight recent improvements, while a stable ride-sharing service may prefer cumulative scores to maintain a positive image. When both formats are used together, users often focus on the most extreme score, especially if it's negative, undermining the intended balance. Managers can tailor score presentations based on user expertise; novices may need encouragement through incremental feedback, while experts may rely on cumulative scores reflecting long-term performance. The researchers also ponder how these findings apply to more subjective evaluations, like creative services. In cases where people have strong preexisting preferences, such as favorite artists, ratings may matter less. However, in unfamiliar situations, like wine tasting, consumers often depend heavily on ratings. The study revealed surprising results, such as the combined format leading to evaluations similar to incremental scores, contrary to expectations that it would produce moderate judgments. The effect sizes were larger than anticipated, showing that users often misestimate underlying scores, highlighting the powerful impact of negative ratings on overall perceptions. There are concerns that cumulative formats could mask serious issues, making it crucial for managers to be aware of how these ratings can obscure recent performance problems.