Let's talk about our pricing

[NikH]

I have to agree with the consensus, Thumbtack's changes have NOT been for the better. The old system was transparent and managable, but this latest change has been disastrous. We're seeing a fraction of the number of requests that we used to have and we're paying ten times the price, even when a customer simply has the good manners to reply and with "thanks but no"!

[EnglishTrainer]

Hi Vinamrata,

When you changed your prices it was a shock because people would reply to my quote without the intention to hire and I was automatically charged for the contact. So, I complained and got refunds when you checked the kind of replies I received.

But now I have come to terms with your new price schedule: I got only two replies and none of them hired me and obviously, I was charged for these but I also sent a lot of quotes that were not answered by the potential customers so, now I see it as a win-win situation: you get money for your service and I save on unanswered quotes that before I'd have had to pay independently of being hired or not.

Although I don't quite get the price structure (price range can go from $6 to $17 for the services I offer) I will continue using your company and hope to get my Thumbtack Pro 2019 Badge!

Have a great day!!

Paulina Torres De Witt

[vinamrata · Accepted solution]

@EnglishTrainer thanks so much, this is really helpful feedback! 

We know it can be frustrating when it seems like customers are just price-shopping. This is why if a customer’s first message to you is a “no thanks,” we don’t charge you at all. This is also why your profile is so important. You can use it to provide all the information customers need to make a decision on whether to contact you. That way, they won’t have to contact you to find out answers to common questions or basic details.

But we realize sometimes that’s not enough, so we’re currently working on ways we can better identify how serious customers are. It’s still a work-in-progress, but it’s a priority for us. Stay tuned for updates and please keep your feedback coming so we can make improvements together.

A few more things to note:

• We give customers a place to learn the average cost of their job before they start their search for a pro. This increases the chance that when a customer reaches out, they’re more ready to hire instead of just shopping for prices.
• And once customers start browsing through pros, they often want to see price estimates. So it’s important to provide as much information as you can about how much you charge, so customers can make informed decisions. To learn more about how to set your prices, read our article.
• Customers who contact you have seen what you offer and have chosen to start a conversation with you. At that point, it’s up to you to respond quickly and show the customer why you’re the best pro for the job. Sometimes customers need a little help knowing what to say. So we made it easy for them to use conversation starters to contact you and take the next step. Their message may look familiar to you, but the customer doesn’t don’t know that. They’re reaching out to take the next step, so make sure to respond the same way you would for any other message from a customer.

Lots of other pros mentioned similar feelings about when a customer doesn't reply - thank you!

@Lisawevents @Pat @Checaskey @MYteddydog1 @Rojasgeneralcon @DrHilt @solarpoweredsar @OnAWingNotary @mnjn @Ziva8844 @StLFacePaint @MrsOutlaw @Kdcatering @AKD @1NancyG @Cornerstone @bellaparties4u @BurlesonBooths @timwing1 @ChefViaMelissa @Mattk91 @Riosm28 @Beth @Studio92 @jcp @Miltapalooza @Mandavisualsstl @denderby @Mkat4464 @JustBobF @Arut842000 @TEOCONNELL @Rod734 @LoftDJ @HaroldC @TrustedPainters @Jaxgreyson4 @Meridianfloorin @TRSOK @colony1 @SuperFineK9 @JCerzosie @Grace89 @KarmasKreations @Jill-Smiley @davidjscott88 @EmeraldFox @Nae @OfficaintRaymon @HouseCalls @Del_DelDeejay @GBCon @HeatherRaeWi @Revecraftevents @jagphotography5 @DavidFixango @MaxGordon0 @DossConsulting @Spike @Rapid1 @Macys @TT @Jeanne @A_Messina @revdick @Metrote @Spartan_ox @AmericanDreamCA @NetPen @Berrybusybees @mjgabel @HRDJKaraokePros @K9 @Bondarchuk @Gartob @Kleebster @ScottK @ABSBalloons @Moe2149999 @revjohnpickler @ever5ince98 @ChanceL @bonnie_bill @dnab @CarlyRose1 @rlm @Garret @CNCarley @Denali_Notary @kushp @Hammerhead @singenginerecs @Hussam @Jeff @JasonH @pjacob94 @lkelsey @ChrisDoesVideo @Djgeo

[vinamrata]

Thanks for the similar feedback from these pros too! See a response to your feedback above.

@Aramsaier @Stories-told-ph @pamelaslabaugh @Kathy2010 @AVP @Knightmagic @mdeeno @lockmangrady @JLCollinsEdits @Zsofica @Tiny @NightHawk @PeachyClean @TAVConstruction @kdc @phillipambros @ChrisPollina @CN @Deborah @Noel @Cua @merakiphotoinc @ForeverPhoto @Nuts4dv @Healthy24 @TyeshiaB @MichaelWeaver @BWPhoto @pjpaiva @ReeseTee @Lmhi @andrew_kamen @GoodRiddance @Athel @JoyofMovement @TrainZ @Mausito15 @Steve @The-Write-Mann @Sim @Stevie @MsChely @NT @KatieMcDermitt @MikeA @hschouten @Tafkald @Jpazda @HLProductions @Riseshinemobile @silverbaytrans7 @Kedokedo6990 @Trevor @Done-Wright @Djseven8seven @NikH @Damien @Rpmbodywork @Movers96 @Cbg_Denise @TheisPhotos @EnglishTrainer @dano3276 @Phoenix_remodel @DREAMfab @DrLinda @DiannaM @Helenbasinger @fitcap @KatMills @Singlecoilphoto @Allpro @Customhome @mdacles @Lrobe52993 @SMedaglia18 @ermel @Joespin @Tim1 @cpr4everybody43 @skul08 @GraphicShooters @Roger @GSPPaint @ThatOCDgirl @Sandy65 @adriesque @beccajonez @Alpha-Moves @CSID-Inc @Debrameole @dianniaoh53 @Stoeckermedia @dvo04 @Alkemi_GSO @SteveInSD @juneb @Greycliffe @jhawk

[vinamrata]

Thank you to these pros as well for similar thoughts! See my response to your feedback above.

@Jeffmiguel1 @WindowGenie @che_a @pianist26 @DualityPainting @rzuklin @JuliaDiane @JohnC @KLH @Autumndean @Shiffring @Lisapuggirl @LV-365 @DJGemini @mlehnert0208 @lnoles @SergeRurik @Help_us_please @Photo-Frank @Plumbernyc7 @leland2012 @Sqweel282 @ClarkParanormal @rkeytek21 @ComputerPartner @Gl845 @Cleaning1 @dben41 @smmartinez88 @cjw496 @Heavenlyhawgsbb @TheLast10SF @HeyCanWeTalk @Roxyoramas @Doris @houmanyekta78 @Daverosenfeld @rpleas @Gmagician @Cheryl @beep777 @LanceS @Soundvisionstu @IntReStyling @Marryyouido @nahant37 @PurpleThistle @reelcello @My @jonjmax @Jkmcontractors @Affordableclean @KBD @cdane @Cdorear @Allfurlove @RevDHirsch @Chuxxmail1 @AcTx @vjentertainment @lesmok @DJRICHIERICH @taxhelp @SouthernBoyLLC @whooper @Rhinopest @Zekewolf @YardSharksLLC @dobnc60 @Sorellas @emilioguarino @Christinac @Shanta @mirajoleigh @attorneyarlene @digitaldjmp3 @ExcaliburSH @mcierley @GDD @FixFast @TomS @Oceanique1 @tredlevske @Len6295 @JonH @Savcon2 @Gibil @Grandslamdjs @katieleona @RMISPCJR @Pearlpro @Alex1973 @Danielescobar @Hellodommels @Jfalcone85 @SeanCarney @djprock21 @heartlandcpr @Sandra @Josh

[Autumndean]

Instead of hearing that you appreciate our concerns and understand our frustration, why dont you do something to change it. It should not take forever to change it. Im not using thumbtack until some changes are actually really made! Hundreds of others arent using it either! Announce the solution please!!!

[vinamrata]

Thanks as well to these pros who have similar feelings about customers not responding! See my response to your feedback above.

@Cbarcelo @Fitnatixx221 @chrisandrews @26_Bentley @Vtmagic @RonnWinter @ReverendRob @Coach-Stella @marcobolfelli @rgyanks @Connie1 @KKind @jstarkey988 @AbbottElectric @robertlc1616 @Forsyth @MaggieRadzwille @Jsh54 @ebrown007 @Jflex @Djclever @Kbarr531 @CraigV23 @paschulea @Pawsaroundmotow @X-Factor @DJTyrone @Thunderstorm300 @tym @Sarahs @Yogi-Tom @JamesConnelly @Dobskisdogs @dash10digital @DEW @Elizabeth @Bharath @JohnnyD @Odiliab @atoe365 @jerry @Jeotrades @Alex_Undr_P @fineartboudoir @DanLL @LifeSaverCPR @EmyW @ElmerLoudenbac @Mikecleans @sallydeng @daveadamsphotog @lodge @Helene @collectivejoy @DJKee @Slanteye @Salvo1702 @mike14wa @Flute_teacher @DogListenerPhil @Significa_Event @gursoncompany @metroplexpmi @srlake @NikkiM @dfolkenroth @W3 @VCC @ChrisH @Hconfidential @Harvestor @jaguar2018 @Rwcremodeling20 @Herplaw @adam1 @Andy_Levine @TheRod @danredwing @debbielopes @chefcristo @Sopered8 @GDubler @ashlinsmom @Adeptflooring @BenkoHaul @Lazza6276 @Ed @music_4_life @Cutgrass @JamieRand @EJ @karinag @Simon @njroywitt @E-Rock @CaptJJ @URmessMYstress @SRL

[ChefBeverly]

When I’m charged nearly 40.00 for two different people that contacted me, one never returned my message and the other hired someone else, it just doesn’t make sense

[Helene]

OMG! I think you have plenty of survey data now to get a handle on your pricing how about you let us know what you’re doing to fix that so practically everybody can talk about something else now .

[CraigV23]

To the employees of Thumbtack who are reading this and responding to the posts:  YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!!  (I realize it can be frustrating, blah blah blah)  Most of us our taking our business elsewhere.  You're blowing us off and your prices have become outrageous.  Many - if not most - of us are done bidding on jobs.