Google Helpouts
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
 | |
Type of site | Marketplace |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Google inc |
| URL | helpouts.google.com |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Closed as of April 9th |
Google Helpouts was an online collaboration service from Google which launched in November 2013 and allowed users to share their expertise through live video and provide real-time help from their computers or mobile devices. As of April 20, 2015, Google closed Google Helpouts.[1]
Operation
People offering help thrpouts, called 'providers', can be large, medium, or small companies as well as individuals. Providers must be a native English speaker and a resident of U.S., Canada, Ireland, U.K., Australia or New Zealand. Providers create and maintain listings that explain what they offer, their qualifications, their prices, and their schedules. Every listing has a link to the provider’s Helpouts calendar. Providers must pass Google's screening process to qualify.
Helpouts handled scheduling based on user availability all by itself.
Once a Helpout was scheduled, it could automatically be added to users' Google Calendar, and users can also choose whether they wish to be notified through email or SMS.
Payments and pricing
All payments were done through Google Wallet. There was two kinds of pricings based on either a per minute or per Helpout session. Prices were set by the providers. Some providers offered both options at the same time, leaving it up to a user to decide which one is best for them. At the end of each Helpout, users were asked to write a review.
Helpouts offered a money-back guarantee. If a user was not satisfied with a Helpout, he/she could apply for a refund within 72 hours at the end of there helpout. Google had a cancellation policy that states that some providers may or may not have a cancellation fee.[2] However if they do customers must call in 24 hours prior to the session to avoid the fee. If they do not they will be charged 50% of their session price if it was for a fixed amount of time. If it was by the minute the customer will be charged 5 times the rate.
Categories
Helpouts categorizes help into the following categories:
- Art & Music
- Computers & Electronics
- Cooking
- Education & Careers
- Fashion & Beauty
- Fitness & Nutrition
- Health
- Home & Garden
Citations
- ^ Official Blog: Introducing Helpouts: Help when you need it over live video. Googleblog.blogspot.in. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- ^ Helpouts. "Cancellations - Helpouts Help". Support.google.com. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
References
- Google offers live video chats with experts through Helpouts service. Indian Express. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts Promises ‘Real Help from Real People in Real Time’ — for a Price | TIME.com. Techland.time.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google introduces Helpouts to connect experts with advice-seekers via video. PCWorld (2013-10-31). Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts will change the world (or not) | Computerworld Blogs. Blogs.computerworld.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google launches Helpouts: paid live video chats with experts | Technology. theguardian.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Launches Helpouts, Paid Video Chats With Experts To Address Whatever Is Bothering You Right Now. TechCrunch (2013-07-24). Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts and Other News You Need to Know. Mashable.com (2011-11-18). Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts Offer One-On-One Expert Help – ReadWrite. Readwrite.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts Connects You With Experts via Video Chat. Lifehacker.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- Google Helpouts Is Here to Help You With Basically Anything. Gizmodo.com. Retrieved on 2013-11-05.
- "Google Helpout live vids: Helping you help us help ourselves, says web giant". The Register. 2013-11-05.
- "Google Helpouts India - Invitation Code & Review". 2013-11-08.