Office Depot Unveils Smart Home Installation Services

To help customers create a smart home or office, Office Depot is now an installation partner for Nest and Google smart home devices. Shoppers can now buy cameras and thermostats, among other items, and have them installed by tech experts with the offering, the retailer said in an announcement.

“This is a collaboration we’re excited to be a part of and see major future benefit as we continue expanding our service offerings,” Office Depot Chief Services and Solutions Officer Janet Schijns said in the announcement. She also noted that the retailer is offering installation and consultation services across its eCommerce site and 1,400 retail locations as a Nest Pro partner. The aim is to allow shoppers to “focus on their lives and their business, not setting up secure networks and reading installation manuals.”

With the offering, the retailer will leverage technicians from its CompuCom subsidiary. Google, in turn, will provide tools, training and live support to these experts and make sure that “every Office Depot customer gets their smart home or office service from the best trained professionals,” according to the company. In addition, the retailer is offering customers a discount for in-office or in-home installations in December.

According to research from Strategy Analyticsthat was reported in June, the global demand for smart home devices is forecasted to exceed sales of smartphones by 2023. Their research, the “2018 Global Smart Home Devices Forecast,” indicates that consumers around the world purchased 663 million smart home devices in 2017, and that number could increase to 1.94 billion in 2023.

“Consumer spending on smart home-related hardware, services and installation fees will reach nearly $96 billion in 2018 and grow at a 10 percent CAGR to $155 billion by 2023,” The report noted. It examined a range of smart home device categories, from smart speakers and security cameras to smart light bulbs and door locks, among other products.