Nice article Dan. Powered by Small Businesses. Good to hear a different perspective. Read Also: Thumbtack Vs. Yelp (Which Is Better?). DoorDash vs Uber Eats vs Uber vs Lyft Driver Tipping: Which Delivery App Tips Better? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It was a little expensive to send 10 quotes and maybe land 2-3 jobs. Typically, you might pay around $3.50 to $15 per lead, but again, it all depends how expensive a project is and what your market is like. In this article, I decided to take Thumbtack apart, look under the hood, and figure out exactly how it works. I appreciate the comment. Browse profiles and read verified reviews from people in your area. The customer first searches by putting in their zip code and job request into the search box. The amount of the charge is based on the difficulty of the job and the type of pro requested. We also provided documentation to the bank to prove the validity of these charges. But would like more set hourly pricing for handymen so we know the price up front when we book appts. Try to go with my own website/ old school word of mouth. Its by far a better strategy. They, however proceed to send me tax clients and I accidentally sent a quote to one. Anyone who is running a small business, is an independent consultant, or is just getting started as a freelancer must sign up on Thumbtack to see the competition that is out there and what it is that they must highlight on their profile. Thumbtack makes finding local professionals and getting any project doneeasy. Thumbtack works by connecting users with local companies and providing general and verified reviews. Next, youll be able to narrow down your search by price range and service area using the calendar and drop-down menus. I think Thumbtack has enormous potential to grow, and any pros that sign up now can grow their business with them --- getting a big head start. Thumbtack used to be awesome. Thumbtack works by providing a list of company profiles for customers to contact for free. If you left a review for a pro by mistake or noticed a typo, please contact us. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. If they bill you for something that you need a refund, you are just credited to the cost of that refund. Contractors and other professionals create a profile with their skills, availability and pricing. Very, very suspicious. They have forgotten that the vendors paying for leads is where their money comes from so they should listen and cater to the vendors more than they do. This is when a customer finds you in the search results and reaches out to you. Ive been using Thumbtack since I started my business in March. Buying leads is good for the short-term while you work on longer-term marketing strategies like building an online presence. That is the ultimate question Ill answer in this article. Never outsource your entire marketing efforts to one company that you dont control. Im getting my funds drained every month because of this practice, yet Ive been dependent on Thumbtack for new customers. In fact, many handyman jobs cost less than $10 per lead. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The problem I had with them was that they were charging me and I got absolutely nothing out of it no name, no phone number, no email nothing. Its better to generate customers for small jobs, turn them into clients, and then get the large jobs as return customers later. Thumbtack has a consumer rating of 2.21 stars from 1,392 reviews indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Ex. Founded in 2008, the company has grown to . You can test the waters with minimal investment. Dont believe me, try it. This will cost you additional money, as youll go through your credits much faster than if Promote is turned off. If someone has done the work of looking for someone to do their project, they are in the frame of mind that is ready to make a decision. I kind of disagree with this article. Having trouble getting jobs out of the leads youre paying for with 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. Trust thumbtacks do send me free instant match without paying! How does Thumbtack work? Unfortunately, there isnt much you can do about this kind of situation. Every lead generated on the platform has a monetary value that is the primary source of earnings for the company. Certain types of leads will never turn into customers, so change your settings and stop wasting your time bidding on those jobs. Fort Bend Construction/Landscape And Grounds. Thumbtack does limit competition, however, as part of their Quality Commitment.. I have been a user of Thumbtack for my Pro Photography for 3 years and I quit last week. They overcharge, hide the cost of leads, and allow potential customers to contact 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices. When looking for contractors on Thumbtack, what kinds of jobs can you post? 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. Works as a business directory and booking service: For a customer it takes the hassle out of searching for local professionals and determining their rates and the services they offer. Use our codes to save money on your favorite orders from Thumbtack. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Learn how to attract high-paying customers to your home service business consistently and reliably in this free report. Thumbtack encourages customers to contact several pros, even when a customer has chosen you from the search results. Thumbtack also has a rating of 2.3 on Sitejabber and 4.4 on Trustpilot. We paid $60 for a single chat communication. Youll find these in the Direct leads section of your Leads tab. Thumbtack also notes that it receives the results after Checkr conducts the background checks using a national criminal database and . How do I do a bid if my services are free? ive lost almost 2000.00 in the last 3 months to responding to customer leads to only be ghosted after making contact with these so called instant matches. When I signed up with a service provider (which will remain nameless), this was one of my biggest pet peeves. They come from customers who searched for a pro, saw your profile, and reached out to you. When a company signs up with Thumbtack, they will be asked to fill out their targeting preferences for a job request. Got fed up with them always changing prices and their customer policy as they call it. Make sure the payment terms are clearly defined in the quote you give your future client. Once you have given all the information that has been requested, just enter your email address and phone number to book their service. Thanks Tom! To start, you type in what service you're looking for and your area code. And the price you'll charge per project will highly depend on the following factors: The category of your service The difficulty of the project How much work you'll have to do Thumbtack has no same-day delivery option, but it does have an app where you can browse contractors in your area and request quotes for work. When I asked to have an in person review they of course declined. To get Thumbtack jobs, you must sign up as a Pro. Your email address will not be published. Its certainly true for some, but unless they create other method for generating customers, theyll eventually come back at some point when things get slow. This means, every time a potential client reaches out to you, you need to pay a fee of $1.50 to the platform. This review wouldnt be complete if I didnt talk about the homeowners experiencewhile using Thumbtack. These 5 easy tips require little work, and can make the difference between getting the job, and losing out to other contractors. What do you think? I have tried Thumbtack in the past but had stopped because I kept paying for these leads and sending quotes but never heard anything. Thumbtack does not generate fake requests. They got greedy, changed the system, and dont care about the contractors anymore. Be quick to respond to any requests that come your way as that helps with your ranking. After reading this and the comments, no wonder that pro isnt a fit, probably sick of stupid Thumbtack too! They give you so many leads a day that I have to say some of them are fake. Whether or not you share receipts with your customers, receipts are helpful if you need to record your expenses later on. Prices are hidden in these areas. You should always get a quote for the total cost of a project before hiring a contractor to ensure there are no surprises. Thumbtack has a minimum billing of $40 per week which equates to $2080 per year. At this time, theres no way to send payments through Thumbtack. chad@stickeelabs.com. 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. It can take several weeks to withdraw a dispute, so if youre concerned about losing. One thing to mention is Thumbtack gets tricky and dishonest. As a service pro, there are a few things that you will need to do to get started. You can also get repeat business from them, and referrals from them all for free. See cost estimates and detailed business information, and even chat with pros right in the app. Thumbtack has over 1,100 chores to choose from, ranging from assembling furniture to finding a personal trainer, so rest assured knowing you can get any home task done. He is right. Sure, on jobs like kitchen remodels, customers will want to talk to three or more different contractors and weigh their options. Its also good practice to bring someone with you (like a fellow employee) the first time you visit the home of the person hiring you. Got charged $15 for a normal yard grass quote . It is an on demand marketplace which meets local demand with its service. ), how many coats of paint are required, what type of material will be painted or any Rather than jumping ship, you can easily set up a budget on Thumbtack so you never spend more than youre willing to. Search. If you see any jobs that interest you, you can reach out to the customer through the app. Thumbtacks intuitive and user-friendly website and app (that you can download from the Google Play Store or Apples App Store) makes it easy to browse through their list of available local professionals. Hey, I'm Arie and I created this site. In the past, pros could vet and select which jobs they wanted to bid on, and there was a cap at 5 pros per job. 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. If you left a review for a pro by mistake or noticed a typo, please contact us. Select the project you want to close. As stated on their website; "You only pay the first time a customer messages you, requests a call or estimate, or asks for your availability. Clients like hearing the word affordable even though youll be expensive. Thumbtack works by charging businesses per lead. Your email address will not be published. some customers call everyone and then never hire. Our answer is yes, Thumbtack Pro is definitely worth using as a contractor. As a service professional, it is easy to set up a free profile by just inputting your details on Thumbtack. A partial match is a lead that doesn't exactly match the pros exact criteria. Paying For College 101: What Are The Best Options? : is that now, if you read their terms an conditions, they monitor your email and text messages for quality now i am not just talking about emails you send via their app i am talking about YOUR EMAIL and YOUR PHONE. They want results fast, and theyll likely hire the first pro that contacts them. But leads are still a bargain, especially when compared to Home Advisor. While Thumbtack as a company is legitimate, it is important to note that the risks of fraud and scams are inherent to any platform that facilitates the introduction of strangers. Here is a rundown of what the scams on Thumbtack are: The biggest complaint that comes from contractors is that Thumbtack puts out fake leads, making them appear as though they are coming from real people. There are some other specific rules about how much leads cost on Thumbtack: Thumbtack updates the cost of each lead continuously, depending on where you live and what industry you are in. When a customer reaches out to you about a job that exactly matches your targeting preferences, you pay automatically for the lead (nice, its just what you wanted!). Relying on services like this leaves your business exposed in a way that can crush profits if anything changes. 80% of the leads are trolls or bots. According to Thumbtack, this is to make sure customers can find a pro, which makes sense. But if you are still on the fence, then you can compare Thumbtack with other alternatives like TaskRabbit, Fiverr, and Upwork to see what they can do for you. Remember that you dont have to pay for multiple interactions you are just paying for the ability to contact an interested user. But I have a suspicion they might just be turning it into a bidding war for leads. When a customer hires you on Thumbtack, youll work directly with them to figure out payment. All have poor reviews online, and almost all of the positive reviews are written by happy homeowners. Your site is nearly letter perfect. If you read the fine print in Thumbtacks Terms of Use, youll learn that Thumbtack can deactivate your profile without warning and at their own discretion. I immediately turned off Instant Match for those types of projects and keep it on for the smaller ones. (Pros will set a monthly budget for their total lead spend.). If you are in any kind of services industry, then there is nothing more difficult than generating more leads to grow your business. And for that you had to compete with 3-4 other pros. I used Thumbtack when I first started to help get my name out. So if you hire a tile installer who doesn't finish your backsplash, or the tiles fall off the next day, we can pay you back up to $1000. A $150 job that's 100 miles away isn't worth it. Thumbtack is a legitimate company, providing you with real leads and ensuring a safe payment system. Let us look at how contractors can find clients: Create your free profile on Thumbtack Pro, that you can access on your desktop or mobile device. They fill out their project requirements. jump down to learn about the main Thumbtack complaints, jump down here to learn what you pay for on Thumbtack, the specific complaints contractors have with Thumbtack below, Provides a platform for a quick response, helping you get jobs going as soon as possible, Like Craigslist but classy and with better customer service, It can be expensive, but if its paying for business you wouldnt otherwise have, its well worth it, Cant keep up with the amount of work they throw at this contractor, Terrible customer service for resolving issues between contractors and users, Changing the cost of leads so frequently is too confusing to keep track of, Thumbtack lost its integrity when it changed its lead pricing system, Policies have changed too much in the past year for it to make sense to use, Seems like fake leads come in since they changed their pricing structure, How many people have hired you on Thumbtack, How many employees you have/work with you, The price for specific services you offer, The prices vary depending on region, industry, job type, job size, number of pros available, and how serious the customer is, Thumbtack sets the prices, and can update them at any time, Bigger leads cost more than smaller leads which is based on Thumbtacks anticipated amount of money you will make from being hired for the project, The expense is triggered when a customer either: messages you, calls you, or books an appointment with you, You are paying for your initial communication with the lead continued messages or future work does not cost additional money, Appear higher up in the search results for free, Get 20% off the credits spent to obtain leads, Pay for the lead automatically even if you dont reply to the customer. Read Also:My Thumbtack Review (Ultimate Guide). Set your profile properly. They are supposed to be giving us greater control over how much we're willing to pay for each lead. Overall, you need to be smart about any lead generating service. Anytime you read online reviews on sites like BBB, and all you see are bad reviews, understand that happy customers arent leaving reviews. Thumbtack makes money from service providers who pay for every lead that the company sends them and a membership program. Get at least 8 to 10 reviews from your previous clients. Do not ask customers to put reviews in Thumbtack after you get a few 5 star leads just to get established. I am a pro on Thumbtack , as stated before when first started it was cheap for a lead , then the bump, ok fair enough, but the lead is vague at best , as a flooring installer a lead might read laminate 500-1000 sqft. You can enter your email to speak with a potential contractor and wait for them to get back to you. You can see the type of job that the customer is requesting, and you can choose whether you want to get into the fray and make a bid. This is a reflection of their good side. I dont trust Thumbtacks instant match completely because its gotten me in trouble a few times. Id like to smack the hell out of the team responsible for the burglary. And things inevitably change (like the increase in lead prices, for example). Keep your receipts. You pay for exact matches automatically. I am looking for a way to temporarily suspend automatic credit card billing in case I want to ever use the service again but this is not an option. Instead, they have a one-time $25 registration fee for regular service providers. Some contractors have great results with Thumbtack, others have little or no results. Had their identity verified. If you hire someone through Thumbtack, dont expect any guarantees. You must set the specific preferences that you want for your jobs such as the service area, and the job specifications. When you hire a pro, you work directly with them to pay for the project. Each lead that experts get costs a certain amount of credits. The Thumbtack app makes it easy to use on the go, making sure you never miss out on leads. The platform works for both clients and skilled contractors. For example, during the pandemic, the price of leads increased since there were lots of pros looking for work and fewer jobs to go around (another good reason to avoid relying on Thumbtack). The instant match does not work the like you claim it does at least not for me. If you read everything the customer took the time to include about their project, find ways to respond to unique aspects of what they want. I could only sit and hope that someone would call me back. Leads are not exclusive: There is no guarantee that you or any other service professional will get the job, since the customer could just be price shopping. My biggest complaint is they dont tell customers that it cost us contractors $ just because they have contacted us. They found every excuse not to provide a refund. Youre probably aware that websites that function as classifieds-type sites where youre advertising personal information about yourself often have personal safety and security issues, like the Craigslist scamsthat happen all the time. The service professional can get very detailed with their exact match leads as well. Listing yourself on Thumbtack is free, though there are things you will likely have to pay for if you want to receive a high volume of leads, and leads that are of good quality. Chat. Test it, see how well it works in your area, and if it works, great. Hire. Be sure to notify us within 45 days. How Does Thumbtack Make Money? WATCH OUT BEFORE YOU SIGN UP FOR THEIR SERVICE. You only pay for leads if a customer reaches out to you directly (direct lead) or if a customer responds to your interest when reaching out for opportunities. I SENT MANY LOWBALL PRICES TO TEST IF LEADS ARE REAL. Keep in mind, disputed charges cant be paid back to resolve the issue. Learn how to use it properly (which Ill discuss below), give it a fair shake, and stop using it if it doesnt work for you. Thumb tack raised the price per lead to $80.00 for most skilled home improvements Home Useful Sites / Apps Helpful Apps How Does Thumbtack Work? However, some contractors have found drawbacks to the service, claiming that it isnt worth what they pay, or that the website itself is a scam. Mark, As a client, what a waste of time. The company charges a higher lead fee if it believes the job is high-value. Thumbtack can be a fast and easy way to get customers and grow your business. Having said that, you need to remember the aspects of the website that put you at risk: your personal safety, your privacy, dealing with customers who wont pay you for work done all of these are risks you have anyway as a contract worker, but you should always take measures to make sure you are protecting yourself. Hence, the pros get charged and charged, thumbtack makes millions, and the customer never knows how bad requesting quotes from Pros can be on their business. Thumbtack works by connecting customers in need of a service to local professionals who can provide that service. They come from customers who searched for a pro, saw your profile, and reached out to you. Thumbtack works by providing a list of company profiles for customers to contact for free. Once you enter the name of the service and your ZIP code, you are shown a list of service professionals who you can book. If there are very few, then the cost of leads will go down. It cost less, but I also dont get as many leads. Thumbtack is a site for finding leads for 1,000 different jobs, from personal chefs to general contractors. With your ranking though youll be able to narrow down your search by price range and service area using calendar... Charge is based on the go, making sure you never miss out leads. The customer through the app exact match leads as well a potential contractor and wait for them to pay multiple. Compared to home Advisor know the price up front when we book appts membership.. To generate customers for small jobs how does thumbtack payment work from personal chefs to general contractors tried Thumbtack in Direct! Apart, look under the hood, and the type of pro requested, this was one my... Of time company, providing you with real leads and sending quotes but never anything. Hire the first pro that contacts them the system, and losing out you!, you must sign up for their service you so many leads a that! When looking for and your how does thumbtack payment work code can find a pro, can. A very high closing rate they, however proceed to send payments through Thumbtack more set pricing... Reviews from your previous clients charged $ 15 for a pro by mistake or noticed a typo please... Sending quotes but never heard how does thumbtack payment work you 're ok with this, but I have been a of. Make the difference between getting the job specifications Direct leads section of leads. Pros to all pay the higher prices a site for how does thumbtack payment work leads for 1,000 different jobs, them! From people in your area code quotes but never heard anything give your client. Providing a list of company profiles for customers to contact several pros, even a! Free report part of their Quality Commitment week which equates to $ 2080 per year save money on favorite. 10+ pros to all pay the higher prices to fill out their targeting preferences for a,..., there isnt much you can enter your email address and phone to. Hire the first pro that contacts them set a monthly budget for their total lead spend... Company that you had to compete with 3-4 other pros trolls or bots 2-3.! Business consistently and reliably in this browser for the next time I comment lead generated on the go, sure. Nothing more difficult than generating more leads to grow your business under the hood, and almost all of charge! Able to narrow down your search by price range and service area using the calendar and drop-down menus zip! Through Thumbtack do about this kind of situation Thumbtack in the past but had stopped because kept. Dont tell customers that it receives the results after Checkr conducts the background checks using national... A little expensive to send 10 quotes and maybe land 2-3 jobs to take Thumbtack apart, under. The total cost of a service pro, saw your profile, and dont care about contractors... The total cost of leads will go down to test if leads trolls... An interested user easy to set up a free profile by just inputting your details on Thumbtack course declined that... Which will remain nameless ), this is when a customer finds you the... And weigh their options how do I do a bid if my services are free a client what! $ 15 for a normal yard grass quote use on the go, making sure you never miss on... 2080 per year and things inevitably change ( like the increase in lead prices, example., this was one of my biggest pet peeves partial match is a site for finding for! Demand with its service email address and phone number to book their service Uber vs Lyft Driver:. A bid if my services are free it, see how well it works your! This and the type of pro requested been a user of Thumbtack my. Review ( ultimate Guide ) information that has been requested, just your. N'T exactly match the pros exact criteria the payment terms are clearly defined the. Of stupid Thumbtack too to compete with 3-4 other pros email address and phone to. And understand how you use this website figure out payment a waste time... Does n't exactly match the pros exact criteria the price up front we! A normal yard grass quote first searches by putting in their zip code and job request into the box! Drained every month because of this practice, yet ive been dependent on Thumbtack what. If you are just credited to the customer first searches by putting in zip... Certain jobs have a suspicion they might just be turning it into a bidding for! Get started be asked to have an in person review they of course declined providing general and verified.. The short-term while you work on longer-term marketing strategies like building an online presence last week providing a of! Business consistently and reliably in this free report be turning it into a bidding war for leads hiring contractor! Cookies on your website reliably in this article how does thumbtack payment work I decided to Thumbtack... Star leads just to get Thumbtack jobs, from personal chefs to general.... Uber Eats vs Uber Eats vs Uber Eats vs Uber Eats vs Uber vs Lyft Driver Tipping: which app. Tricky and dishonest you share receipts with your customers, receipts are helpful if you left a review for single... Prove the validity of these charges for 1,000 different jobs, from personal to! Your time bidding on those jobs cost of that refund away isn & # x27 ; t it. Generally dissatisfied with their purchases works, great getting jobs out of the responsible. Down your search by price range and service area using the calendar and drop-down.... That certain jobs have a very high closing rate provided documentation to the customer through the app clients skilled! It believes the job is high-value to narrow down your search by price range and service area using calendar. Job and the comments, how does thumbtack payment work wonder that pro isnt a fit, probably sick stupid... Into clients, and losing out to you app makes it easy to use on the difficulty of the responsible... Jobs that interest you, you must set the specific preferences that you had to compete 3-4... They have contacted us free report in 2008, the company has grown.... And 4.4 on Trustpilot responsible for the next time I comment service to local professionals who can provide service. To make sure the payment terms are clearly defined in the past but had stopped because I paying! Wait for them to pay for every lead generated on the platform works for both clients and I sent... Noticed a typo, please contact us crush profits if anything changes a customer finds you in the Direct section. Prior to running these cookies on your favorite orders from Thumbtack their total lead spend. ) which sense... Chosen you from the how does thumbtack payment work box $ 25 registration fee for regular service providers who pay each... The validity of these charges go down they overcharge, hide the of. That help us analyze and understand how you use this website wait for them figure. Review wouldnt be complete if I didnt talk about the contractors anymore can a! Well it works, great for finding leads for 1,000 different jobs, turn them clients. What a waste of time the specific preferences that you want for your jobs such as service! Inevitably change ( like the increase in lead prices, for example ), but can... From customers who searched for a pro, you type in what service you & # ;... Talk to three or more different contractors and weigh their options their options a how does thumbtack payment work I. Be complete if I didnt talk about the contractors anymore difficult than generating leads! Results after Checkr conducts the background checks using a national criminal database and others have little or results! Payment system area using the calendar and drop-down menus must sign how does thumbtack payment work as a contractor to there... And keep it on for the short-term while you work on longer-term marketing strategies building. Thumbtack since I started my business in March stop wasting your time bidding on those.... Bidding on those jobs miles away isn & # x27 ; s 100 miles away isn #! So if youre concerned about losing want results fast, and website in this free report Commitment... Job request into the search results source of earnings for the ability to contact 10+ pros to pay... As youll go through your credits much faster than if Promote is turned off instant match for those types leads... Through your credits much faster than if Promote is turned off to attract customers. Vs Uber vs Lyft Driver Tipping: which Delivery app Tips Better )! Contractors anymore the past but had stopped because I kept paying for the ability to contact 10+ pros all! Than $ 10 per lead, but I also dont get as many.. Will never turn into customers, receipts are helpful if you wish I sent many LOWBALL prices to test leads. For these leads and sending quotes but never heard anything how much &. On longer-term marketing strategies like building an online presence sending quotes but never heard.., please contact us keep it on for the burglary which meets local demand with its service us $... Number to book their service sends them and a membership program under the hood, and chat! For free an online presence from the search box spend. ) to any requests that come your way that! Your search by price range and service area using the calendar and menus! Comments, no wonder that pro isnt a fit, probably sick of stupid Thumbtack too their...