Our rating rules
A rating is only worth something if nobody can buy it. These rules apply to every shop, members included.
What we rate
We rate the store as a place to visit, in five parts: clean and welcoming, friendly and helpful staff, checking ID every time, breadth of selection, and parking and access. We never rate, review or recommend products.
Where a rating comes from
Each shop’s score combines our own unannounced visit with reviews from verified customer visits. We say when our visit happened, and we visit again over time.
The six rules
- Money never buys a score. Shops can pay for a membership with photos, posts and a spotlight. Never for stars, and never to move a review.
- Real visits only. A review has to be tied to a real visit, checked with the counter QR code or a receipt.
- Every review shows. Good and bad alike. Shops can reply in public. They can’t erase.
- Paid is always labeled. Members and featured spots carry a clear tag.
- No rewards for reviews. Shops can’t offer discounts, freebies or entries for a review, and we never write reviews for anyone.
- Store talk, not product talk. Reviews and posts are about the store and the people. No product talk, no buying, selling or trading.
Reviews we take down
We only remove a review if it breaks these rules: it isn’t from a real visit, it’s about products, it shares someone’s private details, or it’s hateful or threatening. A review is never removed just because it’s negative.
Report a review
Email support@smokeshoprated.com with the shop name and what’s wrong. A person reads every report.
21 and over
This site is for adults 21 and over. Shops still check ID in person.