You may have heard about home assembly jobs, but even after searching the web, you can’t tell if these jobs are legit or just a scam. Don’t worry. I have everything you need to know about home assembly jobs.
If you want to make money from home but don’t want to sit in front of a computer all day, home assembly jobs seem like the perfect option. Before the Industrial Revolution, cottage industry jobs, or home-based jobs involved in the production of goods, were very popular.
Those who wanted to make money at home went to the office, got the necessary supplies and instructions, and assembled items such as toys, clothing, shoes, handicrafts, and musical instruments at home. After assembling the product, they return the finished product to the company and receive a paycheck.
As machines took over these functions, most cottage industry jobs disappeared. However, if you search for home assembly jobs on the Internet, you’ll see many websites advertising these jobs.
So what is the truth? Are these jobs you found legit or just a scam? Let’s take a closer look.
If you find a job assembling a house
If you search for home assembly jobs on the Internet, you’ll come across many companies that offer full-time work assembling CD cases, bookmarks, electronic circuit boards, key chains, pens, pins, hair ribbons, jewelry, etc., and you can earn a handsome income. Once you start exploring these opportunities, you’ll usually find that one of two things happens.
First, when you click on the link to apply for a home assembly job, you will be asked to enter personal information such as name, address, phone number, and email address to access your information. As you enter your information, you’ll see more irrelevant questions that are just promotions, like health insurance or higher education. This goes on and on and on, but the actual work of building a house is never shown.
Another common scenario is that you find a so-called job, but pay a fee (usually $100 to $200) for an assembly kit that comes with supplies and instructions. They then collect the items at home, send them back to the company, and collect their pay. But instead of sending you money, they will claim that the quality of the item you assembled is not up to their standards and refuse to pay.
One woman interviewed by the website I’ve Tried That purchased one of these home assembly kits. Here are her comments:
“I ordered a Disciple’s Cross Kit several years ago to make a cross, and I also ordered one pre-made cross that the company already made. You know how I know this company is a scam? When I submitted 10 crosses for inspection, I sent the ‘perfect’ Disciple cross they had made for inspection. And guess what, they all (even the ones they made) I refused and said, “You have the potential.” You can never make “their” cross good enough… Don’t waste your money. “
There is no market for these products
Another problem with these so-called opportunities is that there is no viable market of people who want to buy these items. Most of the products I viewed lacked originality, functionality, and aesthetic appeal.
In fact, in Torrie Johnson’s book Will Work From Home, she says:
“We’ve tried to find legitimate craft assembly jobs, but we’ve always come up empty-handed. Advertisements promise that you’ll learn how to assemble adorable little crafts and then sell them for a profit. The problem is, there’s no market for your product. No one wants to buy it. And no matter how much they promise, no company will pay.”
Be skeptical
If you find a home assembly job and think it might be legitimate, take the time to thoroughly research the company.
Look at websites like Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Sitejabber. These sites allow real consumers to leave reviews, so you can learn more about what’s legal and what’s not. Also, look for information about the company and management team.
There are a few other things worth noting.
- Can I find company owners on LinkedIn?
- Does it have a physical address or just a PO Box?
- Can I call them?
- Are they using a company-branded email address?
- Do I need to pay a fee?
- Are they claiming unrealistic incomes?
- Is this a store-bought product?
- Do they have active social media profiles?
- What is your intuition telling you?
By taking the time to research and answer these questions, you will have a better idea of whether the opportunity is legitimate or just an at-home scam.
How can I create or assemble items at home?
So, back to the original question, are home assembly jobs legit or scams?
I’ve been running this site since 2009, and in that time I’ve only found one legitimate home assembly company. That’s R.Riveter.
They employ military spouses as home-based contractors who sew liners for handbags, cut leather, and create candles, jewelry, and accessories. They’ve also been featured on “Shark Tank” and “The Penny Hoarder.” You can also read reviews from military spouses on Glassdoor.com.
We also received an email from a reader who said he found a local medical company that would pay him to assemble medical equipment at home. I was paid minimum wage and had to drive 45 minutes to pick up and return finished goods.
Other than that, I’ve never come across a legitimate home assembly job. If you see it advertised online, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.
If you’re interested in making or assembling products, here are some 100% legitimate opportunities.

1. Become a crafty content creator
If you’re an artistic and crafty DIY enthusiast, consider creating content that focuses on different crafts and projects. Content creators in the craft industry can earn money through affiliate marketing, participation in advertising networks, Creator Funds, brand sponsorships, selling tutorials, online courses, patterns, handmade items, and more.
To get started as a content creator, decide which platform you want to use.
Once you decide which platform to use, open an account, create a catchy username related to the content you want to highlight, and start writing content. As you build your audience, you can start adding monetization methods. Jennifer Maker, one of the craft content creators, earns six figures a month from her WordPress blog, which she earns through ad revenue, workshops, courses, books, memberships, and partnerships with brands and affiliates.
2. Sell arts and crafts online
If you love spending time making arts and crafts, consider selling them online. There are many options, but the most well-known online marketplace for handmade items is Etsy.
With Etsy, you can start for as little as $0.20 (plus the cost of craft supplies). If you actually sell, you pay a small transaction fee and payment processing fee.
Not sure what to sell? Think of handmade items like this:
One of the great things about using a platform like Etsy is that you can tap into an audience of interested buyers. To help users find your products, write keyword-rich titles and descriptions, and take lots of high-quality photos of your products from different angles and perspectives. Responding to customer questions, providing good customer service, and offering fast shipping will go a long way in building positive reviews on your site. For tips on Etsy success, check out our interview with Melanie from Simply Made Pretty.
3. Assemble the furniture
If you’re into machines and love putting things together, you can join platforms like Wayfair Home Services, TaskRabbit, or Thumbtack to connect with people who need furniture assembled. To get started, fill out an application, complete a background check, and once approved, you can accept local gigs that fit your schedule. These are independent contractors, so they’re perfect for individuals looking to make some extra cash.
Summary of assembly tasks for working from home
Let’s summarize. If you come across a work-from-home assembly job posting, there’s a 99.9% chance it’s a scam. However, there is a very small chance that you will find a local company that will do the assembly work for you at home. If you think you’ve found a legitimate home assembly job, do your due diligence and research the company and position thoroughly to avoid falling prey to a scam.
While most craft assembly jobs aren’t legitimate opportunities, there are other ways to use your craft and building skills to work from home. Check out any of the options above, or browse this list of craft jobs for even more craft opportunities you can do at home.