A grade should explain itself.
MeritMark uses an A+ through F scale to summarize marketplace reliability. “NR” means there is not enough information to issue a responsible grade.
Rating scale
Evidence-led marketplace reliability
Scoring factors
Evidence is weighted by behavior.
Scores can change as new information is verified. Serious unresolved deception, licensing failures, or unanswered complaints may override the ordinary weighting.
Complaint response behavior
30%Whether complaints receive timely, substantive responses and whether commitments are completed.
Verified operating record
25%Time in business, identity consistency, transparent contact details, and material public-record signals.
Complaint pattern and severity
20%Volume is considered relative to business size, transaction context, recurrence, and seriousness.
Licensing and advertising conduct
15%Relevant license signals, clear claims, pricing practices, and correction of misleading material.
Review integrity signal
10%Verified transaction evidence and moderation patterns—not popularity alone.
Complaint workflow
Every case follows a visible process.
Triage
Scope and supporting details checked.
Forwarded
Business receives the consumer’s account.
14 days
Response deadline and second notice if needed.
Outcome
Resolved, unresolved, or unanswered.
Reviews are opinion
Published reviews describe individual customer experiences. Verification means transaction evidence was checked; it does not mean MeritMark endorses every statement.
Complaints are structured cases
Complaint status records what the business did after notice. A response is not automatically a resolution, and a resolution requires a defined outcome.
Accreditation is not purchased immunity
Fees may support review operations, but payment cannot remove complaints, guarantee a grade, or prevent suspension.
Not a government finding
MeritMark is a private platform. Grades are marketplace opinions based on available information, not legal judgments or regulatory approval.