You have a higher opinion of the value of Amazon's guarantee and brand in this space than I do. You're talking independent contractors here (just like Home Depot and many others use today) and you can expect lots of outcomes between didn't show up or didn't do the promised task and did a perfect job. Even with contractors I know and trust, things don't always work out perfectly when you're dealing with unexpected problems on the fly.
For me, the potentially interesting aspect is "handyman" type tasks that fall outside the range of services you can have done through Home Depot, Sears, my local plumber or electrician, etc. Though I would guess it's significantly more expensive than you can get from giving someone local some cash (assuming you can find the right person).
> ou have a higher opinion of the value of Amazon's guarantee and brand in this space than I do.
In my personal experience, they're one of the highest rated companies I've dealt with, in terms of customer service. They've earned that credit with me over the years that I've purchased items from them.
Oh, they've been fine with me as well. But with products, "good customer service" translates into "stick it back in the box, put on this label, and set it out for UPS to pick up." Dealing with a lot of home improvement/repair projects that aren't quite perfect seems more complicated. The model can certainly work for a lot of well-defined tasks but, then, I can get things like appliance or straightforward minor plumbing repairs done pretty straightforwardly today. And they look pricey for assembling furniture and the like.
For me, the potentially interesting aspect is "handyman" type tasks that fall outside the range of services you can have done through Home Depot, Sears, my local plumber or electrician, etc. Though I would guess it's significantly more expensive than you can get from giving someone local some cash (assuming you can find the right person).