Busy schedules have a way of turning a few simple errands into an entire afternoon. A store pickup, return, post-office stop or small shopping trip may be easy on its own, but finding time to get everything done can be the difficult part.
Gig Work Marketplace gives Canadians another way to connect with people who can help. Someone who needs an errand completed can look for an offered service listing or create a wanted service listing. Someone who has time, transportation and reliable local knowledge can offer that same type of help as a service.
What can an errand service include?
Errand running is a broad service. The important part is clearly describing the specific task rather than simply asking for “help with errands.”
- Picking up an order from a local store
- Returning an online purchase to a store or shipping location
- Dropping off a parcel or document
- Picking up household supplies
- Completing a small shopping trip
- Taking an item from one local location to another
- Handling several simple stops during one trip
- Helping with time-sensitive everyday errands when someone's schedule is already full
The exact service can vary considerably, which is why a clear wanted or offered listing matters. Someone offering errand services should also be clear about the types of tasks they will and will not accept.
Why late summer can make everyday errands pile up
Late August and the beginning of September can bring extra errands for Canadian households. Back-to-school shopping, returns, forgotten supplies, work schedules, appointments and regular household responsibilities can all land at the same time.
That makes this a useful seasonal example of a much broader year-round problem: sometimes people do not need instructions for completing a task themselves—they need an experienced, reliable person who has the time to do it for them.
What should you put in a wanted errand listing?
A useful listing should make it easy for another person to understand the job before responding.
- What needs to be picked up, returned or dropped off
- The general pickup and destination locations
- The preferred date or time window
- How many stops are involved
- Whether the task requires a vehicle
- Approximate size or quantity of the items
- Expected waiting time, if any
- The proposed price or budget
- Any important instructions the person needs before accepting
Avoid putting unnecessary personal, financial or sensitive information in a public listing. Details that are genuinely needed to complete the task can be discussed appropriately once you are communicating with a potential service provider.
Have time to spare? Errand running can be a side-hustle service
The same everyday problem creates an opportunity on the other side of the marketplace.
Someone who is organized, dependable, communicates well and already knows their local community may have a useful service to offer. Instead of waiting for a traditional part-time job, they can create an offered service listing describing the types of errands they are comfortable completing, the area they serve and when they are generally available.
There is no guarantee of jobs or income, but it gives people another way to make their existing time and abilities discoverable.
What can affect a fair price for errand help?
There is no single price that fits every errand. A five-minute local pickup is different from a multi-stop task across a city.
- Time required
- Travel distance
- Number of stops
- Vehicle or transportation requirements
- Parking costs
- Waiting time
- Size or weight of the items
- Urgency
- Complexity of the instructions
- Other agreed expenses connected with completing the task
Both people should understand the task and price before the service begins. Clear expectations make it easier for the person requesting help and the person offering the service to decide whether the arrangement makes sense.
Trust matters when someone is completing a task for you
Price should not be the only consideration when choosing someone. Read the listing carefully, look at available ratings or marketplace history, communicate clearly, and make sure the person understands the task.
Gig Work Marketplace connects people through marketplace listings; it should not be assumed that every person offering a service is certified, professionally licensed or individually screened for every type of work.
For an everyday errand, look for someone whose experience and abilities match the actual task.
Why start early instead of waiting for everyone else?
A new marketplace becomes more useful through participation.
If everyone waits until a marketplace is already busy, it takes longer for that network to grow. Early participants have an opportunity to establish their presence, complete marketplace activity and begin building ratings and reputation before there is potentially more competition.
That does not guarantee customers or work. It simply means there can be a practical benefit to participating early rather than waiting for everyone else to go first.
The network effect starts with individual connections
One person creates a wanted listing. Another person has the right skill or availability to help. A successful connection can lead to a rating, repeat business, a referral or someone telling another person about the marketplace.
As more people offer services, customers have more choices. As more people look for services, people offering useful skills have more potential opportunities. Businesses, independent professionals and side hustlers can also make connections with customers or complementary service providers.
That is the network effect Gig Work Marketplace is working to build across Canada.
Can errand services be remote?
Most errand-running services are local because someone normally needs to physically pick up, return or deliver something. Some related tasks—such as research, scheduling or other administrative help—may be possible remotely when the specific job can genuinely be completed online. The listing should make the delivery method clear.
Where can Canadians find someone to help with errands?
Canadians can use Gig Work Marketplace to look for offered service listings or create a wanted service listing describing the errand help they need. The person requesting help and the person offering the service can then connect through the marketplace.
Can I offer errand services to make extra money?
If you have the time, transportation where required, local knowledge and ability to complete the task reliably, errand running can be a service you choose to offer. Gig Work Marketplace lets Canadians create offered service listings so people looking for that kind of help can discover what they offer. Work or earnings are never guaranteed.
Find help or put your available time to work
Whether your to-do list is getting too long or you are the person who is good at getting those tasks done, Gig Work Marketplace is designed to help the two sides connect.
Need help? Search available services or create a wanted listing.
Have the skill, time or experience? Create an offered listing and make yourself discoverable to people who may need it.
Gig Work Marketplace is free to use for finding or creating service listings.
Visit Gig Work Marketplace — free to use:
https://gigworkmarketplace.com/app
Sign-up is designed to be simple, including Google sign-in so there is no separate Gig Work Marketplace username and password to remember.
Gig Work Marketplace is available across Canada on the web, and on supported devices the web app can also be installed from the website through the browser.
Looking for something other than errand help? Gig Work Marketplace helps Canadians find and offer many kinds of local and remote services, from everyday household help to professional skills, side hustles and services that can be completed online.
Every new person who participates can help strengthen the marketplace for the next person looking for help or looking for an opportunity to offer a useful skill.
Gig Work Marketplace in Canada: Side Hustles, Extra Income and Finding Services at Fair Prices