Our chatbot uses a weighted score: Google-rating × 30%, log(reviews) × 20%, tier-status × 40%, slight rotation × 10%. Tier-status (Pro/Plus/Basis) does carry weight — a Pro merchant with rating 4.0 can outrank a free merchant with rating 4.5. That is why sponsored results are always labelled "Sponsored". Regular display ads use plain carousel rotation without tier-weight. Full transparency + worked examples: see /transparantie/ai-aanbevelingen/.