I am getting tired of getting my payments cut out so much by http://rover.com ... I've recently had to increase my rates because of animals marking their territories and in the end, the Rover fees cut out a lot of my payment.
The insurance coverage is poor, especially for the sitters themselves. Also, Rover now charges 20 percent on the sitter side and another 5 to 7 percent on the owner side for each booking. That is a huge cut! Furthermore, Rover holds on to the entire payment until two days after the pet stay ends which is totally unreasonable.
For reference, Airbnb charges 3 percent and pays out the night of check in. Rover provides a useful platform, but the fees and policies are greedy.
You're completely right. In fact, I just got done watching a dog for the weekend, and my payment came up to $40. They took out so much. Now it's $29. Are there any dog watching apps that do not take out so much money?
I too would like an answer to this? Either an alternative needs to be found/created or all sitters and owners need to boycott Rover until they adjust their fees...
Honestly, if Rover also provides zero actual help for any issues that arise, what is the point of using them?! I've only been sitting for about a month and I've already had so many negatives - owners lying about pets, a dog fight between the dogs I was caring for. They take 20% for doing nothing.
I think 15% is totally reasonable for getting customers for the first time. Rover provides an online platform and payment assistant. But for me, the advantages of using Rover does not go too much beyond. Sitters say the insurance is great. Is it really? It ONLY covers dog on dog injuries, and OWNER's properties if you watch dogs in owners house. I had dogs damaged items in my house and Rover told me" sorry, but you are on your own". Also, does anyone think they keep taking 15% from repeat clients is really reasonable? My clients come back because I did a good job. Rover did not do anything to help maintain the good relationships. I understand they need money to pay their employees, etc....but, I personally do not think this is fair.
I absolutely think it's reasonable. That's how they make their money. We only pay for our advertising and for their support when we book stays. The better we do, the better they do, and the more they can do for us.
I 2nd Laura's comment. My Rover clients are not people I would have met otherwise. It's a few dollars out of each day. I know I'll get paid timely&accurately, which can be an issue without that support. Rover runs many contests and pays for referrals to others=allows me to earn $$$.
It adds layer of protection. My clients return because of the care and knows is in good hands-but are more assured booking dog through Rover b/c if something happens to me, Rover will help get their dog cared for by another sitter. If a guest or their dog has an issue, they facilitate resolution.
I'm NOT happy re. marking, but that's not Rover's fault. Even some clients have No idea their dog does that. As for property damage, it seems that ends up a choice what services to offer (or not). Even if No fee, some property damage can exceed what one might accept and exceed all payment.
I could live with 15% but I am paying 20%. Out of a $288. charge Rover took $57. I paid for the insurance they offered. So it isn't as much they are offering it as they are offering me the opportunity to buy it. I have also waited for bookings and do not get many. I could live with 20% but 20?
“The better we do the better they do” so they shouldn’t mind answering questions and treating us like actual partners or employees. They treat as like we are; private contractors not even actually tied to them, they can/do charge whatever they want with no reason and say pay it or go somewhere else.
I agree that Rover takes a nice chunk.
Expanding Laura's list a bit, consider where you would be without Rover as a corporate entity. Do your customers find you through Rover? Has anyone used the coupon code from Rover to help pay for their stay? Has Rover's calendar helped you keep your clients organized, or have you printed out the bio for a guest? Has the website allowed you to specify what size/age of dog you are willing to host?
I benefit from these things as well and recognize that everyone needs to have their own slice of the profit pie, so I don't begrudge them their 15%.
All this having been said, if your dog sitting business is well established and you have all your insurance needs covered, you may wish to strike out on your own and keep every penny you earn.
Well said! I love Rover and couldn't do this without them. GREAT support team, insurance and of course advertising.
I agree. I think 15% is a bit steep but I'm willing to pay it primarily because they handle all the payment details. I don't have to collect money, worry about chargebacks on credit cards, or worry I won't get get paid at all. Plus, they do my advertising. I had to use the insurance on my first client and they reimbursed me the entire vet bill.
It needs to be a flat fee not a percentage taken out of the entire earnings
I feel like there should be a cap for the fee. The app is helpful when it works but several days i would be out of luck if i didnt plan ahead with a physical day planner as backup. and usually when the app goes down for me is right at holidays so thats not good :( id say 15% fee is ok, WITH a cap
But it's 20!!! at least for me :( A newer (post 2015) sitter
It is hard for all sitters to boycott Rover. We are not employees, have no unions.
Rover doesn't provide basic income or employee benefits, yet promises customers a lot.
A few customers expect to pay $20+ per night, not to only get their dogs fed on time, accompanied, entertained, live in a full room rather than a crate, but also to get themselves entertained by receiving "at least 2 photos per day" and "text/call replies within a few minutes 24/7". If not then they would leave horrible reviews.
yes. totally. expanding on the time limit a bit... it is so stressful. and the clients have no idea that you are being whipped to answer right away, so it's not there fault in the slightest. but it gets stressful if i have a lot at once. as you all probably can relate
Well it is very clear from the start, when you make your rates, it tells you, per dog per day, how much of that rate, is going to be taken out. So if you do not like the outcome after the percentage... then raise the rate .
The more you raise the rate the more they take out. Of course you make more but your own prices would become pretty unreasonable. For example I have a 13 day housesit coming up and the total is $420. Rover will take out $84. If I want to actually make $420 I'd have to charge an extra $100+
The 15% Rover deducts from each stay covers your advertising on the site, the provided pet insurance, sitter training opportunities, site maintenance, 24 hour customer support, etc.
Are there other training opportunities than Sitter 101? If so, please tell!
I mostly meant the 101 training, but they also post informational articles in the blog regularly, and of course maintain the Q&A board to help us problem solve and learn from other sitters across the country.
How do y’all respond discreetly telling clients you’d accept less for a different form of payment? As we all know rover monitors all messages.
Don’t do it. For clients that found you through Rover, you’re stuck booking them through Rover.… Unless you want to risk your account being permanently suspended from the Rover platform. Any clients you can find outside of Rover. You can Book them on your own, without going through rover.
I don't begrudge Rover 15% of the total. I couldn't do all that they do by myself.
I think the fact they Rover tell customers that sitters are background checked is misleading. As a sitter I answered a few basic questions and my license number was not even asked for. The insurance is a benefit to some but as mentioned earlier it does not cover much/
Thank you for the replies, it makes more sense.
I completely agree ! I am so sick and tired of doing ALL the work and rover taking all of my money! I literally watch two large dogs for two weeks. One in which pooped and soiled my carpets everyday for 3 days and completely destroyed my house and rover took 180.00 out of what I was supposed to get
Don’t take those dogs!!! That’s awful!
I agree Rover takes too much out of our fees . I use Air B and B and they only take out 3 %. I can deal with that.
Yes it's outrageous, when I sell something on Ebay they only keep 10%. It's putting the owner at a disadvantage because I have to charge them more on Rover than I would if it was me making 100% of the money. I used to have no problem finding jobs thru my FB page. Rover has kind of stolen the market
While the support ive gotten so far is really great & they usually reply fast, they take way more than the app deserves seeing as the app is really messed up. Theres been several days the app doesnt load my stuff, its awful on my battery, and even when ive got signal it takes forever to upload cards
Rover also charged the client as well! Rover charged me $30 and my client $14.
And we pay the taxes on the fees plus our cut gets taxes. Pray I can write off that as business expenses.
Rover needs to cap their fees at $200 a month. This is ALOT! Their services are automated. We seldom talk to a real person. As we increase business, Rover's services do NOT increase. Rover what do you do to deserve more than this? I have booked $4000/MOS in repeat biz. Why do you deserve $800?
I have a dog coming for a whole month straight that's 1,100 and Rover is taking $230 out Of my pay. That I'm going to be the one doing all of the work. I have to deal with buy new carpets and new things because these dogs pee, poop and chew everything and owners don't say anything. Rover sucks tbh