Coronavirus Melbourne: Airtasker delivery and pick up requests surge

The number of people looking for help at home online is surging as Melbourne faces the challenges of lockdown — and it’s also created opportunities for those needing to pay the bills, with certain tasks in high demand.

A shopper is seen carrying bags at a Coles Sydney CBD store, Sydney, Monday, July 2, 2018. Woolworths says it will hand out free reusable bags for the next 10 days as its customers get used to its ban on single-use plastic bags. Woolies stores in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia stopped providing free single-use plastic bags on June 20. (AAP Image/Peter RAE) NO ARCHIVING

A popular online marketplace has recorded a surge in demand for pick-up and delivery jobs while so many people are stuck at home.

Airtasker’s has recorded an 85 per cent increase in demand for odd jobs in Melbourne in the past week, and a 230 per cent rise across Australia.

And it’s bracing for increased demand as coronavirus forces more people go in to lockdown.

Airtasker is helping people get groceries delivered while in isolation.

Airtasker co-founder and chief executive Tim Fung said demand for certain tasks was “absolutely exploding”, with the website enabling people to arrange to assist each other without being in physical contact.

But he said services that involved in-person contact, like home cleaning, had significantly declined, in line with social distancing advice.

Tasks requiring in-person contact have declined in demand on Airtasker.

Mr Fung said requests for help setting up online software, such as a wellness studio wanting to be equipped to run classes online, were becoming increasingly common.

He said as well as general delivery tasks, Airtasker being used for Coles deliveries had become extremely in demand since Coles and Woolworths suspended their home delivery services.

Mr Fung said it was lovely to see the website benefiting people in need, like a Box Hill woman with a chronic illness who asked for help getting groceries so she didn’t have to leave the house.

The website is also helping people get paid work without needing qualifications.

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Mr Fung said COVID-19’s impact on the economy was already obvious through the number of people seeking to complete Airtasker tasks.

“It’s an interesting time for the flex economy,” he said.

To make sure tasks being completed don’t play into the spread of the virus, Airtasker is advising all its users to stay 2m apart, regularly wash their hands and wear masks and gloves.

People are being encouraged to ask each other if there is any risk of being exposed to the virus in completing the task before they make arrangements to go ahead.