Delivery service apps similar to having personal assistant, users say

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Jayson Elliot doesn't have much free time between his full-time job and working on a startup company.

When he realized he did not have the right attire for an upcoming morning meeting, he sent out a text for some help.

Elliot sent out a text to an on-demand delivery service called Magic that is accessible by smartphone. One of his favorite parts is being able to send a quick text request.

"I didn't have a good shirt for a meeting that was at 8 a.m., so at 9 o'clock at night they managed to get me a good button down shirt," he said.

Services that let users send a text or make a request through an app are growing in popularity and number, according to Magic CEO Mike Chen.

"What's been happening with mobile over the last few years has really been making people more and more used to the idea that you can just click a button and get something. So I think that that desire is what's driving this industry," he said.

Pricing for services such as Wunwun, Postmates, Instacart or Magic varies depending on factors that can include delivery distance, overall cost of the good requested and even how busy the service is at the time of the request.

Sara-Ann Kasner, founder of the National Concierge Association, said getting extra help with everyday tasks allows consumers to save in other ways, and she expects the digital options to grow even more.

But there is one challenge for digital services and that's getting to people quickly and without any hassle, Chen said.

People who use the on-demand services get help with everything from getting groceries or food delivery from restaurants that do not delivery, to pickups from the tailor and even having toiletries or a soda delivered.