Thumbtack

I have been given leads that are obvious scammers and people with absolutely no intent of using my travel business! Thumbtack, should be ashamed of themselves! they manipulate their users (on a trial) into using an unreliable platform for their own financial gain and we are forced to use the credit, this is not acceptable. I was charged $150 after 10 mins of using their app. When I hit my back button to leave the payment screen it picked it up and charged my card.

I checked my bank statement straight away and I saw my $320 charged on my card for each match I received and NO leads, I complained to them. I immediately deactivated my account I had set up. Contacted a person through email, the only way they talk to you, and he informed me it's non-refundable charge! The money paid to Thumbtack is not returned to you so they kept everything after I canceled my subscription with them. I won't be forced to use this service AGAIN, I want my money back into my card and not the credit, this is misleading service and false information. Fraud at its best.

Some while ago, Thumbtack briefly started refunding their pros if a lead ghosted them, failing to read the message if you replied to their lead within 4 hours. This was helpful as I was getting refunds from these ghost leads that sometimes approached 4-8 pros. I saw that Thumbtack was getting huge payouts from charging 3-5 pros at a time for the same exact leads. So if a resume brings in $145 for me (the minimum), Thumbtack was earning $16 - $40 on this lead from all the pros that were getting charged for the lead.

During the past year, it's been awful. They eliminated this refund possibility (when leads don't read the message) and instead guaranteed a phone number, which basically means nothing because 90% of the leads don't answer their phones or won't text back and it's just a new round of ghosting. Not only that, Thumbtack has been charging way over the top for the pros. Today, they are charging me up to $25-$30 (sometimes more) for one resume client which still only brings in about $145 for entry-level and $195 for senior-level. This means they are getting $150 if the lead contacts 5 pros... meaning they are getting $150 for a $145 job, which seems to be in poor taste and egregious business practice.

I'd been loyal to Thumbtack and when I reach out about this, all their customer service reps do is give you "tips" on being successful. I know how to be successful. I'd been successful on Thumbtack, but they've changed their business practices to make it impossible to succeed. It's very difficult to compete with other pros when Thumbtack encourages leads to contact additional pros (select up to three additional pros)... this feature is always turned on and all it does is hurt my business. If someone selects me as their pro, Thumbtack encourages them to select others to compete against me. Most of the time, these people are much cheaper trying to break into the market. Some of them only charge $50 or $60 for the same service, which is impossible because basically, I'd be earning $5 an hour if I offered that price. I can't compete, and I'm losing so much money it's no longer worth it.

In one month, Thumbtack has charged me nearly $2000 in fees on my credit card for 79 leads, which is an average of $25-$30 a lead. I've gotten about 10 clients only from these leads, and after I pay credit card fees, etc. During the past month, I've earned around $1000 on these Thumbtack leads. I'm getting ghosted more and more by the leads even though I reach out multiple times and have a strong profile along with a 5-star rating, no negative reviews, am a Top Pro three years running, and have a fully fleshed-out profile. I also have almost 200 5-star reviews.

To Thumbtack: I don't need tips on being successful; I need Thumbtack to stop overcharging on leads. I need them to stop promoting other pros so that Thumbtack can get huge payouts for projects that generate only $150 in income for 1 pro only. I need Thumbtack to refund leads that don't reply or don't even bother to read the message. They are just full of excuses. They are greedy. They are engaging in price-gouging and it's really unfair. I've decided to stop using them altogether because they are not going to refund me any of the high prices I've paid for leads that lead to nothing and because all they are going to do is turn it back on me and say I need to read some article on how to be successful on Thumbtack. It's baloney. They need to alter their business practices and stop trying to find ways to make more money off struggling business owners.

To further raise their prices on Pros so much during Covid-19 is just horrible and they should be ashamed. Most of us are freelancers who are barely getting by and this company is just ripping us off. Don't use Thumbtack. You'll get your eyes gouged out and your credit card bill so high you can't afford to stay in business. You'll be tossed a bunch of useless leads who won't bother to respond. You'll be told by Thumbtack's customer service representatives that it's your fault, not theirs.

I had to share a video with him to show how the product should have been installed. He said he would "make it right." Fast-forward - he has since stopped responding to my texts and has obviously blocked my calls. I wish I had read Tasha C. review prior to hiring. Apparently he has a history of taking advantage - he chases money but does not deliver the product. LESSON LEARNED: Make sure they know how to do the work. Do your research before hiring any contractor. Check references. Require proof that they have done and can do the work you need done. And most of all - NEVER HIRE JOSE RIVAS - JL PAINTING to do any of your projects. HE IS IN IT FOR THE 50% UPFRONT AND THEN HE RUNS IF HE DOES NOT WANT TO COMPLETE THE TASK

After waiting for an hour with the the same message playing over and over again, I give up (which is the company's intent). I filed a written dispute and after 48 hours, nothing. This whole lead issue is fishy. Previously lead customers did not respond but now it's 10 times the amount which can be costly to someone starting out or waiting to secure an agreement and everyone with a credit card on file will have the same so call leads. After further reading and reading refunds are on a case by case basis but there's actually no refund but instead a credit. Why would anyone wants to continue this type of deceptive, costly, one sided relationship, not ME. I'm overseas and TT does not operate outside the U.S., this case warrants my money back! I able to activate/deactivate the service that I being charge for. It's a small amount for me but I'm sure they've taken a lot from other with these sketchy practices.