Our Methodology

How We Collect Business Data

Trade Atlas aggregates business information from multiple authoritative sources across Caribbean nations:

• Government business registries — Official company registrations, trade licenses, and chamber of commerce records
• Direct business submissions — Business owners claim and verify their profiles with documentation
• Public directory partnerships — Authorized data sharing with established Caribbean directories
• AI-assisted data enrichment — Our AI systems cross-reference and validate information across sources

Business Verification Process

Every business listed on Trade Atlas goes through a multi-step verification process:

1. Identity verification — We confirm the business exists at its listed address through registry cross-referencing
2. Contact validation — Phone numbers, email addresses, and websites are tested for accuracy
3. AI content moderation — Automated systems check for fraudulent or misleading listings
4. Ownership claims — Business owners can claim their profile by providing proof of ownership (business license, utility bill, or government ID)
5. Ongoing monitoring — We continuously check for stale data, closed businesses, and updated information

How Ratings Are Calculated

Business ratings on Trade Atlas reflect genuine customer experiences:

• Ratings are on a 1-5 star scale based on verified user reviews
• The displayed rating is the arithmetic mean of all published, non-flagged reviews
• Reviews undergo AI moderation for spam, fake reviews, and policy violations
• Business owners can respond to reviews publicly, fostering transparency
• Flagged reviews are reviewed by our team before removal

Trust Score System

Each user on Trade Atlas receives a Trust Score based on:

• Email and phone verification status
• Profile completeness
• Transaction history and behavior
• Review quality and consistency
• Account age and activity level

Data Accuracy & Updates

We prioritize data freshness through:

• Automated checks for business hours, contact information, and operating status
• User-submitted corrections and updates
• Quarterly re-verification of high-traffic business profiles
• AI-powered anomaly detection for outdated information

Featured & Promoted Listings

Some businesses appear as "Featured" or "Promoted." These are clearly labeled and do not affect organic search rankings or rating calculations. Featured placement is a paid service that gives businesses increased visibility but does not influence our editorial process or review system.