Ikea to buy on-demand services platform TaskRabbit

Ikea is making moves so you don't have to assemble a sofa or bookcase yourself.

The furniture seller said Thursday that it is buying online on-demand services platform TaskRabbit, which lets users hire people to help them move, clean up the house or assemble furniture.

Ikea says it offered TaskRabbit services in its stores in London last year and plans to roll out the service in U.S. stores and more U.K. locations. More countries may be added later. The company says when the deal is completed, which is expected to happen next month, TaskRabbit will remain an independent company within Ikea and stay based in San Francisco.

Ikea, which has nearly 360 stores around the world, did not say how much it is paying for TaskRabbit.