Ikea has reportedly acquired a startup that already delivers and assembles its furniture
Niklas Adrian Vindelev
The home-goods giant has acquired TaskRabbit, Recode reported Thursday, citing sources close to the situation.
TaskRabbit is a "gig economy"-style startup founded in 2008. The company lets users hire temporary workers to deliver purchases, clean homes, and even assemble furniture.
Ikea already has an official partnership with TaskRabbit in the UK. The program offers fixed pricing for Ikea customers seeking someone to assemble furniture purchased from Ikea - a famously tricky task.
"The purchase of TaskRabbit was fueled by Ikea's need to bolster its digital customer service capabilities to better compete with rivals likes Amazon, which has stepped up its home goods and installation offerings," Recode reported. "The purchase is Ikea's first step into the on-demand platform space."
Recode could not determine how much Ikea reportedly paid for TaskRabbit, which has raised roughly $50 million since it was founded in 2008. Ikea didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Next Story
I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
Vodafone Idea FPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP and more
Vodafone Idea shares jump nearly 8%
Indians can now get multiple entry Schengen visa with longer validity as EU eases norms
Investing Guide: Building an aggressive portfolio with Special Situation Funds
Markets climb in early trade on firm global trends; extend winning momentum to 3rd day running
Impact of AI on Art and Creativity
