TX Zhuo (@TXZhuo) recently wrote an article on VentureBeat.com about Amazon’s partnership with TaskRabbit. Amazon, one of the first marketplaces in today’s rapid sharing economy, launched its home services marketplace in March to connect their customers with over 700 professional services. Being the e-commerce giant that it is, Amazon by no means required TaskRabbit’s platform nor name recognition.

So why did Amazon partner with a smaller player rather than tackling this on their own?

“Amazon’s foray into the services industry makes sense. Customers spend about four times more on services than they do on physical goods, so even if Amazon only takes a small percentage from each transaction, its revenue stream will be significant. And the online services field is still a relatively open market. Angie’s List and TaskRabbit — arguably the biggest players — can’t match Amazon’s name recognition or customer base.”

Partnering with TaskRabbit means Amazon doesn’t have to start from scratch. With instant access to a vetted inventory of service providers and assurance of quality professionals with background checks and hundreds of reviews, Amazon was able to eliminate managing providers directly.

This partnership is one of many examples on how traditional businesses can flourish in the sharing economy. For traditional businesses looking to survive amongst the abundance of service providers out there, partnering is the right move. What we are seeing in the sharing economy is only the beginning, those who don’t participate get left behind. Recognize that your business could potentially benefit from the unique strengths of a service provider.

As for Amazon, their partnership with TaskRabbit eliminates the competition Uber and Lyft are experiencing. Both TaskRabbit and Amazon can coexist together while gaining profit and credibility. This is the perfect example for traditional businesses looking to survive in the sharing economy.