As of Monday, eBay shoppers buying items such as TVs, bikes or furniture that require assembly or installation can book those services on the online marketplace during the checkout process via service providers Handy, Porch and InstallerNet.
“A massive amount of home and electronic items are sold on eBay daily, many of which require professional installation,” says Alyssa Steele, eBay’s vice president of merchandising. “With these new partnerships, we’re able to combine our incredible selection of inventory with easy access to affordable and trusted service professionals, making eBay a one-stop shop for our customers.”
The online marketplace added the option for a consumer to select assembly and installation services from one of three service providers on a number of product pages. The shopper can add the service to his purchase during the checkout process. Once he completes the transaction, the service provider contacts the shopper via email to set up an appointment.
The service is similar to Amazon Home Services, as well as the tire installation services that eBay added to its platform late last year, which enables consumers to add professional installation when they purchase a tire on eBay.
While eBay is not the first retail company to offer professional installation services, adding the option helps differentiate it from some of its competitors, says Adrien Nussenbaum, U.S. CEO and co-founder of Mirakl.
“As consumers continue to push for more options and convenience, offering services is a natural extension that allows retailers to be a bigger part of the customer’s journey,” Nussenbaum says. “It’s not a new model. Retailers like REI have offered REI Adventures, and many retailers sell installation or even styling and beauty services in-store. What’s new is the ability to bring many more service providers to the table using the online marketplace model. As the retail industry continues to experience a services revolution, the marketplace model provides a unique opportunity to offer a comprehensive list of third-party service providers, which complete the purchase experience.”
EBay is No. 4 in the Internet Retailer 2018 Online Marketplaces, Amazon is No. 3.