Net Promoter Score is built on a single question: “On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” From that one question, you can calculate a number that tracks customer loyalty better than most multi-question surveys. It is used by Apple, Amazon, Tesla, and most Fortune 500 companies — and it is fully accessible to small businesses and Etsy sellers too.

How NPS Is Calculated

Respondents fall into three categories based on their 0-10 score:

• Promoters (9-10): Enthusiastic advocates who actively recommend you
• Passives (7-8): Satisfied but not enthusiastic — vulnerable to competitors
• Detractors (0-6): Unhappy customers who may actively warn others away

Formula: NPS = % Promoters – % Detractors

Passives are counted in the denominator (total respondents) but not in the score itself. NPS ranges from -100 (all detractors) to +100 (all promoters).

What Is a Good NPS?

• Below 0: More detractors than promoters — critical to address
• 0-30: Good — room for improvement
• 30-70: Great — above average for most industries
• Above 70: World class — companies like Apple and Netflix

Context matters. A score of 40 in insurance (tough industry) is excellent. A score of 40 for a luxury brand may be underperforming. Always compare to your industry benchmark.

The Follow-Up Question Is Where the Value Is

The score tells you how you are doing. The follow-up — “What is the most important reason for your score?” — tells you why and what to fix. Without the open-ended follow-up, NPS is just a number without actionable insight.

For Etsy Sellers: Applying NPS Principles

Etsy’s review system is essentially a public NPS survey. 5-star = promoter. 3-4 star = passive. 1-2 star = detractor. Read your reviews like qualitative NPS data: what specifically do promoters love? What do detractors complain about? The patterns are your improvement roadmap.

NPS Frequency and Trends Matter More Than the Number

A single NPS score is interesting. A trend over time is valuable. Survey quarterly, track the trend, tie NPS changes to specific business decisions, and you have a genuine customer experience measurement system.