IKEA is sparing customers the trauma of assembling its furniture by providing “Taskers” through the labor marketplace TaskRabbit, which the retailer acquired in October 2017. The service is currently available at six stores in the New York City and San Francisco areas, and will roll out to other major cities throughout 2018, according to CNBC.
IKEA previously offered assembly services for online orders, but only at the time of delivery. Under the new system, customers can book a “Tasker” to assemble their brick-and-mortar purchases as soon as one day after purchase.
In addition to simplified furniture assembly, IKEA’s acquisition of TaskRabbit has allowed IKEA to learn from TaskRabbit’s digital expertise, according to Jesper Brodin, President and CEO of IKEA Group.
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The added value that aftermarket services bring to the customer experience is becoming clearer to retailers, as seen with the success of Best Buy’s Geek Squad and similar programs. Circuit City, which is seeking to make a comeback as an e-Commerce retailer, partnered with Skinny IT to provide home installations.
Retailers are ahead of manufacturers in taking advantage of post-purchase opportunities. A study from the CMO Council found that 56% of marketers from retail organizations said their companies view aftermarket services as a strategic area of focus and essential to customer experience and business success, compared to 45% of marketers from manufacturers.
