Which Companies are in Consumer Services? Here’s What I Found

Last updated on October 18th, 2025 at 02:11 pm

I was scrolling through LinkedIn at midnight (again), and someone posted about getting a job at Amazon in “consumer services.” I had zero idea what that even meant.

I mean is that just fancy talk for customer service? As it happens, it’s many times larger than I’d assumed.

So I went down a rabbit hole. Spent the subsequent few hours trying to figure out which companies are in consumer services and damn? You can see it almost everywhere.

What Even Is Consumer Services?

Here’s the thing I learned before I list them: consumer services aren’t about selling you crap. They’re about experiences. It is the hotel that checks you in, the app that runs your music, the bank that keeps your money.

It’s intangible. You can’t feel it, but you sure as hell know the difference between good and bad.

The industry generates more than $3 trillion globally, and in the United States there are around 455,000 businesses doing this kind of work. That’s… a lot of jobs.

Names You (Already) Know

When I began investigating, I realized that I engage with these companies on a literal daily basis.

Amazon is the obvious one. As if they were waiting for a sign that it’s time to conquer the American market, they are no longer just selling you things now they have A.I. shop assistants, too (they’re called Rufus). That’s consumer services. They pulled down $638 billion in 2024, but not that it really matters.

Stores like Walmart and Target are more than that now. They’re full omnichannel, allowing you to shop online, pick up in-store or have delivery the same day. That’s all consumer service strategy.

And then there is Netflix, Spotify and Disney+. Consumer services are not: at their core, streaming platforms are a classic consumer service. You’re buying an experience, and not a physical object. Same with AMC Theatres — though they are waging a mighty battle to stay relevant now that we all have 70-inch TVs in our living rooms.

The Travel and Hospitality Crowd

This sector struck me because I stayed in an Airbnb last month and didn’t even think of it as “consumer services.” But yeah, they shook things up by allowing regular folks to rent out their homes.

Marriott International is still the giant in this country, managing everything from budget motels to luxury resorts. And Delta Air Lines? They are handling your gripes about delayed flights and lost luggage. Pure consumer service work.

Yes, Your Bank Is Part of Financial Services

I didn’t see this one coming, but Wells Fargo, Chime and Robinhood are all consumer services. They are handling your money, transferring payments for you, helping you invest. It is not a product it is a service.

Visa and Mastercard are not just payment processors. They’ve created whole ecosystems out of fraud protection and loyalty programs. That’s the service part.

Healthcare Services

CVS Health also, in a head-snapping way. They are no longer just a drugstore. They have walk-in clinics and virtual care and pharmacy services. That is consumer healthcare services, folks.

Another is One Medical they are reshap(ing primary care through a membership model. You pay a price, you get access. Simple.

The Tech Side of Things

Here’s where it gets interesting. Talkdesk is a contact center platform in the cloud. They help more than 1,800 companies provide better customer service. That’s B2B, but it fuels consumer services.

Innovaccer leverages big data to enhance patient care. Once again, backend tech that can help make consumer services better.

What Makes This Industry Different

You know, after all this research, I understand why consumer services is a thing. It’s not like getting a phone or a pair of shoes. Services are:

• Intangible: You can’t touch them
• Immediate: They happen in real-time
• Personal: There’s a human (or chatbot) in there typically

And the business is more or less immune to downturns in the economy. Banks, health care, food and entertainment are always going to be in demand. Now hiring Jobs in this places stays steady even when the economy goes down the swirl.

Why This Matters If You’re Looking for a Job

I checked it out because that’s what LinkedIn post inspired when I started thinking about career alternatives. It turns out, millions are in consumer services:

• There are 15.7 million retail workers in the United States, just to cite one industry.
• Hospitality is gaining 1.9 million jobs by 2031
• Financial services employs more than 7.78m people

The entry-level pay isn’t always wonderful, to be sure. But if you head into customer experience, account management or anything to do with finance, the salaries shoot up quickly.

Plus, the skills transfer everywhere. You learn communication, problem-solving, tech tools, emotional intelligence. You can begin at a Target, learn the ropes and end up at a tech company running their CX team.

The AI Shift Is Real

There was one thing I couldn’t stop noticing: AI is revolutionizing everything. Chatbots are fielding customer questions around the clock. Businesses are employing predictive analytics to solve problems before they even happen.

McKinsey says generative AI can increase customer care productivity by 30-45%. That’s huge. It also means that the work itself is changing a lot less “answering the same question 100 times” and a lot more “dealing with thorny problems that need a human touch.”

So, What Businesses Fall Under Consumer Services?

Finally, here’s the straightforward answer that I would have loved for someone to give me at 12:01 a.m.:

Consumer services companies include:

• Online marketplaces (Amazon)
• Retail chains (Walmart, Target)
• Hotels and travel (Marriott, Airbnb and Delta)
• Banking and fintech (Wells Fargo, Chime, Robinhood)
• Healthcare (CVS Health, One Medical)
• Streaming platforms (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+)
• Tech Support/Contact Centers (Talkdesk)

It’s essentially any business for which the main product is an experience or outcome, not a party favor to take home.”

And honestly? Having spent hours on this, I understand why people make careers here. It’s steady, it’s ubiquitous, and it’s not going anywhere. If anything, it’s growing.

I’m just not sure how to handle mine on LinkedIn!

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