Angie's List turned down my offer

[Gemcleans]

They wanted me to run a big deal of the day. 3 rooms for $99. I said I'm not a $99. deal guy, but I would do a 500 sq ft of carpet cleaning. Regular price of $175. for $50. off. Sell for $125. I get 70% they get 30%. They said the selling point was OK but that it was only 29% savings to customers and they want 35-60% savings. They ask could I offer something more to get the price to $225-250.
Then I got on my soap box about how Groupon and LS have screw us small businesses and now nobody wants to run specials with them. He said he would get back to me and that was 2 days ago.
I'm a little ticked that my quality is not low enough for them.

 

[La Flama Blanca]

I have several price points with my cleaning services. I have my regular prices, craigslist prices, mailer prices, family/friends discount prices, ect. I cater to everyone. It sounds bad but the people who call from craigslist are not going to have the same results as my other offers. Here is what i mean: with craigslist (low ballers) i do not vacuum, and most of the time i don't do anything extra for the high traffic lanes (unless they want to pay for booster, which i will use citrus solve and agitate). With the higher paying customers i do a lot more at "no extra charge" even though its built into the price already. I get a lot of referrals from Craigslist customers so I am doing something right. It sounds bad the way i explained it but I believe you get what you pay for. If someone expects to have brand new looking carpet for the cheap $79 special then they will have to look elsewhere. Bottom line is that I have several prices to please everyone. I have not messed with groupon or angies list. It scares me to give away that much money to a company like that.

 

[Joey J.]

I have several price points with my cleaning services. I have my regular prices, craigslist prices, mailer prices, family/friends discount prices, ect. I cater to everyone. It sounds bad but the people who call from craigslist are not going to have the same results as my other offers. Here is what i mean: with craigslist (low ballers) i do not vacuum, and most of the time i don't do anything extra for the high traffic lanes (unless they want to pay for booster, which i will use citrus solve and agitate). With the higher paying customers i do a lot more at "no extra charge" even though its built into the price already. I get a lot of referrals from Craigslist customers so I am doing something right. It sounds bad the way i explained it but I believe you get what you pay for. If someone expects to have brand new looking carpet for the cheap $79 special then they will have to look elsewhere. Bottom line is that I have several prices to please everyone. I have not messed with groupon or angies list. It scares me to give away that much money to a company like that.

I have one big concern with offering different levels of clean. When someone comes into that house and sees the carpet was cleaned but it doesn't look that great, your customer is not going to say to them well I was a cheap ass and refused to pay for the restoration service even though it needed it, so this person is just going to know that you cleaned it and it doesn't look very good and I don't know about everybody else but my reputation is everything to me and I'm not going to risk it for a few bucks. I'd rather just not do the job if I can't do it right AND profitably.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Six Figure Solo Cleaner]

Bro...run like hell. I love Angies List but I absolutely DESPISE that program

 

[Lance Golden]

They have asked me to do it... NO way!...

 

[La Flama Blanca]

I have one big concern with offering different levels of clean. When someone comes into that house and sees the carpet was cleaned but it doesn't look that great, your customer is not going to say to them well I was a cheap ass and refused to pay for the restoration service even though it needed it, so this person is just going to know that you cleaned it and it doesn't look very good and I don't know about everybody else but my reputation is everything to me and I'm not going to risk it for a few bucks. I'd rather just not do the job if I can't do it right AND profitably.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I totally agree. It's a tough line to cross. I take pride in my work, however it's my way of being able to service the cheap people and still make a profit. It's not something that I tell any people I clean for. For instance I don't say "hi mr customer the special you are getting is the BASIC clean...I offer a more expensive one which is better...blah blah blah" If I know that just the prespray alone won't do anything, I will usually add a little something else for no charge but for the most part my craigslist customers choose me for the price and to get a receipt. At every clean before I leave, I make sure the customer doesn't have any complaints. Sorry if that made no sense. Feel free to PM me for more info.

 

[StevenB.]

They wanted me to run a big deal of the day. 3 rooms for $99. I said I'm not a $99. deal guy, but I would do a 500 sq ft of carpet cleaning. Regular price of $175. for $50. off. Sell for $125. I get 70% they get 30%. They said the selling point was OK but that it was only 29% savings to customers and they want 35-60% savings. They ask could I offer something more to get the price to $225-250.
Then I got on my soap box about how Groupon and LS have screw us small businesses and now nobody wants to run specials with them. He said he would get back to me and that was 2 days ago.
I'm a little ticked that my quality is not low enough for them.

So if angies wants a bigger discount let it come out of their end

 

[cmoreschi]

After running multiple groupon and living social offers I can tell you it wasn't worth that 50% off deal they make you commit to. I think you're right in not going any lower. The only people who will buy the deal are the people who only buy deals and will never pay full price for your service.

 

[Troyster]

They wanted me to run a big deal of the day. 3 rooms for $99. I said I'm not a $99. deal guy, but I would do a 500 sq ft of carpet cleaning. Regular price of $175. for $50. off. Sell for $125. I get 70% they get 30%. They said the selling point was OK but that it was only 29% savings to customers and they want 35-60% savings. They ask could I offer something more to get the price to $225-250.
Then I got on my soap box about how Groupon and LS have screw us small businesses and now nobody wants to run specials with them. He said he would get back to me and that was 2 days ago.
I'm a little ticked that my quality is not low enough for them.

You don't need Angie's List, Groupon or LS to dictate your pricing and make money off your back for doing nothing! screw that!! you can survive without them! Be your own man and market yourself without them! let them live off the hacks and then the customers will all get what they paid for!!

 

[Gemcleans]

I did a couple of groupon and LS specials and learned my lesson. I thought Angie's List would be different, but I guess I'm wrong. I did get 5-6 returning customers from groupon / LS , but that was because I stopped running specials.

 

[trojancarpetcare]

They are only interested in makeing money for themselves.

 

[lvtandg]

Just advertise somewhere you'll work for free, and up sell after your minimum...I mean, isn't that what you'd do with Angie's list? As a bonus skip your cut to Angie's....Duh????