How Our Readers’ Pick Voting Works
Why community voting is useful, what it measures and what it does not mean.
Readers’ Pick is designed to answer a simple question: if you were recommending one listed business in this category or neighbourhood, which would you choose? It is deliberately lighter than a full review.
Voting groups are separate
A home baker may receive votes in Home Baking and also in the neighbourhoods it serves. Each group has its own vote, so the results can reflect both category strength and local familiarity.
One active choice per group
Logged-in users have one active pick in each group. Guests use a browser cookie. If a visitor changes a vote, the old vote in that group is removed rather than counted twice.
Why votes are not editorial rankings
A vote does not prove a purchase took place and the result is not a scientific survey. That is why Readers’ Pick sits alongside, rather than replacing, detailed customer reviews and team-reviewed listing information.
What businesses can do
Businesses may invite genuine customers to vote. Automated voting, fake accounts, vote trading or incentives that distort the result are not allowed. Where manipulation is evident, results may be investigated or reset.
About this guide: We publish practical local-business guides to help readers compare options and understand what to ask before ordering or hiring. See our Editorial Policy and Corrections Policy.