Amazon is reportedly testing a service where they will deliver and install furniture and appliances for customers. According to Bloomberg, the company first plans to launch the offering in Virginia and two other markets. It is worth noting that Amazon already offers scheduled delivery for items such as furniture where someone will come to your home 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 does not offer the two services together. This is something that Wayfair, Best Buy, Home Depot and every other company that provides a combination delivery and installation service have trained people to expect when buying items with large tickets. With this new offering, Amazon would train drivers to assemble furniture such as mattress sets and install appliances such as washing machines.
Bloomberg reports some of the company’s current executives are not excited about what the service could mean for them. They fear that Amazon will impose even more unrealistic expectations on them and give them inadequate training. They are also worried about getting COVID-19 on the track. In his latest letter to shareholders, Jeff Bezos said that Amazon should do a better job for our employees, but that he did not address the issue of unrealistic expectations, other than to say that the company does not set ‘unreasonable performance targets’. That said, if the report is accurate, it will be a critical step in the fight against Wayfair. In 2019, the retailer passed on Amazon to become the largest online retailer of household goods in the US.
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