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Consumer experiences, from −5 to +5.

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Press release · September 30, 2026

ZeroStars Lets Consumers Go Below Zero When One Star Is Too Much

Expanded company listings and redesigned pages bring customer reviews, company information and contact details together.

September 30, 2026 — ZeroStars.org, an independent consumer-review website, is inviting consumers to share their experiences using a rating scale that runs from −5 to +5. The invitation follows a redesign of the site and the addition of more company pages, with further listings in progress.

The site’s tagline, “When 1 Star Is Too Much,” speaks to consumers who feel a one-star rating does not adequately express their dissatisfaction. ZeroStars also welcomes positive and mixed experiences: negative numbers indicate dissatisfaction, 0 is neutral, and positive numbers recognize good experiences.

“On our other websites, people have told us they wished they could leave less than zero stars,” said Eric Strand, founder and publisher of ZeroStars. “We want to give people room to explain what happened, whether that means a serious disappointment, excellent service or a problem that was put right.”

Strand’s online-business background dates to the early 2000s. He founded DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, which earned a place on the Inc. 500, and CustomerServiceNumbers.com, a resource for consumers seeking company support. His work on CustomerServiceNumbers.com was featured in Fast Company. That combination of retail and consumer-information experience informs ZeroStars’ focus on useful, firsthand reviews.

Visitors can search for a company, read published customer reviews and submit their own rating and account of what happened. Company pages bring reviews, contact details and editorial guidance into one place, while clearly separating customer experiences from information written by the site.

The growing directory includes companies and services such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Xfinity and Netflix. Recent additions extend coverage of streaming services and insurance companies, alongside existing categories such as retail, travel and banking.

Review submissions go through moderation before publication. Company averages use published ratings, and a company without published ratings is marked “Not yet rated.” A rating of zero remains a valid neutral score.

Consumers are encouraged to describe experiences they personally had, including the product or service involved, what happened and how the company responded. Accounts of helpful service and successful resolutions are welcome alongside complaints. Posting a review shares an experience; it does not open a customer-support case with the company.

To explore the directory or share an experience, visit ZeroStars.org. The site explains its rating scale at zerostars.org/zero-stars-meaning.

About ZeroStars

ZeroStars is an independent consumer-review website founded by Eric Strand. It combines reader-submitted experiences and ratings from −5 to +5 with company guides and contact information. Its tagline is “When 1 Star Is Too Much.”

Media contact
Eric Strand, Founder and Publisher
Email: Info@zerostars.org

Website: ZeroStars.org

Founder profile: Eric Strand

Eric Strand, Founder and Publisher

Eric Strand is the founder and publisher of ZeroStars and has been building online businesses since the early 2000s. He founded DesignerPlumbingOutlet.com, an online plumbing-products retailer recognized on the Inc. 500, and CustomerServiceNumbers.com, a consumer-information resource. Fast Company covered his work helping consumers navigate customer-service systems. At ZeroStars, he oversees editorial company guides and the site’s development, while reader-submitted reviews remain separate from editorial information.

View Eric’s author profile

Background coverage: Inc. 500 coverage · Fast Company on CustomerServiceNumbers.com.