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Over the past few years Amazon has seriously diversified its business. Not only has it played a major part in changing the way we shop online, it is now also in the tablet market, recently launched a set-top box and might even be announcing its much rumored smartphone later this month. It looks like the company may also be working on a new marketplace through which users will be able to shop for local services.

Local services is a broad term and it may include short-term services like babysitters and handymen, Reuters reports, citing several people familiar with the matter. So basically the idea is to provide users with a marketplace where they can look for plumbers, painters, babysitters or other service providers from the comfort of their couch.

Presumably a ratings system will be implement so that users can decide which particular service provider they want to contact. The providers may be allowed to set their own rates with Amazon getting a cut from the transaction. Keep in mind that this is pure speculation at this point in time and nothing has been confirmed by the company.

The report also adds that over the past few months Amazon has directly reached out to service providers and startups in San Francisco and Seattle that connect customers and service providers. At least one of the startups contacted is believed to focus on home repair, with others offering a broad range of services including but not limited to haircuts and massages.

It is not known at this point if Amazon plans to launch this service in selected markets initially. The company is already testing a couple of new services in select cities, such as AmazonFresh, which delivers fresh groceries directly to users’ door.

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