Ikea buys odd-job service TaskRabbit

Furniture retailer IKEA Group recently acquired TaskRabbit, an app that connects freelancers with people looking for help with chores and errands. The agreement states that IKEA will acquire 100% of TaskRabbit’s shares, though the platform will operate independently and partner with other retailers and businesses as well. For TaskRabbit, the acquisition means potential for global expansion since it currently only operates in 40 cities across two countries. For IKEA, it means a solution to the post-purchase experience, which involves hours of confusion over the actual assembly of its products.

In a comment to Retail Dive about the acquisition, Vivaldi CEO and Founder Erich Joachimsthaler said, “The number one pain point is going through the store, but even though it’s a pain point, I would never recommend they fix that. They would destroy the Ikea experience. But the post-service experience, that experience of putting it together at your home, is a different story.” The difficult assembly of IKEA furniture is argued to be part of the company’s brand, but president and CEO of IKEA Group Jesper Brodin notes they are always looking for ways to make the customer experience easier.