Amazon Home Services TaskRabbit Launch

Photo: Courtesy Amazon.

There are dozens of ways to use TaskRabbit. Its network of 30,000 eager Taskers can be especially useful when you need an extra hand, like when you've got six too many chores to take care of, or when that DIY furniture assembly has proven impossible to accomplish alone. With the latter type of task in mind, Amazon is teaming up with TaskRabbit, and other professionals, so online shoppers can think ahead and get super-easy access to handyman-type services during the purchase process. It sounds way simpler than coercing a friend to help you out with the promise of beer. The partnership is part of a larger endeavor by Amazon called Amazon Home Services, which initially soft-launched in late 2014. Amazon Home Services is basically an alternative to Angie's List; it's a marketplace for on-demand professional services. The site offers a variety of handyman and installation-type services to online buyers in a variety of metropolitan areas, including New York, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. TaskRabbit, which is supplying a portion of the available labor, will initially make its Taskers available to Bay Area residents, but will expand to other cities soon. So when you buy a product like furniture or a big-screen TV from Amazon, now, when you check out, you also get the option to select a vetted professional to help you out with assembly or installation. Every person listed on Amazon Home Services has undergone an identity and a criminal record check, and each professional's profile includes ratings and reviews. And, just in case things go awry during installation and something gets damaged, each task is insured — if the task isn't completed to satisfaction, you'll get a refund. The price for each type of task is listed up front, and the entire experience stays in the Amazon ecosystem. You can check out Amazon Home Services at its homepage here, or under “Shop by Department,” you can click the “Amazon Home Services” link. Or you can just search for things like "local services" or "home services" in Amazon's search bar. When purchasing new furniture and electronics, all the assembly and installation can take the fun out of getting your shiny new stuff. For those who are willing to pay a little extra to avoid the headache, this service is the perfect solution. Now if IKEA would just take a hint...