Needle.com Review 2023: Is It a Legit Work at Home Job?

Updated on: by Amy Kennedy

There are many readers who dream of having a work at home chat job.

Need Easy Extra $350+/Month For Free?

  • SwagBucks: Watch videos, take surveys, shop and more to earn real money. Earn up to $35 per survey! No hidden fees and completely free. Join Swagbucks Now to Get $5 Free
  • InboxDollars: Has so far paid its members over $40 Million. Watch videos, take surveys, shop and more. Join InboxDollars Now and Get Free $5
  • SurveyJunkie: Make $5-$25 in your spare time from home to take online surveys, participating in a Focus Groups and trying new products. Join SurveyJunkie Now
  • Branded Surveys: Complete online surveys. Collect points. Redeem your points for cash & gift cards. No hidden fees and completely free! Has so far paid its members over $18 Million. Join Branded Surveys Now

Chat jobs tend to be more popular in the work at home world because many people who want to work from home are parents with kids in the house.

Anyone with children knows how tough it can be to try to talk on the phone with kids around!

We offer a full list of the newest non-phone work at home jobs here at Work at Home Adventures, specifically for those looking for these types of jobs.

We also dig deeper into some of the most popular remote chat jobs so that you can learn more about the companies, what they offer, and figure out if their positions are right for you.

That brings us to this Needle.com review, where I’m going to outline everything you need to know about Needle work from home jobs.

I have come across many legit companies that initially made me very excited.

Unfortunately, most of those chat jobs were not very promising, paying very little per chat, or simply never really deliver on their claims.

Then I was introduced to Needle.com, so I wanted to learn more about it and how its positions work.

Needle offers an hourly work at home chat job that’s flexible and fun and a lot of people seem to enjoy.

What is Needle.com?

Needle is one of the newer companies to arrive on the scene and offer at-home chat jobs, but it’s been around since November of 2009.

In only a couple of years they gained the trust and confidence of many great companies such as Overstock, Norton, Skull Candy, Under Armour, Coach, Norwegian Cruise Lines and many other top brands.

Needle offers chat support and hires agents to work from home providing customer assistance as needed.

Over the years, as the company has grown, it’s changed its model a bit, but its positions remain the same: They’re all customer service, chat-based jobs.

Needle differs quite a bit from its competition, though.

There are a lot of chat products designed to help brands deliver awesome customer service to anyone who visits their sites.

Need Easy Extra Cash?

Pinecone Research, a leading name in online survey panel honesty, absolutely guarantees $3 cash for every survey you complete!
Take advantage of their time limited New Membership drive and register NOW. Join today: 100% free!

Join Pinecone Research Now

However, Needle representatives edge more on the side of brand ambassadors.

Their job is to know everything they can about certain brands and products so that they can help others find exactly what they need online.

What’s the Job?

Needle.com calls its customer service representatives “Advocates” because they are required to know a lot about the brands they’re providing customer service for.

This is so that they can help customers in the most efficient ways possible find exactly what they need.

You might also hear these positions referred to as Needlers, which is just another term for an Advocate.

Needle works with major brands to provide help to their customers through you, the Advocate.

Advocates are expected to assist customers with their questions or concerns by helping them do things like finding just the right product or finishing the checkout process.

Advocates are also encouraged to share their own shopping experiences and take into account the needs and interests of each customer to create a relationship that makes consumers feel comfortable and appreciated.

You should also be prepared to offer feedback to the brands you work with.

If you notice that a lot of customers are getting error messages on specific pages or aren’t able to find what they need on the brand’s website, then you might mention those issues to the company.

Overall, your job is to help build a connection with the brand and its customers for smooth shopping and checkout processes.

All of this work is done via online chat, so you’ll never need to worry about taking or making phone calls or handling emails.

Will I Be an Employee or Independent Contractor?

Needlers are Independent Contractors and therefore do not have taxes withheld from their paychecks.

Being a Work at Home Chat Agent for Needle.com is considered being self-employed.

Although this is beneficial for those who want flexibility a regular job usually can’t provide, you’ll also need to remember to set aside tax money for paying your taxes each year.

You might also need to pay taxes quarterly, rather than annually, but you can consult with an accountant to learn what’s right for your situation.

As an independent contractor, you’re free to work with other companies while you’re working with Needle.com, so you have more opportunities to expand your income.

What is the Pincushion?

During the application process or your quest to learn more about Needle, you might keep seeing the term “pincushion” pop up.

The Needle.com Pincushion is where all brand advocates will go to login to their accounts.

This is where you’ll find everything you need to know, basically, like your project information, your accumulated points, and more.

Think of it like your home as a Needler where you’ll find everything you need to get your job done.

What is the Pay Like at Needle?

This is where I personally get very excited about Needle. They pay an hourly rate!

Needle pays every Monday through PayPal for the work completed the previous week.

The pay week is from Sunday to Saturday.

There is very little waiting time for your pay!

This is a GREAT benefit for work at home chat agents at needle.com.

I have a feeling the pay could vary depending on the specialty you are hired for but the several people online who have shared their hourly rate at Needle say they make $10 per hour.

UPDATE 2023: Needle reportedly no longer pays an hourly rate to its Advocates. According to the website, the only pay you’ll receive is in the form of points, which you can learn more about below. However, some Needle Advocates report that some clients do pay their Advocates per chat, although no specific amount has been disclosed.

Needlers earn incentive points based on a variety of factors such as how quickly you respond to a chat requests, the number of sales you make and customer satisfaction scores.

Earn Everything… nearly!

Join Opinion Outpost, one of the few faithful and honest survey panels and earn cash and gift cards for your opinion. Stack your points and redeem them: Simple! No hidden fees and completely free!

Join Opinion Outpost Now

The points can be exchanged for products such as an iPad, Speakers, Hoodies and other items from their clients, although there’s no public information you can access to see what specific types of products are available to choose from.

It seems that only Advocates who’ve been accepted have access to the redemption catalog.

Although getting points to turn in for products and other prizes can seem fun, you also need to remember that these products won’t pay the bills.

Since Needle.com switched over to this payment method, I don’t recommend it for anyone looking for a regular job.

Instead, you might use it as something a little extra for a few hours a week to earn points for birthday gifts, special occasions, or just occasional treats for yourself.

How to Withdraw Earnings

Withdrawing your payment from Needle.com is a simple and important process that allows you to access the funds you have earned as a brand advocate or Needler on the platform.

Needle.com offers various payment methods to ensure convenient and secure transactions.

To help you navigate the payment withdrawal process smoothly, follow the comprehensive steps below:

  1. Log in to your Needle.com account: Begin by logging in to your Needle.com account using your registered credentials.
  2. Access the account settings or profile settings section: Once you’re logged in, locate and navigate to the account settings or profile settings section within your Needle.com dashboard.
  3. Find the payment or withdrawal settings: Within the account settings, look for the “Withdraw Funds,” option Click on this option to access the payment withdrawal functionality.
  4. Review requirements and restrictions: Before proceeding with the withdrawal, carefully review any specific requirements or restrictions associated with payment withdrawals on Needle.com. This may include minimum withdrawal amounts, transaction fees, or any eligibility criteria.
  5. Enter the withdrawal details: In the payment withdrawal section, you will find fields or options where you can enter the necessary details. Provide accurate information such as the amount you wish to withdraw and the preferred payment method. Needle.com typically offers various payment methods, such as direct bank transfers, PayPal, or other digital payment platforms.
  6. Verify the entered information: Before finalizing the payment withdrawal, double-check the entered details to ensure accuracy. Verify that the withdrawal amount and payment method are correct to avoid any potential issues.
  7. Initiate the payment withdrawal: Once you have verified the information, initiate the payment withdrawal by clicking on the “Withdraw” button. This action will prompt Needle.com to process your withdrawal request based on the provided details.
  8. Await payment processing: After initiating the payment withdrawal, allow Needle.com some time to process your request.
  9. Receive payment confirmation: Once your payment withdrawal has been processed, Needle.com will provide you with a confirmation message or email.
  10. Monitor payment status: If necessary, you can monitor the status of your payment withdrawal within your Needle.com account or through any provided transaction tracking options.

What is the Scheduling like at Needle.com?

Scheduling with Needle is pretty awesome for people who need a flexible schedule.

Needle chat agents have a very flexible scheduling system because they are able to make their own schedule.

Available schedules are released at a set date and time.

Agents can then grab the hours they would like to work as they are available.

You schedule in one-hour increments, so it’s easy to work around things like school functions and doctor appointments if you have kids.

You can release your commitment time if something comes up but it must be at least 6 hours prior to the hour you are scheduled to work.

This is simply so that Needle has ample time to see if someone else can cover your time.

The downside to this style of scheduling is that if available hours are low, you will be fighting for your schedule.

But on the plus-side of things you can also work under ‘freeskate’.

That means you can log in and work unscheduled 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Then, you can grab any overflow chats when scheduled agents are busy.

The pay for these chats are still at a similar rate for the points system but you are only paid for the time you actually spend in a chat while in ‘freeskate’, or unscheduled, mode.

Pros and Cons of Becoming a Needle Advocate

Needle has been a highly talked about chat job for people who want to work outside of a traditional chat job, but it definitely has mixed reviews.

Here are some of the common pros and cons of Needle, according to people who have worked as an Advocate with the company:

Pro: Varied Work

It’s possible to work with a lot of people and a variety of brands on any given day on the job at Needle, which can be really fun for people who don’t want to do the same stuff every day.

Needle works with a lot of big-name brands in the retail industry, many of which you’re probably passionate about already.

What’s more fun than getting to talk about some of your favorite brands and helping others discover new things they might love too?

Pro: Independent Work

This could be a pro or con, depending on your personality.

However, most Advocates like that the work is very independent, so they don’t have to worry about a boss or co-workers standing over their shoulder watching their moves.

As long as you’re doing your job well, Needle will pretty much leave you to do your thing and help your customers.

Con: Paid by the Number of Chats You Get

Rather than giving you a set payment for the amount of time you’re logged in according to your schedule, Needle appears to only pay you for the chats you get.

In other words, you could be sitting around for an hour during your scheduled block without a single chat coming your way, which means you won’t get paid at all for your time.

You’ll really need to weigh whether or not that kind of job is right for you, even if you’re only doing it as a fun gig on the side.

Con: Incentives Aren’t Worth It

According to several Needle reviewers, the incentives the company has for Needlers just aren’t worth the time they spend helping others shop.

Sure, you have access to cool prizes and maybe some gift cards once in a while, but that’s similar to what you can do taking surveys online.

Only this work involves a lot more work than that.

The fact that Needle no longer finds it necessary to pay its Advocates has led many to say that the company doesn’t value the hard work they do for the company’s clients.

The Application Process for Needle.com

I spent some time researching the Needle application process and came to one conclusion:

Wow the application process is brutally confusing.

You are required to link your Facebook page to apply when jobs are available.

The actual application part is very simple.

You can choose to fill out a general application for Needle to consider matching you with clients that interest you.

However, it’s usually better to apply for brand-specific positions.

For example, I applied for the recent Home and Garden chat position for their client, Overstock.

I answered a few questions to help them determine my knowledge and experience in home and garden and customer service.

Once I submitted my application it redirected me to the Pincushion dashboard.

This is where things got a little more confusing.

It offered me the ability to go ahead and begin steps of training…without really any explanation.

Although it’s confusing, I highly recommend completing this section as it proves you are motivated.

Needle does provide all the training materials you’ll need for free, but it’s up to you to go through all this on your own.

You might also be prompted to take some basic skills tests, like a typing test and one that asks you about typical customer service scenarios.

Then you just wait and hope to receive an email offering you a position with Needle.com.

They will not send you a reject letter, so the hope is left hanging in the air. Be sure to watch your spam box.

According to other Needlers, if you’re accepted after the initial application phase, you’ll move onto practice chats that test your ability to chat with customers like you’ll do during a real chat.

Pass those tests and you’ll move onto a final interview via chat with a recruiter.

That seems like a big mess to go through without even getting an actual paycheck at the end, right?

Heard Back from Needle.com? Here’s What to Expect from the Interview Process:

Interviews with Needle.com are held via chat.

During the interview, a recruiter will ask more detailed questions to learn more about you and your skills.

For example, he or she might ask you if you’ve had previous customer service experience to gauge how well you might do with a Needle position.

Additionally, it gives you the opportunity to ask any questions as well.

From my understanding, you will not know at the end of the interview if you have the position as a chat agent with Needle.

Once a decision is made, Needle will send you an email if you are hired.

Again, it can feel very confusing and it’s a lot to go through just to get points.

How to Apply to Needle

I know that Needle chat jobs certainly won’t be right for everyone, but there’s a fair share of Advocates who really seem to enjoy what they do.

You never know unless you try.

You can visit Needle.com and apply using their general application.

However, I highly suggest NOT applying this way and instead wait until they are hiring for a specific position you are qualified for.

Remember at this point you may only have one chance.

When Needle lists open positions on its site, then it is actively recruiting for chat agents for those specific clients, which is a better way for you to get your foot in the door.

Keep the registration page bookmarked and check back every week or so to see when new positions become available.

Good luck!

Can you Opt Out of Needle.com?

Yes, you can opt out of Needle.com.

The process for opting out involves a few simple steps. First, you need to log in to your Needle.com account using your login credentials.

Once you are logged in, navigate to the account settings or profile settings section within your Needle.com dashboard. Look for the option  “Deactivate Account.”

Take the time to carefully read any information provided about the consequences of opting out.

Understand that opting out will result in the termination of your role as a brand advocate or Needler on the platform. You may also lose access to the platform itself, as well as any associated benefits or incentives.

If you are sure about your decision to opt out, confirm it by clicking on the provided confirmation button or link.

Depending on the platform’s requirements, you may be asked to provide additional information or complete an exit survey, but usually, this step is optional.

Once you have confirmed your opt-out request, Needle.com should send you a confirmation message or email. This communication will acknowledge your decision to opt out and confirm the deactivation of your account.

If you’ve worked with Needle as an Advocate, we’d love to hear from you!

What was your experience like? What can you tell us about the pay and scheduling?

Feel free to leave a note below.

Related Posts:

Earn Everything… nearly!

Join Ipsos iSay, one of the few Faithful and Honest survey panels and earn prizes, gift cards and donations. Stack your points and redeem them: Simple! No hidden fees and completely free!

Join Ipsos Now

Comments

Click here to post a comment...
Post comment

Leisa Good

January 23, 2013 at 11:44 am

Miranda, I’m glad that you did write this review. I’ve been seeing Needle.com come up in different WAH forums and chat rooms. I couldn’t seem to find out too much about it. So, thank you for shedding light on this company. As always, you did a great review.

Miranda Grimm

January 23, 2013 at 1:48 pm

Thank you Leisa

Vincent

January 29, 2013 at 2:09 am

I applied for Needle way back in December and have sent a few emails following up with my application, and have gotten no responses. That says a lot right there. My advice is don’t waste your time filling out the app.

Jessica

February 1, 2013 at 6:04 pm

I applied with the needle last week and I just interviewed for a chat for Coach yesterday. So we’ll see how it goes.

Miranda Grimm

February 1, 2013 at 6:42 pm

fantastic! I had not heard of them hiring for the Coach line. So thanks for sharing! Did you apply specifically for the Coach line or the general application?

Kate

February 22, 2013 at 12:37 am

Can you tell me if Needle hire experienced chat agents in Canada?

Thank you.

Jessica

February 1, 2013 at 6:57 pm

I applied specifically for the Coach line. The interviewer said if I was picked I would hear something before next Friday. Fingers crossed! I’ll keep ya posted.

Jessica

February 8, 2013 at 6:28 pm

I’m officially a Needler for Coach.

Kim Edwards

July 1, 2013 at 5:36 pm

Hi Jessica,

Can you please provide an update about your experience working with them so far?

Miranda

February 8, 2013 at 6:42 pm

Yay!!!!! Congrats Jessica 🙂 I have an interview for the Overstock line this Monday! 🙂

Laura

February 19, 2013 at 11:44 am

How much do you have to know about a certain topic in order to apply? I’m totally new to working at home because I’ve been having a horrible time finding a job after graduating from college. I don’t want to apply without having the expertise they’re looking for.

Shelia Browning

March 4, 2013 at 6:51 am

I was contracted to work the Overstock home and garden section on 1-28-13. I love it! Best job I ever had. Best people to work with. I am addicted to chatting now.

needler

March 17, 2013 at 1:13 am

Not all Needler’s make $10/hour. Once they secure a partner or even from the get go they may offer as little as $1.50 per chat. If chat volume is high and you are not discussing anything very technical or involved it MIGHT be ok. Otherwise you will likely find yourself chatting for less than minimum wage – even significantly less. They ca change your contract rate at anytime. Beware.

Needler

January 14, 2014 at 10:19 am

I work as a needler, and yes it is $1.40 per chat, but that often leads to 10-15$ hour. You are often juggling 2-4 chats at a time.

Heather

March 27, 2013 at 4:28 am

I have a question for you Needlers here: is chatting done online or over the phone? Is a laptop/desktop really necessary, or can I use my iPad/iPhone? My laptop is on the fritz, and I’m supposed to be interviewed for a position on Friday. The email wasn’t clear on the method, so I’m sorta confused :-/

Miranda Grimm

March 27, 2013 at 12:27 pm

I actually finished my training/certification yesterday. Chatting is done online. No phone is needed. However, i dont think you can do this job using an iPad or iPhone. You need to have multiple windows open and you have to use chrome or mozilla. I hope that helps.

Roxanne

April 4, 2013 at 2:07 pm

How is training? Do they expect you to have great expertise in the company you are applying for?

Miranda Grimm

April 4, 2013 at 4:03 pm

Seems they are looking that you have general experience in the area.

Ex Needler

April 12, 2013 at 2:59 pm

Since Needle laid off most of their Overstock Home & Garden Needlers yesterday I’m just wondering if you’re still working for them. I know they *say* it’s only a test and possibly only temporary, everyone feels it is a permanent house-cleaning.

Miranda Grimm

April 12, 2013 at 7:42 pm

I was included in the ‘temporary’ lay off as well. Very disappointing. I have hopes that we will all be back at it in a few weeks–trying to stay positive.

Tracey Joy

May 31, 2013 at 1:23 pm

Too bad they only use facebook. I closed my account after repeated hacks into my account showing pornography. No more FB for me. Shame companies are using that as a way to find people. Not everyone uses social media nor do they want to. Sorry for the lay-offs yucko, hopefully you all will get back to work soon. This sounds like something perfect for me to do. I love COACH products can’t even apply bummer

Miranda Grimm

May 31, 2013 at 2:22 pm

ACtually you can login without facebook. There is an option in blue text below the login with facebook button that says “I dont have a Facebook account”. I used that method of logging in when I was hired for the Overstock line.

TraceyJoy

May 31, 2013 at 7:13 pm

oh I see it Miranda thank you, I’ll apply and see what happens. Thanks dear

Alison

June 4, 2013 at 6:05 pm

I went on quite a while ago and completed all the training and such but haven’t heard anything back. Do you automatically get paired with the brands they think you would be best suited for or do you have to apply for the specific brands? I see they are hiring for Adidas, Reebok, and Coach and I wasn’t sure if I could actually apply for them individually. Thanks for your help!

Rachel

June 12, 2013 at 9:57 pm

I had an interview 6 days ago for Adidas. I received an email today stating that I passed the interview and can move on to the certification process. Certification is at the end of this month. I look forward to this new opportunity. It appears like it will perfectly fit my lifestyle and my personality!

Miranda Grimm

June 12, 2013 at 10:51 pm

YAY!!!! That is awesome Rachel! Congrats. I am very excited for you. Thanks for giving us an update to that as well.

Jennifer

June 19, 2013 at 11:46 pm

I want to start of saying… thank god for this blog! I’m so glad someone else is able to help me sift through all the scams.

I wanted to add to this review that I found that USA Today had done an interview with the founder of Needle.com… it’s worth the watch if you are considering needle.com

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/story/2012-05-30/needle-talking-tech/55287900/1

Thank you again!

Jennifer

June 19, 2013 at 11:50 pm

Since we have to link our Facebook’s to apply… can the ’employer’ see our personal Facebook content?

That Person

June 29, 2013 at 12:40 am

I feel I should mention it seems to be US only. 🙁

Stephanie

July 16, 2013 at 2:47 pm

Had my interview yesterday for ZAGG. Will know by tomorrow they said.

Chelsea

August 22, 2013 at 11:13 pm

Hey guys! I have a adidas interview and i was wondering if anybody can give me insight on how the interviews usually go. Pretty nervous!!

random

October 28, 2013 at 4:23 pm

Was a needler for Reebok. Poor communication from Needle and Reebok. Lack of stock on the site which turned the Needlers into scapegoats for customer complaints. The Needlers are not trained “experts” as it claims. Last time I checked, this was a “fan based” operation. Poor training, lack of communication and ordering product is frustrating. Unprofessional people at Needle as well. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!

Anon

April 17, 2014 at 10:16 pm

It is true there could be better communication between the client and needlers representing them, but there is also some responsibility on the needlers to make sure they are up to date on what they need to know.

Imran

November 14, 2013 at 2:17 am

I am looking for a genuine work from home job. I have worked for Norton as a customer service agent. I would like to work for similar profile. If there is any work from home job, than please let me know. My email address is [email removed]

Piper

November 22, 2013 at 8:07 pm

I start my training to become certified tomorrow for Carhartt, so excited.. Only question I have is, how much do they pay? Does needle pay or does Carhartt? I’ve got a 300 dollar car payment plus a high insurance bill and I highly doubt 1.50 per chat is gonna cover that.

Also I don’t have a paypal account yet, I was going to use my husband’s account, when ever I get my own can I change it over to mine?

Miranda Grimm

November 22, 2013 at 8:12 pm

Needle is the one who will pay you. Each campaign has different pay structures and chat volume- so it can be very difficult to say what you can expect to earn. My experience with myself and friends working for Overstock through needle.com tells me it can all vary from week to week as chat volume increases and decreases. I hope it all works out for you!

Also, I do believe you can go back in and edit your paypal account when you get your own set up.

Kim

November 24, 2013 at 9:39 am

I applied for Coach a while ago and never heard back. Just by chance today I logged to to check it out and I had training blocks for Coach. Does anyone know if this normal?

abused needler

November 26, 2013 at 1:50 pm

so miranda.. was your layoff only a temp thing??? i heard overstock got axed from needle… seems this is how they treat all workers… very childish… 1st its “oh we are just temporarily cutting back hours” then you go to log in and blam nothing..

Miranda Grimm

November 26, 2013 at 2:48 pm

it is still a pending ‘temporary’ thing…but it has been MONTHS. Every once in a while they make us think we might get invited back but then we dont….I have a friend who still works for Overstock through Needle- so I know they didn’t get axed….I honestly think Needle has just been trying to get their ducks in a row. They are still fairly new to all of this.

robin barnes

January 21, 2014 at 4:02 pm

i am in the process of applying finished
my assessments and it has a page of brand profile etc but nothing will open where do i go from here?

Piper

February 19, 2014 at 7:02 pm

I can honestly say this about Needle.. don’t waste your time on it. The pay SUCKS the managers seriously need to be fired for not doing their job properly. I currently work for Carhartt and I work with the most immature childish team members I swear my 5 year old is more mature than the people I work with. I could sit here and rant all day about how worthless Needle is but I’ll just end up making myself annoyed so take my advice.. DON’T DO IT.. NOT WORTH IT

Craig

March 3, 2014 at 1:35 pm

I’ve been a needler for way too long….what a mess. This may possibly be the least organized company on the planet. While they’re enjoying free gourmet dinners in headquarters, they’re paying you just a bit more than $1/chat with a points structure for “free” product that takes months to earn enough to do anything with. Each year of your service, they lower that rate without fail. Thanks for all the hard work! Management is not only inept, but rude, and they ignore emails without fail, even when you’re diligently trying to get around another one of their faulty systems errors to do your job. My team is great, and they honestly do care about the client…..too bad Needle doesn’t.

CrushedNeedlerDreams

March 15, 2014 at 2:47 am

I was so excited until I read the most recent updates. The initial email says you’ll hear something in 1-2 days and Its been nearly 4. I’ve completed all of the trainings and still nothing. 🙁

Helpful Needler

March 30, 2014 at 4:24 pm

Like other Needlers have said. It really isn’t worth it. Needle Inc. is run terribly and most of the time you’ll be making below minimum wage. It’s 90 cents to a little over a dollar per chat. If you schedule at the wrong time you could be making 3 dollars for the whole hour. You go above and beyond to help customers with the little info you’re given while the community managers do their absolute least to help you help customers. Weeks go by without ever hearing from anyone while you try to work around their failed chat system to do your job. Emails for help and more information about the products you’re supposed to be selling go unanswered. Positive suggestions go unimplemented. You won’t matter to this company.

Stay away from this cyber sweatshop.

Miranda Grimm

March 30, 2014 at 7:24 pm

It’s really sad how down-hill Needle went after I wrote this article. I no longer recommend them to anyone who is looking for serious work.

Helpful Needler

March 31, 2014 at 7:06 pm

I found out about Needle from this post. And as much as I don’t think it should be recommended with the way it’s run now, I want to say I do appreciate you posting about it originally because it helped me pay some bills for a few months while I found something else. I always recommend your blog to anyone looking for WAH advice and I always will because it has been a great resource for me. So thanks for that Miranda. That said, more layoffs are on the way. Another partner is getting phased out in a few weeks. I think the most you can expect to work with Needle is about six months before mismanagement leads to them losing the contract with your partner.

Miranda Grimm

March 31, 2014 at 8:24 pm

You said that right! “mismanagement” is a clear problem with Needle. They seem to have no clue what they are doing. It’s a real shame too because there is/was so much potential and so many big-names that have given them a try. Makes me sad to see it going down the pot.
Thanks for the encouragement and for referring others to WAHA too! I appreciate it a lot!

Anon

April 17, 2014 at 10:10 pm

I’m surprised by the negative feedback I have seen here. I have worked for Needle for about a year and it has been great! Maybe it depends on which company or client you work for but I have been very pleased with our team and management.

sab

April 11, 2014 at 6:31 pm

Hi,
I have no experience in chat field. Earlier I worked as a full time employee in knowledge management. I am new to this work from home thing and want to apply for needle.
But I need help with few questions. Can anyone please help me out!

1. what interview questions they will be asking?
2. If gets selected, do we have to pay for training ?
3. How much are they currently paying ?

appreciate any help 🙂

Lani

May 12, 2014 at 9:32 pm

Miranda, I love your site! I came on today looking for more info about Needle as I got a pretty random email that I’d been “fast tracked” and could start the training process for Reebok. They said I’d done well in an interview that I’ve never had….At any rate, I did apply in December (5 months ago!) and never heard back, so I guess this is it…I am saddened to hear the horror stories though. I was hoping to use this for, at minimum, car payment money. I will continue with the process and see what happens. I will definitely report back!

Miranda Grimm

May 12, 2014 at 11:03 pm

Congrats Lani! I really believe every line/client at Needle will offer the agents a different experience. It seems the clients have a lot of control over the way things are paid and some of the unexpected events. While I am sure communication failures are in part at the fault of Needle- some people are not having those issues, so it will probably depend on management/team leaders. I really hope it works well for you. I am doing some work for Needle right now on the side and I am having positive results from it, it is not chat work though.

Sarah Miller

October 17, 2014 at 1:02 am

What do you do for needle? Do you know what clients pay 10 per hour?

Sarah Miller

September 24, 2014 at 4:05 pm

Hi, I’m interested in applying for needle. Does anyone have the needle application page link? Thanks!

Brandi

October 6, 2014 at 1:23 pm

Hello. I actually work for needle now. I started about two months and work for hhgregg. We were the first set of advocates who do work for hhgregg.

There are a few things that I think may have changed when this was originally posted. I will tell you of my experience with them.

I currently work for hhgregg. We do not get paid an hourly rate, but per chat. If you are committed it is $1.07 per chat. If you are not committed and freeskating it is $.95 for the chat. Is there a way we can get paid $10 an hour, yes… If we get 10 chats that hour which never happens. I have been paid as little as $1.07 if there was only one chat that hour. Last week I made $155 bucks and worked (committed) 40 hours. So that averages around $3.89 an hour. They also go by a point system. Every three hours of chat time (actually talking to someone) it is a block. If you make so many sales, ask so many questions, average a good rating (customers rate you after every chat 0-10 they average them for the block and if you do well) you get more points. Each block is worth any where from 0 points to over 1,000 depending on how well you did. Those points can be used to buy certain product from who you are working for. I think it is a bad system because you can’t really use all of your points unless you find something worth exactly the same amount of the points you have. Example if you want to buy anything $0-$50 bucks it is worth 10,000 points. If you buy something for $10 bucks it is going to use the same amount of points as if you buy something that is $50 bucks. 10,000 points is really hard to come by and I think that system is not fair.

Your schedule can be picked based also on how well you do. I also think that system is flawed. There is a leader board. 1-4 get to pick their schedules first, with 1st place going first. The way you get on the leader board is they will average out your blocks for the week with the points you made per bock. If you have the highest points average, you are first. Example.. Say I have 6 blocks for the week, each block was worth 425,725, 580,350,725,425 pts. My average would be about 538ish. Say my co worker has 2 blocks because they don’t work as much as I do and their blocks were worth 725 and 580. They would average about 602. That to me is unfair because I worked three times as much as them and I had more blocks that were worth more than them. It tends to make those who work harder not want to try because they are not getting anything out of it. And when that happens, we get into issues with people who may get two blocks go above someone who works 6 blocks in the leader board and they take hours and not work them.

That comes to my MAJOR complaint. With hhgregg we are having advocates take committed time and not working it. You lost 250 points for every commit missed. BUT people do not care. Two people can commit an hour. If you are not committed you free skate, as mentioned. Advocates are taking those hours and simply not come or leave after 20 or 30 minutes of being there. Once it is committed and not worked, no one can come in and take the commit. Only way is if they, the person who didn’t come into the commit they signed up for, releases it 6 hour prior. That leaves advocates who want to work not able to get the $1.07 for the chat because they were unable to grab the commit because the one who grabbed it didn’t let it go. We have two people who do it week after week and it has been brought to the attention of the supervisor and nothing has been done. That is a big thing also. Communication is awful. Emails have been sent to supervisor by me and never returned, and those emails being about people missing commit. There is no true team lead. There is one person that is kinda a lead but she is in there maybe 4 hours a day at the most. She has also seen the problem and sent emails to supervisor and still, nothing has been done. So communication is awful.

That all being said I like to pick my own hours. I work my butt off for very small pay but it helps my family and I can be home with the kids and get them from school when needed. I think that things need to change a little and find some of it not thought out when they made the rules.

Kenneth

November 24, 2014 at 9:52 pm

I have got an interview for needle. I did it and the person said i did good and he said they send a email if i got the job in a couple of days

Anna

December 8, 2014 at 2:04 pm

did you hear anything back from them and what was the interview process like? Also If you are working for them can share a little bit about the job and training

Lacy

February 13, 2015 at 11:06 am

I worked with Needle for Dick’s Sporting Goods as a chat advocate. I was hired September 2014 and was just laid off a couple weeks ago (end of January 2015). When we started, it was .98 per chat or .89 per chat, that depending if you were Freeskating or Scheduled, but then we were set at 20-30 hours at $10/hour. I was bringing home anywhere from $200-$300 a week. I hope I can get in with another company soon!

Jane Willgohs

January 26, 2016 at 6:09 pm

I am in the application, testing part of my process. For Needle.I keep getting”flags” that the site is not. Secure? Input on that?

Stephanie

March 21, 2016 at 8:03 am

Hi. I’m looking for online chat work from home. Do you know if any of these companies hire in Australia?

mark

June 2, 2016 at 3:31 am

Hi. I’m also looking for online chat work from home. Do you know if any of these companies hire in Australia?

mark

June 2, 2016 at 3:43 am

Hi. im australian do you know if any of these companies hire in Australia? if so who thanks

Jennifer Edralin

September 8, 2016 at 12:36 pm

Update***Needle is completely a point based system now. You will not be paid for chats. You will get points only. You can redeem your points for merchandise or for gift cards.

Mary

November 23, 2016 at 1:59 am

I just got hired for Needle and the way I am understanding it is Needle pays on point system and the partner company you work with pays you per chat so you get both. It’s kinda like you can a hourly wage at your job but you also get benefits…same concept…points which are redeemed I see them as the benefit and the pay per chat would be my take home money. If you go into it thinking like this it may not be so bad. I haven’t started yet cause I don’t feel comfortable yet but will be in a couple days. I do find that alot of it you kind of have to learn by trial and error….ASK QUESTIONS that is the key otherwise no one will be there to hold your hand. I do dislike they only allow so many to work a certain hour time slot. I also hate that the lead is the one who sets your max so if they don’t like you it’s possible you will only get to work 1-2 chats at a time verses someone else who is working 3-5 at a time. I also don’t like the fact that certain folks can commit almost an entire day. Which sucks when partners have set customer service chat availability between certain hours of the day for example chat agent is only available between 7 and 11 so someone can commit the whole day and if the company has it set only 2-3 agents can work at any given time well that means if you aren’t top of leader board you could be working practically for free if at all cause you are freeskating and not committed. I see freeskating as better than nothing.

John

April 3, 2017 at 1:21 am

Needle does not pay money at all any longer. It is a pure gaming system that you gain points for actions. The points are redeemable for limited products at a ridiculously high mark up of almost 100%. zero management . very unhappy work environment. Excuses and lip service galore. It appears they are going out of business.

Nichaela Eugene

April 13, 2017 at 1:01 am

I have an interview with Needle to be a Lime Crime advocate. Will I get paid for chat? How much? Does anyone know anything about Lime Crime pay?

Germaine

June 12, 2017 at 9:12 am

I am currently living in Dubai UAE can I apply here?

rajat kharel

July 20, 2017 at 1:53 pm

i don’t have website. can i apply

Emma

October 11, 2017 at 5:56 pm

You need to update your website all these responses are from 2013

Alberto Ulloa

June 25, 2019 at 3:14 pm

Just to let you know Needle is:

“No Longer Accepting Advocate Registrations
Thank you for your interest in becoming a brand advocate. We are not currently looking for additional advocates, but please keep checking back!”

This is the messahe form their website.

Kristina

February 25, 2021 at 11:01 pm

The advocate page comes up and then redirects to Third Channel (which has to do with merchandising brand representatives) and says Error 404 at the top. Disappointed a little bit because I am new to working from home and doing live chat support and this seemed like it would have been a good opportunity to get some practice. At least there are a good bit more companies I can try for.