It’s been nearly six months since Ikea, the company behind affordable furniture that looks deceptively easy to assemble, acquired TaskRabbit, the company that sends folks to help you do things that you don’t want to do. Now, in what can only be called the best use of an acquisition ever, Ikea will start assisting you in your fool’s errand of putting together its furniture. Meet the new Ikea Assembly and Mounting Services, powered by TaskRabbit. It’s now available in certain markets where TaskRabbit is active, as well as in six stores in New York and San Francisco.
The service looks to be quite straightforward. A Tasker (someone who works for TaskRabbit) will come to your home and help you set up your Swedish furniture with as little as 24 hours notice. Simply select the day and time of your choosing, and someone with a bit more technical know-how (or more patience) than you may have will show up at your doorstep, ready to turn those seemingly arbitrary boards and screws into a bed, bookshelf, or anything in between.
How much will you pay for this convenience? Ikea notes that prices will start at $36, and will be based upon a flat rate per time of an item. That said, there are some appliances that won’t be eligible for this service, notably those that go in the kitchen and bathroom. But don’t worry, you will be notified ahead of time if you purchase an item that a Tasker can’t help you with — the U.S. website has been updated to display whether or not at-home assembly options are available based on your specific location.
“We are always looking at ways we can innovate and help make our customers lives at home easier,” Jackie DeChamps, Ikea U.S. chief operating officer, said in a statement about the service’s launch. “We are excited to participate in the on-demand, sharing economy and give our customers access to a flexible, convenient and affordable service solution with the new TaskRabbit At-Home Assembly service.”
So if you have been putting off buying new furniture because you don’t want to deal with the hassle of actually putting it together, destiny is calling.
