Amazon is said to be planning furniture assembly service to catch Wayfair

Amazon is tinkering with reduced service that lets customers choose to have furniture or appliances assembled as soon they reach their homes, according to persons familiar with the program.

The move, if adopted widely, would help the world’s major online retailer compete better with Wayfair, Best Buy, Home Depot and Lowe’s, which all offer similar options.

Amazon is likely to introduce the service in Virginia and two other markets, said among the people, who requested anonymity to discuss an internal matter. The business currently offers scheduled delivery of big items - like bunkbeds and treadmills - to a specific room in a shopper’s home. But customers tend to be disappointed when delivery persons fall off the purchases unassembled in big boxes.

Amazon didn’t immediately react to a obtain comment.

The brand new service requires drivers to unpack and assemble the items, remove the packaging and take that back on the spot if the customer isn’t satisfied, according to a presentation reviewed by Bloomberg. Previously, customers had to schedule a different contractor to come to their house at a different time to put together the merchandise, assuming the service was even offered in their location.

A training video shows the delivery of a bed and mattress set, in addition to a sofa and ottoman, which are fairly simple to assemble. Drivers could possibly be trained to set up appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers, according to 1 of the people, posing a specific threat to Home Depot, Lowe’s and Best Buy, which also sell appliances with installation services.

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The new offering simplifies the prevailing Amazon Home Services, which is available in a restricted number of cities and lets customers hire contractors through the web site to assemble furniture or install ceiling fans and wall-mounted televisions. The brand new service is designed to make delivery far more convenient, cheaper and easier for Amazon to manage, one of the persons said.

Demand for bigger items like desks and office chairs spiked during the pandemic as millions retreated with their homes. Shoppers also became more comfortable buying big-ticket items online that they previously recommended to purchase from a store where they can lie on beds or sit on sofas.

Online sales of furniture and housewares jumped 41% in 2020 to $36.1 billion, according to Coresight Research. Sales are anticipated continue to grow this year, albeit more slowly, to $37.3 billion. The surge popular for big items created delivery logjams and weeks-long delays, creating a chance for Amazon to bring its reputation for quick delivery to the sale of bigger stuff like furniture.

The Seattle-based e-commerce giant has struggled to complement the runaway success of Wayfair, which supplanted Amazon in 2019 as the biggest online home-goods retailer in the U.S., according to 1010Data. Amazon has its own private-label furniture brands and in 2019 launched the virtual reality shopping feature Showroom that lets shoppers see what furniture would appear to be at home.