Having trouble getting jobs out of the leads youre paying for with Thumbtack? Ya, Compared to Home Advisor Thumbtack seems to be a lot better. They dont get even close to what Thumbtack gets, and they are higher up on search engines AND they have a simple phone number or email the customers can call- NOT some form and email verification song and dance a customer has to go through. Are you an employee? How does Thumbtack make money? While you cant edit or delete it, you can update a review to add new details or clarify your experience. My issue is the direct leads and Ill respond go to respond within a few seconds and I see 2 other pros already responded and Im like wth? Never outsource your entire marketing efforts to one company that you dont control. Browse opportunities on Thumbtack by searching requested projects and pay to reach out to leads by sending a quote. Otherwise, youll end up paying for a bunch of leads you dont want. Ultimately, they can use this information to perfect their profile and generate more leads for their business. I tell everyone I know of to NOT go with them. ), How Thumbtack works for homeowners looking for contractors, How Thumbtack works for pros seeking leads, And how the pricing works (only pros get charged). Online reviews are essential on all digital marketplaces, so some effort put here will pay off. Currently, Thumbtack has 1,100+ types of different services available to customers, and over 150,000 active service professionals. Thumbtack Promotepushes your profile up higher in the list of results a user sees after answering the minimum number of questions about their project. We have a lot of customers that come to Thumbtack and hire professionals to help them complete their personal projects. Weve broken down the good and the bad for you below. They can change things in the blink of an eye and literally wipe you out. Had their identity verified. Here's a step-by-step guide: Visit the pro sign up page. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. We got your credit card aspirations covered. This is just another way you can expand your pool of leads and get more jobs. I am being charge to be hired and then they turn around and cancel or just simply dont show to appointment they booked.. And that's why I am your guide on the intricacies of home maintenance, saving money, and avoiding costly mistakes. : 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. Browse profiles and read verified reviews from people in your area. Wow, great insight. Which All Domains Should You Invest in as a Newbie? I appreciate the comment. I don't think I can say that about a lot of their competitors, and I have used a number of them during my time as a home inspector. Its by far a better strategy. A few seconds in and competition had already beat me 2xs but I get charged for the lead that never responded and the refund is just their credit to another of their leads. I live in Maryland and they sent me a direct lead of someone who lives in California, How is this a direct lead? It may force you to drop your prices to compete, especially when demand is lowest and lead prices are highest. Offers remote services. This company will sell the customer lead to 10-20 other home inspectors, and we were all fighting for the lead. Thumbtack pays the lowest earners $75,000 a year, while the top 10 percent are paid over $180,000. We understand this impacts your business, however, this must be addressed before you continue using Thumbtack. I started my handyman business in 2011 after quitting my 9-5. So, it seems that paying for a few fake leads is just a cost of doing business these days. No worries! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Helpful Resources to get you started: Understanding your tax bracket IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2021, IRS Website 2021 Tax Brackets Breakdown, The Tax Foundation 2021 Federal Tax Bracket Explained, NerdWallet Contribution Limits (the max amount you can contribute to each account) IRA Contribution Limits, IRS Website 401k Contribution Limits, IRS Website Continue reading Episode 2: 401k and Roth IRA Continued. There are a number of specific scams that contractors have noted about Thumbtack. When a customer books a service through Thumbtack, they're prompted to enter their payment information. If lead prices go up, your profits go down. Need some assistance on your next credit card choice? Additional search parameters can be entered on the left side of the screen, and Thumbtack will offer industry-specific questions based on the type of work you have indicated to help you narrow it down. Clients pay the TaskRabbit service fee (15%) on top of the cost of the job, which doesn't come out of the Tasker's payment. Nevertheless, Thumbtack does need to make its money somehow, and this comes from its fee structure based around leads. A lead for a cleaning job may be in the $5-$15 range, but a for a total kitchen remodel it may be in the $25-$75 range. HomeAdvisor will provide greater access to leads, but at a higher price. Check out these helpful guides to make home maintenance more understandable! And that's pretty much it. That means that a person associated with that pro account has: Submitted personal information to one of Thumbtacks national vendors. Customers are using Thumbtack to save time searching for a pro. this is what my company does. Property Damage Guarantee. Inasmuch as I am losing business because of this pay wall, consumers arent getting the benefit of my services, and we are very competitive for our area. What you pay for are credits that you spend to obtain new leads through the website. FangWallet was created to make financial knowledge easy-to-read and accessible to the masses. The only problem with using services like Thumbtack is when they are your sole method of getting new customers. Here are some that have hundreds of reviews on Thumbtack from both users and contractors. Since they were founded in 2009, millions of projects have been completed through Thumbtack --- and that number is only going to grow. Habits That Can Help You Achieve Financial Freedom. Basically they are invading your privacy and you must allow them to do it if you want to use their service. After the 70 bucks Thumbtacks wont charge your card till the next business week. Thumbtack is one of the leading mobile applications that makes money from every successful job completed on the app. Fake leads will always be an issue. 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 When the leads reach out to you, you are giving them the quote according to their project needs. Thumbtack knew this because I stated in my profile that I did not do taxes. Essentially, Thumbtack allows the market to decide how much a lead costs. Thumbtack will not build you business but seems to pray on contractors that are looking to fill in between jobs, to add insult to injury they will most likely lose the fee when they need the $ the most. Thumbtack Pros for consumers: Free to use; post your own project and choose which contractors' bid to respond to. This mistake was obvious and I clearly wanted to keep using their service. Always reply the instant match with that kind of work like hey, youve found the best tiler, im here to save you money while giving you exceptional services that doesnt mean you are cheap its just marketing tactics. After carefully looking into the charges, we confirmed they were legitimate. 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!). Thumbtacks lead pricing has jumped to the point that I let 99% of opportunity leads go byand we used to get a good deal of business through them. The better provider depends on which approach you're most comfortable with. Date of experience: February 16, 2023 SP Samuel Palmer 2 reviews US Updated a day ago Terrible platform, terrible service Many of the complaints about getting bad leads are technically the pros fault since they didnt optimize their preferences. We have a lot of customers that come to Thumbtack and hire professionals to help them complete their personal projects. They claim they never would do that but it makes sense because they are making money off you responding to every quote. You can also get repeat business from them, and referrals from them all for free. Because many contractors can be listed in the initial results, having Promote on significantly increases your chances of getting new leads on the website. Theyve even gone as far as describing Thumbtack as a scam. So, even if you dont get chosen by the customer in the search results, you still have an opportunity to land the job. However, once a customer contacts you, you get charged for the lead. Depends. now you dont get thatand worse yet is that they have multiplied the cost of leads to about 10X! Learn how to attract high-paying customers to your home service business consistently and reliably in this free report. Very good 4.6. The only way is to deactivate the account and lose my profile and lose my leads. What problems have users experienced with contractors on Thumbtack? Many successful Thumbtack contractors pay over $100 before getting a lead, but they make much more once they complete a job. I created this site to help others understand business and marketing so they can turn their home repair skills into profitable businesses as well. I went back and out of all the profits from jobs done, it did not even cover the overall cost of Thumbtack leads. Hi Dan. If there are many pros in one area competing for the same jobs, the price of leads will go up. 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. This review wouldnt be complete if I didnt talk about the homeowners experiencewhile using Thumbtack. A partial match is a lead that doesn't exactly match the pros exact criteria. Certain types of leads will never turn into customers, so change your settings and stop wasting your time bidding on those jobs. I have had a hard time requesting my money back from dead end leads I was charged for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91p0IoiMG5w, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5nddky9Lr0, 5 Tips to Choose the Best HVAC Contractor in and around Dallas, Fire Sprinklers Fremont, CA: Keeping Your Property Safe and Secure, Boost Your Local Visibility with San Antonio SEO, Tips to Save Money on Comprehensive Home Inspections in Gwynn Oak, MD. ), how many coats of paint are required, what type of material will be painted or any So if youre starting your business or you need some customers fast to fill your schedule, give it a try. If you want to lose money, use Thumbtack. Currently, they limit the number of pros a customer can contact to five in the first four hours of a customer searching for a pro. One of them is, Thumbtack Can Help Strengthen Your Online Presence, You Can Adjust Your Rates to Beat Your Competitors, To ensure that money is not lost while bidding against, Thumbtack is Cheaper Compared to Other Platforms, Some Thumbtack Cons You Should Know About, You Would Have to Deal With Your Customers On Your Own, If you are a local service business owner who has signed up for a Thumbtack account, then you are the. If you accept the lead, then you pay for it --- but you aren't automatically charged like with exact matches. If you didnt get hired, they would refund your credits back. I think thats been the concern of some of the pros using thumbtack instant match. Also, now Thumbtack says absolutely no refunds if the lead includes phone clients #. I called they made some lame excuse. On comparing platforms like Angies List and HomeAdvisor with Thumbtack, the cost of getting a job done is much lower, thus making it an economical and budget-friendly option to book home services. Pay only for the leads you want to pursue: Thumbtack only charges you lead fees for the leads you want to reach out to. Nonetheless, it is a good tool to have in your wheel house. Get up to 45% off on the best Thumbtack deals for February 2023 with SacBee exclusive deals and new offers. You can also see how a pro responded to reviewers, which can help you understand how they interact with their customers. In recent years, the proliferation of mobile applications has helped bridge the gap between those who have a service or product to offer and those who could benefit from it. They come from customers who searched for a pro, saw your profile, and reached out to you. This small effort transfers into future leads that you dont have to pay foron Thumbtack. I am a licensed home inspector in Virginia and have inspected thousands of homes. How It Works Book projects, fast and easy. Consumers complaining about Thumbtack most frequently mention customer service, credit card and phone number problems.Thumbtack ranks 70th among Local Reviews sites. Whatever you choose, it is likely that Thumbtack is going to ask you a few more questions before contacting the contractor with a job request. Trust thumbtacks do send me free instant match without paying! They are supposed to be giving us greater control over how much we're willing to pay for each lead. Or, this can force you to lower your prices to stay competitive as the competition grows. He is right. If you hire someone through Thumbtack, dont expect any guarantees. Our profile is extremely narrow. I was on a few minutes ago and it has gotten ridiculous. Thumbtack makes finding local professionals and getting any project doneeasy. We also provided documentation to the bank to prove the validity of these charges. Unfortunately, once your account is deactivated, it can be difficult to get it back up and running, which could cause problems if you rely on them for business. Add information about other jobs youve done that are similar to theirs and youre much more likely to be chosen over a pro who sends generic responses to every lead they get. After their change in prices I had quite a few scammers come in there and after I reported them I was refused a refund from Thumbtack and they sided with the scammers every single time. Its been consistently growing over the last decade with no signs of it slowing. Thumbtack Senior Analyst in the United States makes about $112,414 per year. Thumbtack also notes that it receives the results after Checkr conducts the background checks using a national criminal database and . Thumbtack, which handles marketing and job listings for professionals like yoga instructors and electricians, has raised $125 million and is now valued at about $1.3 billion. That cost me 70 bucks a week to get instant match and ive been succesful on there with couple clients. Home Useful Sites / Apps Helpful Apps How Does Thumbtack Work? Actually now that I think about it. I stopped using them, as their formula just led to low bidders, not good work. 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. By the way, I am enjoying the pricing course so far. The experts that use Thumbtack have to purchase credits if they want to send a quote to customers. This Thumbtack alternative app allows you to contract and bid on projects with pre-qualification approval. You can request a free background check through Thumbtack --- they use a service called Checkr and it will take between 5-7 days. We are always amazed at how much more cash flow and profit our Handyman clients generate. (Download the app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store). We have several contractor clients that use a variety of lead generation sources. rough estimates give clients the interest more in you. Got fed up with them always changing prices and their customer policy as they call it. Unlike Thumbtack, TaskRabbit doesn't charge per lead. 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. I was burned for 200 dollars for the first week and got paranoid and called them. The cool thing about Thumbtack is that they will discount the lead the more contractors they give the lead to. You pay for exact matches automatically. Some report being happy with the service, and some continue to use those services in conjunction with the exclusive organic leads we provide. You only pay for the first conversation with the client; you are not charged for further messages or future work. 10 hires on Thumbtack. Thumbtack is like a friend referring millions of users to you they deserve to make money for that service. Do not use thumbtack! Uber Boost vs Surge vs Uber Eats Boost: Which Driver Bonus Promotion Pays More? Select the services you need (or chores you want done). Thumbtack has a 1.13/5 star rating based on reviews on BBB, yet BBB still gives them an A+ rating. Get at least 8 to 10 reviews from your previous clients. Cole Brittner is my rep. Make sure the payment terms are clearly defined in the quote you give your future client. You can change your budget at any time and set it as low as you want. You guys ever thought that the fake clients are actually thumbtack associates with one job and that job is to create these fake leads and respond to bids to rip us off? A buddy of mine told me about Thumbtack, and I naturally read our review. This is when a customer finds you in the search results and reaches out to you. Choose your preferences based on which jobs you can complete, and what you are and arent willing to pay for. Pay a pro - Thumbtack Help. Thumbtack works by charging businesses per lead. Still, we get leads for insulation and duct work. Kitchen/Bathroom/Decking. . 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. The platform works for both clients and skilled contractors. Well put-together report. Enter your ZIP Code to limit your searches to your immediate area. Overall, you need to be smart about any lead generating service. Select Promote. Keep in mind, disputed charges cant be paid back to resolve the issue. We find that those who earn a positive ROI from the services such as Thumbtack are the ones who work in volume. Does Angies List (Angi) still work for home services business in 2022? This is how i set my profile on the platform after the first burn outs. Ill talk about the controversial issues around Thumbtack, the pros and cons of using it, how much you can expect to pay for a lead, and tips for maximizing your results if you decide to sign up and test it for yourself. ". Remember that it takes some contractors a decent amount of money to find a job from their leads, and that you are 4x more likely to get profile viewsby spending some money on Thumbtack credits. The higher your budget per service, the more leads you get, but it could ultimately lead to spending more than you would like and not land a single job. 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. Fort Bend Construction/Landscape And Grounds. It seems the ones with a pleasant easy going personality do well with Thumbtack. Total waste of money unless youre the lowest priced quote. Complete your profile to display your skills, expertise, fee, and a business logo (if you have one). I use thumbtack to keep busy while doing higher valued commercial work. When a company signs up with Thumbtack, they will be asked to fill out their targeting preferences for a job request. I charge $140 an hour and currently use no paid advertising (not even google adwords any longer). Just a heads-up that some of the services were reviewing here have affiliate partnerships with us, so we may earn a commission if you visit one of them and buy something. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Personal loans from banks, also referred to as bank loans, work similarly to online loans: You submit an application and, if approved, receive your funds as a lump-sum deposit that you . Like most online marketplaces for contractors, Thumbtack does not charge for the initial sign up for the pro --- but they charge them on a per lead basis. Your . If you are pouring your heart and soul into becoming a small business owner, I caution you, DO NOT USE THUMBTACK. When you hire a pro, you work directly with them to pay for the project. Pricing was good. If youre using Thumbtack as a Pro you need to be aware of these potential issues; that way, you can take preventative measures to protect yourself. Dont believe me, try it. Enter the type of service you provide and your location. Thumbtack also has a rating of 2.3 on Sitejabber and 4.4 on Trustpilot. In fact, there are a number of top home service apps such as Thumbtack that help to facilitate your household tasks. Specify the job and book the date and time. Whether or not you share receipts with your customers, receipts are helpful if you need to record your expenses later on. I have also experienced FAKE leads. If no other contractor is available to fill the needs of a lead but you are, you receive the lead for free. The service providers pay credits for each lead generated through the applications. And they dont care one bit that people are struggling trying to make a living! I'm here to help you maintain, inspect, and renovate your home! Forex or Crypto Market: Which is the Right Investment for You? These 5 easy tips require little work, and can make the difference between getting the job, and losing out to other contractors. Were here to set the record straight, covering everything youll need to know as a contractor using Thumbtack. He left a 1-star review after he lied about hiring me, He said he hired me, and he never did, I never got paid I never even knew his name I just told him I wasnt doing the type of work he required. In several months on the site I never got one job. A lead is a new customer who has seen what you offer (most commonly in search results) and wants to learn more about working with you.