Amazon could be launching local services in the near future according to Fox Business, competing with the likes of eBay Classifieds, Craigslist and Gumtree. However by linking the services directly to products sold on Amazon it’s a much stronger proposition than simply searching a classified ads site for a handyman.
As an example, suppose you buy a new washing machine or dishwasher on Amazon, potentially right there alongside the product could be an offer for an approved installed in your area who will turn up on the day of delivery to hook up your new appliance and perhaps even dispose of your old one at the same time.
Not only would you have the convenience of hiring an installer just when you need one without the trouble of hunting them down, but Amazon’s A-Z guarantee would give you peace of mind that if anything goes wrong you’re covered (although with potential ancillary damage a dodgy tradesman could cause a claim could cost Amazon a packet!).
eBay already experimented with local services classifieds in the UK with eBay Hire. That pilot came to an end but a beta project of eBay Hire in the US is now running.
The difference with eBay Hire however, is that the services aren’t tied to the product sales and by linking the two together Amazon might just have a winner.
One Response
i like the amazon local services idea – as a consumer
that someone with clout can stand between us and the the tradesman make sense and may result in the development in the uk of a distinct group of good quality providers