Amazon delivery drivers may soon assemble furniture and install appliances
The company would both deliver and put together your purchase for you.
Amazon is reportedly preparing to test a service where it would both deliver and install furniture and appliances for customers. According to Bloomberg, the company plans first to introduce the offering in Virginia and two other markets. It's worth pointing out Amazon already offers scheduled delivery for things like furniture where someone will come to your house and leave the item in a specific room. In some cities, you can also pay for a contractor through Amazon Home Services to go to your home and install your purchase.
As most customers see it, the problem is that Amazon doesn't offer those two services together. That's something Wayfair, Best Buy, Home Depot and every other company that provides a combination delivery and installation service has trained people to expect when they buy big-ticket items. With this new offering, Amazon would train drivers to assemble furniture like mattress sets and install appliances like washing machines.
Bloomberg reports some of the company's current drivers aren't excited about what the service could mean for them. They fear Amazon will impose even more unrealistic expectations on them and provide them with insufficient training. They're also worried about catching COVID-19 on the job. In his final letter to shareholders, Jeff Bezos said Amazon has to "do a better job for our employees," but didn't address the issue of unrealistic expectations other than to say the company doesn't set "unreasonable performance goals." That said, if the report is accurate it would be a critical step in the company's fight against Wayfair. In 2019, the retailer passed Amazon to become the biggest online home goods retailer in the US.
