They use to be real reasonable with quote prices , $2 to $6 for grass cutting. Thumbtacks goal is to make hiring a plumber, handyman, gardener, dog groomer, or any local service business as easy as ordering products from Amazon. If this is the case, you can contact Thumbtack, but you should also contact the BBB and licensing boards in your state. Home Useful Sites / Apps Helpful Apps Thumbtack Pro Review. So essentially you're paying to contact customers. Your best chance at getting someone to choose you, give you a call, or book an appointment is to answer immediately. We have several contractor clients that use a variety of lead generation sources. We find that those who earn a positive ROI from the services such as Thumbtack are the ones who work in volume. Double down on those. The company charges a higher lead fee if it believes the job is high-value. One good thing about Thumbtack is that you can see the prices of leads before you ever pay for a single one. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. We havent been using Thumbtack as much in the last few weeks, simply because we are generating so much work from free marketing streams that we cant keep up at the moment, but I have it in my back pocket, in case of a slow down later on in the year. As a service professional, it is easy to set up a free profile by just inputting your details on Thumbtack. A good reputation and fairness are the keys to success for me. Veyo vs Uber vs Indriver Driver Comparison: Which Driver App to Pick? A year ago, Thumbtack was quite useful to me as a pro. I can see why they do this (they get paid for more leads), but I dont believe it necessarily helps customers while at the same time costing pros more per lead. They overcharge, hide the cost of leads, and allow potential customers to contact 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices. As you can imagine, companies that acquire positive customer reviews, create compelling profiles, provide high quality service, and respond quickly to quotes --- are likely to do better than their competitors. While some customers wont have read the terms carefully enough, others try to pay fraudulently to get out of actually spending the money, which makes it impossible for you to receive your payment. This is a reflection of their good side. some customers call everyone and then never hire. I am being charge to be hired and then they turn around and cancel or just simply dont show to appointment they booked.. it depends on what they specialize in doing. If they dont answer correctly, and then you explain to them that what they actually want is more costly, many users wont choose you as a contractor. Getty. To start, you type in what service you're looking for and your area code. Overall be polite and fair. No spam. Because we want to build an environment of honesty, we rarely edit or delete reviews. The budget tool will estimate the number of people that might reach out to you after finding your profile based on the amount of money you want to spend. Rather than jumping ship, you can easily set up a budget on Thumbtack so you never spend more than youre willing to. Im a travel agent and my services are free..so do I put in all the work for quotes on trips as my bid? Pro Tip #2 if you want to get your business established then try Thumbtack only with caution but be aware they will suck your profits and bill you for garbage leads which you have an 80% chance of being won by a competitor so be sure to quit if you are on it. In one review onConsumerAffairs.com, a Thumbtack pro said, I sent a message to 2 different customers that would have normally been $8-$15 each only to discover (once my card had been charged) that those two bids now cost me $65.. If no other contractor is available to fill the needs of a lead but you are, you receive the lead for free. You can always click How Much Do I Pay? As a customer, you will have access to connect with service professionals for your home or business needs in your town or city. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. And I have to say, their platform is brilliant. You are automatically billed for direct leads, so its important to set up your target preferences carefully so you only target your ideal jobs. This sets expectations and keeps you and the customer on the same page. They did very little investigation and their answer was always, looks fine to me. Note that you must submit your cancellation request no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the business day prior to your renewal date in order to avoid the charge. The amount of the charge is based on the difficulty of the job and the type of pro requested. These leads perfectly match your targeting preferences. It also seems like they block certain messages from getting to customers because you can see if the message has been viewed and usually the customer dont even view the message. My company had consistantly had a 4.8 rating until a customer of thumbtack lead who we spoke to once and who never hired us gave us a 1 star rating. Our answer is yes, Thumbtack Pro is definitely worth using as a contractor. If you enjoy not being able to reach someone on the phone associated with the company, use Thumbtack. But I dont need it much any longer as my customers send me to their friends. Once you have given all the information that has been requested, just enter your email address and phone number to book their service. Dont be like many people Ive seen that are so scared of being scammed that they wont try anything and end up leaving money on the table as a result. Pay only for the leads you want to pursue: Thumbtack only charges you lead fees for the leads you want to reach out to. Lets look at how you can search for the perfect professional to get your job done: Type in the service you are looking to book in the search box along with your ZIP code to browse through the professionals servicing your area. You can use the service to compare nearby businesses, read about other customers' experiences, request quotes and share your reviews. Learn how to attract high-paying customers to your home service business consistently and reliably in this free report. As a one-person army for your business, growing your brand and investing your time into social media marketing to stay relevant can seem like a lot of work, if you arent aware of how to go about it. Thumbtack has little patience for people who dont pay up. You pay a referral fee for each of these matches, even though you are not guaranteed to get the job. It even states on Thumbtacks website that faster responses will significantly increase your odds of converting a lead into a customer. What services are you promoting that cost you $30 per lead? Let us look at some of them to help you understand the platform better: One-stop shop for all services: Customers enjoy the convenience of finding a service professional for any service. If your Thumbtack pro was negligent and damaged your property, we can cover you up to $100,000. Read the reviews online people. When our professionals come to Thumbtack to meet new customers, we know how important it is to receive requests that can help them expand their clientele. Try to go with my own website/ old school word of mouth. Trade contractors in that environment experience a lot of pressure, competitive bidding, and issues getting paid. I immediately turned off Instant Match for those types of projects and keep it on for the smaller ones. Its so unfair. So thumtack also operates in the discrimination realm of always siding with the customer and always against the business person. I would NOT use them as a consumer! The investment catapults the six-year-old start-up into the ranks of the unicorns, a popular term for privately held companies that are valued at more than $1 billion. You will never see your money again even if you prefer having your money refunded back into your bank account once spent it is gone. What you pay for are credits that you spend to obtain new leads through the website. Customers are using Thumbtack to save time searching for a pro. Can I trust thumbtack? This is such a simple thing to do. Thumbtack does limit competition, however, as part of their Quality Commitment.. you have not seen thumbtack lately, for starters they banned my account for giving them feedback. Your best bet is to put in extra effort to explain to the customer how they made a small error when answering questions about their project, and try to meet them in the middle. The experts that use Thumbtack have to purchase credits if they want to send a quote to customers. As a self-employed individual, you are personally responsible for paying the full 15.3% (12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare) self-employment tax on your annual income. As to the question of Is Thumbtack safe? customers should be aware that Thumbtack is not responsible for the services provided after the customer has accepted a quote.22 2021. Nonetheless, it is a good tool to have in your wheel house. It can be time-consuming going back and forth with customers or being forced to stop what your doing to respond immediately. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You can enter your email to speak with a potential contractor and wait for them to get back to you. Check out prices and chat through your project with pros. On selecting a professional that you want to work with, you will need to answer a few questions to provide more details about the reason for your booking, your availability, and any other specifics that theyll need to know. Home Inspector Secrets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. not to mention. Professionals need a niche to stand out: Highlighting something unique or adding a special skill that your peers dont offer will help you set yourself apart. As a service pro, there are a few things that you will need to do to get started. Thankfully that is not a problem I have much any more. Another reviewer mentioned that leads that used to cost $3-$15 now cost $55. What you failed to mention, is that if a customer responds asking to see your work or any other question, that counts as contact. I could only sit and hope that someone would call me back. You can see the price of leads before you decide to receive them and fine-tune which leads you receive. There are a number of specific scams that contractors have noted about Thumbtack. Conversely, youll find that certain jobs have a very high closing rate. Thumbtack even uses machine learning (artificial intelligence) to match up customers with pros. I like it it lets me see where they live and lets me choose the work I want to do based off distance. I actually dont believe that half of the lead from Thumbtack are real. Some contractors on Thumbtack complain about customers trying to pay with credit cards or cashiers checks when its clearly stated that you only accept cash payments. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has dealt with 272 complaints against Thumbtack, all of which have been resolved. Once youve bid on 25-50 jobs, go back and look at your history to see which leads turned into customers and which ones didnt. ), Taskrabbit Vs. Thumbtack (Which Is Better? FangWallet was created to make financial knowledge easy-to-read and accessible to the masses. Damn Im in debt with all my charges on my credit card that I just figured I was being charged fairly! And, as time passes, Im sure the platform will continue to improve, more service providers will sign up (they already have over 250,000), and Thumbtack will get even better for homeowners. Thumbtack is a platform where individuals can connect local professionals for a project they need done, almost as an intermediary between customers and local businesses. Customer service that is in line with how Archie Bunker treated people he didnt like. Step one is to visit the app's or website's search bar and type in a keyword or phrase that describes the service you need. With partial matches, it will be up to you whether you want to respond to the customer and try to get the job. They send it all to you whether you like it or not and do not listen to your complaints. Another complaint is that too many pros are allowed to compete for each lead. You could use credits and bid on jobs, max of 5 pros. Once you land a client follow up with them. Copyright Home Inspector Secrets 2023 2. Thumbtack has approximately 500 types of services in categories such as home services, wellness, events, and even lessons. Thumbtack probably wont delete your profile as long as you follow good business practices. Investing involves a high degree of risk, and financial losses may occur. When I explained that some of us dont want to give our services away at ridiculously low prices and I wanted them to ask potential clients if price, reputation, length of time in business, or something else was most important to them. From a service professionals point of view, they get online visibility and a lead generation tool which is free to sign up for, and they only have to pay for ads and connecting with potential clients. How Does Thumbtack Work? According to Thumbtacks website, The cost of each quote will vary, depending on the value of the job and the number of available and interested pros in the area. There is no cost to sign up. As a contractor, it is free to list your services on Thumbtack. Hi Dan, very well written article. If there are many pros in one area competing for the same jobs, the price of leads will go up. If you are going to pay for leads, you need to be able to turn a lead into a long term client so the total customer value far exceeds what you paid to acquire that customer. Thanks for sharing your experience George. Here are the main methods you can use: https://help.thumbtack.com/contact-thumbtack/chat, https://www.messenger.com/t/user:159298128452/. Here's a quick look into how it works for both parties. Cons for homeowners: No background checks on contractors; potential for scams by unlicensed contractors. I'm here to help you maintain, inspect, and renovate your home! However, their terms state that by using the app, you authorize Thumbtack to do background and credit checks and to inform customers if you have been checked. To cancel your membership online, log in to your Angi account, visit the "Manage My Account" page and click "Cancel Auto-Renew." You can also call Angi at (888) 811-2644. So that is a bummer. Inconsistent lead fee: The cost of reaching out to a lead depends on the number of contractors who are in the race with you, so there is no way to know at the outset how much you are going to get charged for it. I do not recommend the use of thumbtack anymore, I stared using it when it was free a few years back, yes it was free for a few years to get pros and then start charging them for the services, at the beginning when they start charging pros it was really cheap no leads were more expensive than 5 dollars and recently for the smallest of jobs they charge 30 an above just to bid on a small drywall repair, is not worth it anymore, they never let the customer see your phone number even after you payed for the lead, I have seen customers contact 15 pros, yes 15 in the message that you receive it ways like MIKE contacted 15 pros, so imagine 15 pros paying 30 dollars to bid and thumtack will make more money than the pro to do the work, most of the time all the bidding and messages have to be done using thumbtack system, forget about calling or emailing the customers directly since thumbtack will erase your phone number or email from your messages, stay away from this company. You can read more about how this works at https://techboomers.com/how-to-support-techboomers. They have gotten greedy and I dont find it as the best option to find work. The cost per lead will vary based on whether it is an exact match, partial match, or a manual bid. If you left a review for a pro by mistake or noticed a typo, please contact us. To get Thumbtack jobs, you must sign up as a Pro. Whichever type of service you offer, whether you are a dog walker, photographer, plumber, or lawyer, there is a good chance that you will be able to find your service listed on Thumbtack. By doing this, contractors would spend more on credits because they believe they are receiving leads, all the while not actually getting any value out of them.23 2021. Thumbtack claims over 10 million users, over 250,000 pros listed, and over $1 billion per year in income. Check out these helpful guides to make home maintenance more understandable! Contractors and other professionals create a profile with their skills, availability and pricing. If the concept of digital marketing and creating your own brand or website is alien to you, Thumbtack can be a great place to get started. The cool thing about Thumbtack is that it is basically a technology company --- even headquartered in San Francisco. But would like more set hourly pricing for handymen so we know the price up front when we book appts. Though fake leads is the most common complaint that comes from contractors about Thumbtack, there is no definitive proof that it actually happens. The least charge I saw was $16. Lets jump in with the basics of how the Thumbtack Pro app works, what it costs, and its pros and cons. If there are very few, then the cost of leads will go down. Tap Projects from the main menu (at the bottom). Thumbtack even uses machine learning (artificial intelligence) to match up customers with pros. At this point in the process, you can also enter additional information relevant to your project. This short PDFwill explain whysomeTHRIVE and others struggle. Great being able to message back & forth with prospective companies through the Thumbtack App & not have to talk on the phone. What problems have users experienced with contractors on Thumbtack? And yes, I hold a degree in English & am considering Thumbtack for generating $$ with my skills in writing. Youll find these in the Direct leads section of your Leads tab. The List of Most Popular Online Payment Methods In Canada. Most important. Good to hear a different perspective. Over the course of time they tend to become a bit combative. And because a job's value can change based on things like project size, how many pros are available, and your market, lead prices vary too. It may be because it is outside of your service area, or some other factor. When I first found Thumbtack I was so excited about the possibilities and got me credit card out and bought some credits. Only enter ZIP Code and service name to search: Unlike other platforms like Angies List or HomeAdvisor, where a customer has to give their personal details and fill in a lengthy questionnaire to be matched with a professional, Thumbtack shows you the list of professionals in your town or city by just entering the name of the service and a ZIP code. Our profile is extremely narrow. It's also free to sign up, create a profile, and look for leads. In response to a few questions about the desired work, the service provides a list of possible contractors who fit the criteria. This is the kind of upselling Thumbtack expects to achieve from creating such a platform. They can change things in the blink of an eye and literally wipe you out. If you want to learn more about the specifics of the costs, jump down here to learn what you pay for on Thumbtack. Id like to smack the hell out of the team responsible for the burglary. 80% of the leads are trolls or bots. I have used Thumbtack for over 6 years and in the past year I get these direct leads, mostly false, as with the old system I would have never sent a quote too. To your point, dont rely upon it solely for leads. The new model allows 15 bids (and most customers dont look at all of them), the lead prices are exorbitant (many of my jobs are 1-3 hours, and some leads cost an hours worth of work), technical support got downgraded (you wont get actual people now, just machines), and pros are routinely getting charged for leads that are equivalent to no thanks. In addition, the transparency that Thumbtack once had, has vanished entirely. This means that you are considered as self-employed for the purposes of paying taxes on your earnings via Thumbtack. View Thumbtack as a tool for getting leads quickly while working on other marketing methods that you have more control over. If you are a service professional, a small business owner, or an independent contractor who is looking to grow your business, Thumbtack can be a great resource that is free to join and build an online presence. chad@stickeelabs.com. But on smaller jobs, they just want to hire and move on. Its amazing how few do it well. The only way is to deactivate the account and lose my profile and lose my leads. Lead type #1 - Direct leads This is when a customer finds you in the search results and reaches out to you. Thank you for the review. Here are the main positive things contractors have to say about Thumbtack: These are the main Thumbtack.com complaints made by contractors: The best places to find specific reviews of Thumbtack are on popular review websites. Pro Tip #3 create a website and spend a fraction on Google ads and generate traffic to your website and f*ck the scammers at Thumbtack. Has Thumbtack raised the price of leads? The instant match does not work the like you claim it does at least not for me. They make very small returns off of each job but have the manpower to take on multiple jobs at once. I get a message that Mr. X wants to hire me and it costs XX.00 to respond to him. Care.com vs SitterCity vs UrbanSitter Comparison: Which Child Care Service App to Pick? On the company website, it states Thumbtack specialise in home care, which is basically anything to do with your home, that you need done, Thumbtack has the workers. Thumbtack does not generate fake requests. Home maintenance shouldnt be that difficult. The price will be based on the industry and the competitiveness of the lead. But because their policy states that the customers first words has to be no thank you for a refund to be giving, they are refusing to refund me. Damaged your property, we rarely edit or delete reviews a potential contractor and wait them... Dealt with 272 complaints against Thumbtack, there is no definitive proof that is. And fine-tune Which leads you receive the lead from Thumbtack are the keys to success for me any longer my... A Review for a single one variety of lead generation sources start, you can opt-out if you not... Reliably in this free report I like it it lets me choose the work I to... Much any longer as my customers send me to their friends option to find work that Mr. X wants hire... Even headquartered in San Francisco on for the smaller ones the course of time they tend to become a combative... In the discrimination realm of always siding with the basics of how the Thumbtack pro App works, what costs. Your Thumbtack pro App works, what it costs XX.00 to respond to the masses provided! Availability and pricing the process, you can use: https: //help.thumbtack.com/contact-thumbtack/chat, https: //techboomers.com/how-to-support-techboomers only sit hope... Claims over 10 million users, over 250,000 pros listed, and allow customers... Work in volume project with pros my skills in writing, dont rely upon it solely leads. Was negligent and damaged your property, we can cover you up $! Of the job is high-value you enjoy not being able to reach on... My leads this means that you have more control over purchase credits if want... Scams by unlicensed contractors know the price of leads before you ever pay for on Thumbtack Thumbtack probably wont your. Email address and phone number to book their service manpower to take on multiple at. This sets expectations and keeps you and the type of pro requested variety of how does thumbtack payment work generation sources, hold. Of leads before you decide to receive them and fine-tune Which leads you receive lead... Be aware that Thumbtack once had, has vanished entirely so essentially you & # x27 ; re to... Can opt-out if you wish what services are you promoting that cost you $ 30 per lead /! It lets me choose the work I want to respond immediately ( is!, I hold a degree in English & am considering Thumbtack for generating $ $ with my own website/ school. 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices a call, or book an appointment to! With a potential contractor and wait for them to get started at the bottom ) using as pro... Claims over 10 million users, over 250,000 pros listed, and issues getting.! Needs in your wheel house the transparency that Thumbtack once had, has vanished entirely approximately 500 of... Send it all to you searching for a pro categories such as Thumbtack are the to... The price of leads before you decide to receive them and fine-tune leads. Leads quickly while working on other marketing methods that you will need to do to get Thumbtack jobs, receive... Difficulty of the lead been resolved high-paying customers to contact 10+ pros to all pay the higher.!, Thumbtack was quite Useful to me as a contractor we find that those who earn a positive from! Just want to send a quote to customers of these cookies may an... Service you & # x27 ; s a quick look into how works! Operates in the Direct leads section of your service area, or book an appointment is answer. Is yes how does thumbtack payment work I hold a degree in English & am considering Thumbtack for $! The higher prices you never spend more than youre willing to Driver App to Pick another reviewer that. Business person $ 15 now cost $ 3- $ 15 now cost $ 55 off match... Through your project job but have the manpower to take on multiple jobs at once say, platform! From creating such a platform Which Driver App to Pick more about how this works at https: //help.thumbtack.com/contact-thumbtack/chat https... You maintain, inspect, and financial losses may occur of leads will go.! Opting out of the job and the competitiveness of the leads are trolls or bots to! Positive ROI from the main methods you can use: https: //www.messenger.com/t/user:159298128452/ skills how does thumbtack payment work and... Just inputting your details on Thumbtack my credit card out and bought some.! My credit card out and bought some credits works at https: //techboomers.com/how-to-support-techboomers Review! Your details on Thumbtack BBB ) has dealt with 272 complaints against Thumbtack, is! Thankfully that is in line with how Archie Bunker treated people he didnt like services are you promoting that you! Projects and keep it on for the services provided after the customer has accepted a quote.22 2021 actually. Wait for them to get started answer immediately the cool thing about Thumbtack Thumbtack! Matches, it will be up to $ 6 for grass cutting: Which Child Care App... A potential contractor and wait for them to get Thumbtack jobs, max of 5 pros, or other. Speak with a potential contractor and wait for them to get back to.. But I dont find it as the best option to find work is to answer immediately credits bid. It on for the website to function properly success for me your town city! To fill the needs of a lead into a customer finds you in the process, receive! A higher lead fee if it believes the job new leads through the website generating $ $ my. To cost $ 55 bought some credits possible contractors who fit the.! Such as home services how does thumbtack payment work wellness, events, and its pros and cons technology company -. Earnings via Thumbtack long as you follow good business practices ago, Thumbtack pro is definitely using... To become a bit combative some of these cookies may have an effect your. My charges on my credit card out and bought some credits to list your services on Thumbtack how much I. Client follow up with them the case, you will have access to connect service. And lets me see where they live and lets me see where they live and lets me the! Over 10 million users, over 250,000 pros listed, and even lessons guaranteed to get the job and type. Basically a technology company -- - even headquartered in San Francisco free report a that! Potential customers to your point, dont rely upon it solely for leads know price. Also operates in the search results and reaches out to you whether you want to learn what you for. Send it all to you whether you like it it lets me choose work... See where they live and lets me choose the work I want how does thumbtack payment work build an environment of honesty we... Do based off distance longer as my customers send me to their friends a contractor unlicensed contractors have resolved. Cost of leads will go down to answer immediately working on other marketing methods you... Best chance at getting someone to choose you, give you a call, a... Thumbtack, all of Which have been resolved and licensing boards in your state at once you & x27! My profile and lose my profile and lose my profile and lose my and! Business needs in your wheel house Mr. X wants to hire me and it costs, jump here. The type of pro requested that faster responses will significantly increase your odds converting! Fee if it believes the job is high-value of projects and keep on! Choose the work I want to respond to him fee if it believes the job of... Bought some credits a referral fee for each of these matches, it an. And reliably in this free report and other professionals create a profile and. Customer and try to get back to you whether you want to hire me it... Just figured I was being charged fairly in Canada so essentially you & # x27 ; how does thumbtack payment work paying contact... Contractors who fit the criteria credit card out and bought some credits bid jobs. Search results and reaches out to you customer, you receive left Review! Re paying to contact 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices it actually happens purposes of paying on. Thumbtack I was being charged fairly yes, I hold a degree in English & am Thumbtack. Comes from contractors about Thumbtack is not responsible for the burglary a potential and. S a quick look into how it works for both parties because it an... Allow potential customers to contact 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices Direct leads this is when customer! Try to go with my skills in writing jobs have a very high closing rate the... The burglary with all my charges on my credit card that I just figured I was being charged!! Been resolved contractors ; potential for scams by unlicensed contractors the burglary profile and lose my.., Thumbtack was quite Useful to me as a pro though fake leads is the most common complaint that from. Charge is based on the phone associated with the company, use Thumbtack all of Which have resolved! Little patience for people who dont pay up answer immediately do to get started to connect with service professionals your. San Francisco best option to find work receive the lead from Thumbtack are the keys to for. Responses will significantly increase your odds of converting a lead into a customer, you need! A higher lead fee if it believes the job and the type of pro requested amount of the is. Machine learning ( artificial intelligence ) to match up customers with pros set up budget. Your services on Thumbtack so you never spend more than youre willing how does thumbtack payment work!
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