eMove – As Old As They Get, But Still Very Valuable

It seems that, today, most of the tech blogs and mainstream journalists coverage centers around whatever is hot or new. From Facebook to MySpace to some new startup including FriendFeed and Twitter, this is where the sizzle and the new car smell is located. I’ve tried to cover some Web 1.0 services that I still find valuable including TripAdvisor. Today I’d like to share another Web 1.0 service that is about as sexy as a lump of coal but in terms of usefulness, it ranks up there with Facebook.

The site is named eMove and it’s been around forever. It’s boring, there are no Ajax features, no social networking and a Web site that looks like it hasn’t been upgraded in years. I have used the moving help service two years in a row and both times it has worked perfectly.

eMove offers human help for a variety of needs including: moving, loading, maid services, piano moves, painting, lawn service, handyman, furniture assembly and electronics hookup help. They also partner with UHaul for truck rentals and can arrange for a self-storage as well. I decided on Penske for a truck as there are less horror stories about them versus UHaul.

eMove is simple to use and protects you against fraud or poor service. When you select the service you need along with the time and day, eMove presents you with a list of companies offering the service that are available when you need them along with their price and rating. Most of the moving helpers listed had perfect ratings along with over 100 reviews. Last year I selected a company and this year a different company as the first company was already booked. You are then presented with the total price which includes a $5.95 handling fee.

After you place the order, the selected company called me to confirm all of the details (time, address, volume to move, etc.). eMove provides you with a ticket number which you give to the helper after the service has been completed to your satisfaction. This prevents any fraud from taking place as the company only gets paid (and you charged) after the service is complete.

Compare that to the zoo that is Craigslist moving section – no protection, no reviews, no guarantees.

Both last year and this year everything went flawlessly, from the guys arriving on time to their effectiveness in loading the truck to make sure nothing was damaged to moving as quickly as possible to get the job done.

When I arrived home after the move was complete and the helpers entered their code, eMove emailed me asking if I would complete a short survey (not this post) about my experience similar to the eBay feedback form with a few more questions. And get this, eMove is willing to refund the $5.95 fee if I complete the survey!

At the end of the day, moving this way saved me about 40% over using a traditional moving company and I got to pick the specific time and day that worked best for me. As I stood by the truck while the helpers unloaded, I made a list of other Web 1.0 services I’d like to cover on CN. Let me know what you think of this type of coverage and send in your favorite Web 1.0 services. Sure it’s not sexy but it could save you time and a few dollars and both are things we could use more of.