Offer Now enables Customers to set a price that they are willing to pay for a job to be undertaken. It utilises the Customer's budget field and enables eligible Providers to not only know a Customer's budget, but instantly book the job at that price. Any eligible Provider can accept the Customer's Offer and then contact the Customer to arrange pickup.
Note: Providers can still place quotes on listings that have an Offer Now
There are two methods for a Customer to add an Offer Now price to their listing:
1. When upgrading a listing (all Customers)
If a Customer chooses to upgrade their Listing, they can set an Offer Now price at the same time. As upgrading a listing to a Premium Listing is an optional paid extra for Customers, it shows they are serious about the job and their Offer Now price is likely to be realistic.
2. On the get a quote page at the listing creation stage (for Premium Businesses only)
If the Customer has access to Premium Business features, Offer Now will be shown at the bottom of the get a quote form at the listing creation stage. Offer Now is an optional add-on to the standard Budget, meaning the Customer has the option of either making their Budget known to Providers, or bookable by Providers.
What makes a Provider eligible to accept a Customer's Offer Now Price?
The following are the minimum Provider standards for Offer Now access:
- Jobs Completed = 10 or more
- Feedback Score = 90% or higher
- Cancellation Rate = Less than 15%
How does the booking process work?
Like with a standard quote Booking, only one Provider can undertake the job. The first Provider who accepts the Customer's Offer Price will secure the job. When the Provider accepts the Customer's Offer Price, the Customer's payment method will be charged, with funds stored securely in Truckit Pay. Once payment is confirmed, both parties will receive the other's contact details for communicating the plan for the job.
What are the Provider's Terms & Conditions?
When the Provider accepts the Customer's Offer, they can have the opportunity to attach their standard Terms & Conditions which are shown to the Customer once the listing becomes a Booking. In these Terms & Conditions, the Provider may outline cases where the Customer will be charged additional fees, associated with circumstances that are out of the ordinary and where the Provider loses income due to no fault of their own. Additional fees that Providers commonly include in their Terms & Conditions cover things like last minute cancellations or futile fees which may arise from a failed pickup of oversized goods or the freight not being prepared for transport. Other common T&Cs include demurrage fees which occur from waiting times at loading & unloading or price increases due to the freight being not as described on the listing. It is the Customer's responsibility to read the Provider's Terms & Conditions (if any are set), which will be visible on the listing page on Truckit.net and included in the booking confirmation email sent to the Customer.
Can I cancel the booking if I am not happy with the Provider who accepts my offer, or their Terms & Conditions?
Yes, all Offer Now jobs on Truckit have a 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation. This means that the Customer can cancel for free within 24 hours of the Booking being created (the time of the Provider accepting the Customer's Offer), unless the items are picked up within this window. If the items are picked up within this initial 24-hour window, the free cancellation guarantee no longer applies and the Providers full T&Cs are activated. After this initial 24-hour window, depending on the Provider's Terms & Conditions and the Collection Date, fees may apply. Where the Collection Date of the Customer's items is very close in time after the Booking Date, and the Provider has set last-minute Cancellation Fees in their Terms & Conditions, the Customer may be charged for cancelling if they miss this 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation window. Examples are listed below of where a Customer would not and would be charged a fee by a Provider.
Example 1:
The Customer cancels 12 hours after the Booking is created.
Outcome
The Customer is not charged anything, as they cancelled within the 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation window.
Example 2:
The Customer cancels at 2pm on Wednesday, 48 hours after the Booking is created at 2pm on Monday. The Provider has a last-minute cancellation fee of 20% of the job value if the Customer cancels within 24 hours of the Collection Date (Friday).
Outcome
The Customer is not charged anything. While they are no longer covered by the 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation window, they cancelled more than 24 hours from the Collection Date.
Example 3:
The Customer cancels at 10pm on Thursday, 80 hours after the Booking is created at 2pm on Monday. The Provider has a last-minute cancellation fee of 20% of the job value if the Customer cancels within 24 hours of the Collection Date (Friday).
Outcome
The Customer would be charged as per the Providers last-minute cancellation condition specified in their Terms & Conditions. This is because the Customer was no longer covered by the 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation window and they cancelled at 10pm on Thursday, which is within 24 hours of the Collection Date (Friday).
Example 4:
The Provider picks up the items 12 hours after the Job was booked. The customer then requests a cancellation 4 hours later. The Provider has a 30% fee for returning items back to the Collection location if they have already been picked up.
Outcome
Even though the Customer cancelled within the first 24 hours of the Job being booked, they are no longer covered under the 24-Hour Guaranteed Free Cancellation as the items have already been picked up by the Provider who is now on their way to the Delivery location. The Customer can proceed with the cancellation and receive all but 30% of their funds stored in Truckit Pay, or not proceed with the cancellation and have the Provider complete the job as agreed.
Can I edit my Offer Now price?
Yes, simply click Edit Listing at the top of the listing page. Please note, however, that by editing your Offer Now price, any quotes submitted by Providers will be automatically declined.