SEATTLE – Amazon is testing a new service that would let customers have furniture assembled by the delivery driver as soon as it arrives. According to Bloomberg, the e-commerce giant is planning to introduce the service in Virginia and two other local markets.
Bloomberg cited a presentation it reviewed indicating the new service would require drivers to unpack and assemble the items, remove the packaging and take the items back on the spot if the customer isn’t satisfied, Amazon declined to comment, according to Bloomberg.
Currently customers have to schedule a separate contractor to come to their home at a different time to assemble the product, assuming the service is offered in their location. It’s currently not available nationwide.
A training video obtained by Bloomberg showed the delivery of a bed and mattress set, as well as a sofa and ottoman.
The new offering, if expanded, would simplify the existing Amazon Home Services, which is available in a limited number of cities and lets customers hire contractors through the website to assemble furniture. The anonymous source from Amazon added that the new service is designed to make delivery more convenient, cheaper and easier for the company to manage.
Bloomberg, citing Coresight Research, noted that demand for bigger items like desks and office chairs spiked during the pandemic as millions of people spent more time in their homes. Shoppers also became more comfortable buying big-ticket items online.
Amazon has struggled to match the success of Wayfair, which outpaced Amazon in 2019 as the biggest online home-goods retailer in the U.S., Bloomberg reported, citing 1010Data.
Wayfair currently works with service company Handy to assist its U.S. customers with assembly.
