was reading a lady's reviews the other day, and one guy gave her a 6 for performance.  but upon reading his review, he seemed to love her. "great girl, had a great time, will definitely repeat."

this just reinforces my contention that numerical scores are not exact, and even more harmful than helpful in some instances

These are good questions.  I have to say numbers certainly guide some of my decisions.  For example, for fbsm a 7 in performance is pretty much like a 9 or 10 for someone who offers fs.  But the great fbsm provider is never going to make it into the top 10 because the numbers are stacked against her. Also grade inflation is a reality.  Ive been guilty of it from time to time.  In that happy place after a nice session it happens.  Later I reflect a little more and realize while fun, my numbers might have been a little euphoric.  Finally Ive learnt to review the reviewers.  There are reliable names I tend to trust.  But someone without a track record needs to be treated with scepticism.

In answer to the question, I use scores, actual reviews, profile (menu options), donation, backchannel, PM's and emails, and pics (not in that order) to make my decisions to see a new provider; but honestly, if there were no scores at all, or just one composite average, I don't think much would change for me.

The "usefulness" is in initial screening for a hobbyist looking for something new or visiting a new market. The score (if you are VIP) is just one of several search criteria. It also allows a hobbyist to compare scores with like-minded reviewers. That is if I have seen an escort that he also reviewed and we share an opinion on her relative looks 1-10, then I may trust his reviews more (certainly not always!). Likewise the composite (appearance + performance) score lends to a Top 100 list that can be filtered by City. To me, the Top 100 list lends to BSC responses by providers of anything but near-perfect scores if they feel that being in the Top 10 matters to their business.

As Ossie pointed out, it's a system that does not allow direct comparison since a FBSM girl max's out at the same score of 7 as a stellar non-GFE escort, or a GFE escort who didn't perform at the highest level.

Do scores matter? Yes and no. A well established provider can easily get past an occasional unhappy or particularly critical customer, (as long as she doesn't come on this board and start a flame war) but just ask any girl with only a handful of reviews (that were all 8-10) what a sudden 5-6 will do to business, at least short term.

It's the worst system in the world, except for all the others.

I'll throw out this question for providers:
Have you ever received a score that was 2 points less than your current average, and then accepted an appointment from the reviewer?

As someone with too few reviews to answer based on experience, I can still think about it in principle. I'd like to say that a much lower than average score wouldn't matter to me at all, but alas, I am human. I want reviewers to be fair and accurate (my main concern is that no identifying details are included), and I don't focus on reviews (I don't even have enough yet to get on any lists), but if someone only had a so-so time with me, why would they want to see me again? It would be a bit of a turn-off to think they didn't really have a great time with me; it's arousing to me to see a partner overwhelmed with desire, and that leads to a mutually pleasurable experience. If they did have a good time and were handing out some sort of review justice, I'd probably think that was petty, so that would be a bit of a turn-off, too.  

While a lady shouldn't go psycho on someone who gives a lower score than the rest (assuming it was fair/reasonably accurate; I'm OK if a fake reviewer runs into a psycho lady one day), don't expect her to feel flattered and excited about the opportunity to see the author again. I'd say to the low scorer: find someone new who DOES excite you instead.

I am as mystified as you, BPJ, when I see a 6 but the text indicates a great time. The score 6 has the text "nice time" by it, and to me, that definitely sounds inferior to a great time. I have thought of several possibilities for these types of scores:
1) The reviewer is simply clueless.
2) The reviewer disagrees with the lady's scores from other reviewers, so s/he thinks it's review justice.
3) Some reviewers apparently never have an amazing experience based on their scores, or maybe it makes them feel good to be a hard grader. If the first is the case, they really need to look inward! If the second is the case, it's good to be a fair grader, but no one appreciates an overly tough grader, except perhaps, the grader.
4) The reviewer is having revenge in some way; maybe he wanted something that wasn't offered but didn't want to sound like a boundary-crossing jerk in the text.
5) Something went wrong, and it was the lady's fault, but the reviewer didn't want to write about it. However, the reviewer is not helping anyone by using "great" in the text if it really wasn't; s/he should have tactfully matched the text to the rating (i.e. s/he had a nice time).

As to whether they matter, well, of course they do. I don't know how many times I've seen posts specifically looking for a 9/10. Many guys will simply look at the top 10-20 for a city and forgo lower scored women. Reading the reviews takes time, so it ends up being a quick first filter. Even though everyone on here acknowledges the wide variation of opinions on beauty, and to some degree performance, many still filter this way. It's also pretty clear to me that some guys knowingly see a lower-scored woman because her price is also lower, so clearly it matters for pricing as well as selection.

Confuse the 6 for a 9.

lower-volume, newer reviewers, that take the definitions that go with the numbers to be absolute.  They think that "Once in a lifetime" means they should only give one 10 in their entire hobby experience, so they start out low in their scoring.  This is why when I see a provider who has consistent 9/9 and then am 8/7, I look at the low reviewer's other scores to see how this one relates.  Oftentimes, a reviewer like this will have an 8 as his highest score, which means a 7 from him is the same as a 9 from someone who has given a 10 before.  

So the numbers are not the whole story.  You have to put them in the context of the reviewer's entire history in order to understand where it ranks in comparison to other reviews, and make adjustments accordingly.  Just my system.  Works okay for me.  

As others have said, there are other motivations for low scores, but usually you can pick up something in the narrative that exposes an agenda for the low score.  When the guy wants to repeat, but only gave a seven, its usually just a different scale being used which makes a 7 like a nine from you or me.

I've seen that sort of thing before. Scores like 6/7.... but then the write up is glowing. Both in terms of looks and performance. The write up makes the score look like a typo.... Never understood that.

Edited discussion boards, girls post higher rates than other sites, fake reviews are rampant, and God forbid anyone posts something negative about a provider, regardless of whether it's justified (white knights will send death threats).  

-- Modified on 8/19/2016 3:20:05 PM

Totally agree. If I see great numbers and reviews but with no guys I  know that have similar tastes Im sceptical.

I've debated this with the admins before .. I've even offered to help them with a better system (I have 20 years online development experience) but they haven't shown any interest to improve.

There is a reason for why it was created this way ..but noone is allowed to talk about it.
All I can say is Google the history of this site.

But liw scores can be because TER deducts points for each service a provider doesn't provide  

Points list if she doesn't do bbbj. Kissing, anal etc
Even if a hobbyist doesn't want those services... The provider loses points simply because she doesn't provide them !!!!

That's why the system is ridiculous

A hobbyist may have a foot fetish and he might have an experience that's a 10
But because the last doesn't do bbj or anal the highest he can give her us an 8!!!

The system forces ladies to provide services they may not want to provide.

When I started providing in USA I was in a relationship.
I didn't want to do anal with anyone but my partner
But I had to if I wanted 10s... So i started offering it  
(I must say I love anal..but I'm sure there are ladies who DON'T like it but who do it just because offering it affects their suitability)

Anyhow like I said it's a rigged system to begin with
And each hobbyist has his own interpretation of the score, combined with TERs rules

So long as his written review is good just take one for the team and then give her a better review!

Reviewers write reviews usually at least a day after the session, and I suppose many at least a few days.

That means that when I'm reviewing a lady I'm remembering how we were together. If when I walk in the provider comes off very sultry, sensual, romantic in the first few minutes I'll probably remember her as a 10 or 9 in looks. If she's more reserved, businesslike without any teasing or flirting behind it for the first few minutes, those numbers for looks might drop one or two points, even though she's the same face and body and wearing the same clothes. Because in my memory the teasing, sultry greeting made me remember her as a once in a lifetime knockout.

Performance is similar.

sometimes i wonder why someone is a 6 when they to me are an 8 or a 9, and some are a 10 when to me they are not.  its frustrating.  i wonder what the girls have on their side to keep up with us, and what it says.