Let's talk about our pricing

[Vtmagic]

I don't like paying for a lead that goes nowhere. I should not pay for when a "lead" responds with a question thst does not lead to paid gig. I think I should pay only when the client actually hires me and then no more than about $10.

I have also started getting "leads" from well outside of my area - meaning I have to charge for travel and do I price myself out of those gigs, this drives my booking percentages way down and that doesn't look good to other potential clients.
Also, there is no vetting of clients whatsoever meaning that a very high percentage are NOT serious leads. Charge the client to post as request and we'll get only serious gualified leads, which is what we shiuld be able to expect every time.
$10 per BOOKED gig is more than fair for what we get paid per gigs booked here.

[YardSharksLLC]

You should only get charged if you are hired!

[Harvestor]

You need to bring back the pricing and put it on the quote info.
I haven't responded to any leads for the last 3 months because you charged me $24 fr a $50 quote.
Your customer service is not dependable and it took you 5 days to respond.
Put the pice to quote with the quote request so we all know how much quotes cost.
Fake customers need to be weeded out and reimburse the contractor.

[Jimdellamano]

By the size of the job
They say it's1000-1500sq you get there its painting one door

[SparacinoPainti]

I've been a top pro since 2015, this year since you changed the way we pay to send a quote- not knowing what the cost is stops me from qouting on more jobs. As a business man it's not right not knowing what my cost will be until after the qoute. I don't have the options to pick or choose. The way it's setup. isn't fair to us the contractors.You should at least show the bid cost before and let me decide wether it's worth the cost.

[joannoz]

The new pricing system, which Thumbtack rolled out and refuses to revert back, is a money-maker for Thumbtack, but a ruined system for Pros trying to use it to run their small businesses and be profitable. 

Prices have jumped from the $3 range to 3 times that price. The price paid is unknown when bidding. This seems illegal to me!  I don't know any other company that can charge it's customers a price that is unknown.

Instead of bidding against 5 other people, we now bid up to nearly 20.  

With the old system, we could ask questions of the customer. Now, that costs 3x more. 

The automated responses from customers cost the pros. 

Thumbtack needs to listen to their customers and go back to the old system. What Thumbtack will lose in the 3x pricing, they can make up in volume. Customer satisfaction is important.  Lose your Pros and you lose your business. 

[Stoeckermedia]

It seems like prices increased and it’s not helping me land more jobs. I also don’t like I have to pay when the person contacts me but it may be for a simple question like “what’s included?” Well I’ve now paid for that and it doesn’t lead to a hire. Sooooo frustrating and i’m about done using thumbtack because i’m spending a lot for dead end leads.

[ermel]

Just because the customer answers/replies to your quote, doesn't mean you are getting hired.

So in reality we are paying Thumbtack for nothing but wasting our time.

Is this even lawful? Shouldn't be.

Most people are too vague about what they need, so you have to take a chance and ask more questions, then you are charged a fee, when customer responds with a clearer answer, then you find out that for some reason you are unable to help him/her further. You are still charged a fee by Thumbtack for basically communicating with an ignorant person.

That is Thumbtacks fault. They ask what are "too basic" questions of potential customers, and they are not getting the important details that are needed, Thumbtack needs to revise their "job" questions, and if customer is not supplying needed answers, the fill out form should stop, until they answer each detail question.  Also give some thought to fairness of "fees",  for example on sheetrock repair, sometimes all the customer needs is a small patch for a small hole and you cannot charge too much for that, so fee should reflect that.

[Yaliramachado]

I just moved to the Baltimore/DC area. I feel that the prices are a little bit too expensive and sometimes people does not hire you after they reply. However, Thumbtack is the 2nd result you get when you google violin lessons in the area and I got to build 7hrs of steady work in 1.5 month. Of course, I am a great teacher, and I have a high retention rate. However I have spent a LOT with you guys. I would prefer to spend 8.47 for each lead regardless of how valuable the job is. 19.21 seems a little bit too much. But again, you are the second result when people google violin lessons. So, I have to stay either way.

[Len6295]

I have been with Thumbtack exclusively since 2013. My first 3 years I was rated as top pro and had a 97.2% closing ratio. In the last year my closing ratio has dropped to a mere 5.0%. The price of the leads have changed so much that I cannot set my budget. I'm seeing duplicate leads all the time and the ones I do bid on you never here from them. They contact you for your availability and never hear from them again. The funny part is they all ask the same thing like its the same person or somebody from thumbtack making up leads to charge me money. I was told. That the price that we pay depends on how many pros apply for job. Last time I heard that is called price gouging and that's illegal. Thumbtack has really let down their long time pros in every way. Just because I don't want you guys to quote my customers now I don't get the lead until 5 minutes after the others. I have dropped off from using thumbtack pretty much completely. Which is a shame because I have spent thousands of dollars with thumbtack. I just cat support thumbtack anymore due to how shakey and expensive they have become.