Why do I receive direct leads where customer's budget is less than half my published rates?

Triple8Dj

I keep getting direct leads where the customer's budget is half or less than half my published rates. I feel this is an issue that can be easily filtered on the back end but is left unaddressed because it's profitable for thumbtack but detrimental to your members.

Unknown

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korss0707

Thank you for raising this. We are seeing the same problem, and I believe the “Get Quotes From Top 3 Pros” button is a major contributor to declining lead quality.

For us, the issue goes beyond customers simply not seeing pricing. The bigger problem is pre-qualification. Customers can send a request to three Pros before meaningfully reviewing their profiles and deciding whether those businesses are actually a good match.

For example, a customer looking for a $100 individual cleaner can generate a paid lead for our established, fully insured cleaning company even though our profile clearly states that our pricing starts around $180. The reverse can happen too: a customer specifically requiring an insured company that can provide a COI may generate a paid lead for an individual cleaner who cannot meet those requirements.

In both cases, the Pro can be charged for a customer who likely would never have intentionally contacted them after reviewing the profile.

We have also seen a gradual decline in our conversion rate since this feature was introduced.

I just created a separate discussion specifically about the “Get Quotes From Top 3 Pros” button and its effect on conversion and lead quality: 
https://community.thumbtack.com/discussion/2582/get-quotes-from-top-3-pros-button-damaging-conversion-and-lead-quality/p1?new=1

I’d be very interested to hear whether you and other Pros have noticed the same pattern.

Reality_AV1

We shouldn't be getting charged at all if we don't interact with the lead. That sounds like a money grab by Thumbtack.

MyCleanCharlotteMaid

I think this is an important issue because a customer's budget and a pro's published rates should be considered before the lead is created.

For cleaning services, pricing depends on the actual scope of work. A standard cleaning, deep cleaning, move-out cleaning, and post-construction cleaning require different amounts of time, labor, supplies, and attention to detail.

If a customer has a budget that is significantly below the pro's starting rate, there may already be a mismatch before the conversation begins.

I think Thumbtack could improve this by making starting prices more visible and allowing customers to compare their budgets with the estimated cost of the service before contacting a pro.

It would also help to explain what different cleaning services typically include so customers can choose an option that matches their needs and budget.

I do not think the solution should always be for pros to lower their prices. Quality work requires fair pricing that accounts for labor, supplies, travel, and operating expenses.

Better budget matching would save time, reduce frustration, and help connect customers with professionals who can realistically meet their expectations.