Yahoo Finance Aussies spend thousands just to avoid this common argument
When it comes to a healthy relationship, a few things are needed: trust, communication, love and an ability to assemble flatpack furniture without tears.
In fact, over one-in-two Australians say they’ve fought with a partner while trying to assemble flatpack furniture, research from business Flatpack Assembly Services found.
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Humans are actually primed to fight over flatpack furniture, Don Ferguson, author of Reptiles in Love: Ending Destructive Fights and Evolving Toward More Loving Relationships, has also said.
“Little things like putting a set of shelves together will bring up some ancient history with the partners,” he told Quartz.
“Do you trust me? Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I have no skills? Do you wish your old boyfriend was here doing this?”
It’s a nasty situation, but also a problem that can pose a business opportunity, Flatpack Assembly Services has found.
“Flatpack furniture assembly can seem deceptively simple, but in fact it’s quite complex and time consuming. The instructions aren’t always clear and there are often a lot of parts. When people are honest with themselves they will usually realise they either don’t have the skill, time or patience to do it themselves,” Jamie Redman, franchise owner at Flatpack Assembly Services Baulkham Hills said.
“In this day and age people are much more aware of the value of their time. They would rather keep their Saturday afternoon free for family time rather than assembling furniture, especially if they know it will involve fighting and stress!”
The company’s research found four-in-10 Australians would rather pay someone to assemble flatpack furniture for them. And, they’re willing to pay.
A customer looking to outsource their flatpack furniture assembly needs will typically spend around $99 for a smaller project like a cabinet assembly. For a larger scale project such as an office fitout or kitchen installation it can run into the $1000s.
It’s not just businesses - individual freelancers are also making the most out of others’ relationship struggles.
On Airtasker, Aussies will pay from $100 to have a bed or wardrobe assembled, or from $75 to have a sofa-bed, bureau or chest of drawers assembled.
Ikea in 2017 took this to a new level, partnering with Airtasker to support Ikea-verified Airtaskers.
Under the plan, when Aussies received their flatpack furniture, they could also order an assembler with it if they chose.
The Swedish furniture giant first trialled it in Tempe, Sydney, with shoppers able to make bookings with assemblers at ‘Airtasker Kiosks’ as they shopped instore.
“Ikea already has an instore assembly service however, we realise it’s important to offer customers choice,” Ikea spokesman Adrian Pidgeon said.
“While the Ikea assembly service might be the right solution for some customers, it might not be the right fit for others. Airtasker gives customers another option. It lets them work directly with Airtasker workers to find a time that might be better suited and also to negotiate a price. It gives the customer more flexibility.”
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