* New deal will bring Airtasker kiosks to Ikea
* New service will cut wait times and costs
* Hires must pass additional check
Ikea customers in Australia will soon have a way to save on furniture assembly costs. Business Insider reports that the retailer has struck a deal with Airtasker, the Sydney-based startup that crowdsources labor for everyday tasks.
Ikea shoppers can already book help assembling their new furniture, but the fees start at $55 and rise based on the value of the order, plus there’s a wait list. Now Airtasker will have in-store kiosks so that customers can sidestep the fees and book outsourced help immediately. The pilot program will begin with a handful of kiosks in stores throughout the Sydney metropolitan area and there are hopes that Ikea can bring a similar program to the U.S. as well.
Furniture assembly “can be one of the most stressful tasks around,” says Airtasker CEO Tim Fung. “We’re hoping it will save users time, money and perhaps even their relationship.”
15% of Airtasker’s jobs involve furniture assembly, but there will still be some extra controls for Ikea contracts. People hired through the Ikea kiosks must have an Australian Business Number (allowing public record searches), pass a police background, have an 80 percent job completion rate and receive 4-star customer ratings. In other words, you’re not only getting a skilled person to assemble that Billy bookcase, you’re also getting a dependable and reliable one too.
Founded in 2012, Airtasker is a community marketplace for individuals and businesses to outsource tasks, find local services or hire flexible staff in minutes.
