Amazon expands into home services

The North American retail giant is looking to connect its customers with the professional trades via the launch of Amazon Home Services.

A-zoomed-image-of-a-computer-screen-showing-the-Amazon-logo-is-seen-in-Vienna-Photo-Reuters

The North American retail giant is looking to connect its customers with the professional trades via the launch of Amazon Home Services.

Debuting in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, its available craftspeople are currently included on an invite-only basis, with background checks, insurance status, and quality of work part of the evaluative process.

Professional services from within the online store's existing categories of Home Improvement, Computer & Electronics, Lawn & Garden, Lessons, Automotive are among those used to push the service upon its launch.

Amazon is using its Happiness Guarantee, price matching policy, and verified reviews system to help maintain customer confidence.

It's not the first time that Amazon staffers, or even its founder, have helped launch a home improvements business.

Pro.com was co-founded by a number of ex-Amazon alumni, received seed funding from Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and focuses on districts in the California, Washington and New York areas.