Bidding for Errands
As a Runner, bidding is your way of showing interest and proposing your terms for an errand. Only errands with Pending status are open for new bids.
Prerequisites:
- You must be logged in to your Runner account.
- Your school verification must be approved (required to place bids).
- If you have unpaid fines or compensation, they are deducted from future earnings; you can still place bids.
How to Find Errands:
- Go to the "Errands" page from your Runner dashboard.
- You can view errands in three ways: Calendar view, List view, or Kanban view.
- In List view, use the search box to filter by errand type, location, or client name.
- Use the deadline filter: All Deadlines, Today, Tomorrow, This Week, or Overdue.
- Sort by date posted: Newest First or Oldest First.
- Only errands with Pending status show the option to place a bid; other statuses (e.g. Assigned, In Progress) are not available for new bids.
How to Place a Bid:
- Click on a Pending errand that matches your skills and availability.
- Review the full details (description, budget, deadline, location).
- Open the bid form and fill in:
- • Bid Amount: Your proposed price (in ₦). You can offer up to the client's budget or less.
- • Estimated Completion Duration: A number plus unit (Hours, Days, Weeks, or Months) for how long the task will take.
- • Comment (optional): A short pitch or note to the client about why you're a good fit.
- Submit your bid. You can only submit one bid per errand; you cannot place another bid on the same errand after submitting.
- Wait for the Client to accept or reject your bid. They may also message you first with questions.
Counter-Bids (Assigned Errands):
- If a Client assigns an errand directly to you from their Favorites, the errand status becomes Assigned.
- Only you (the assigned runner) can submit a "counter-bid" on that errand—a different amount if you want to propose new terms.
- You have a limited time (set by the client, e.g. 24 hours) to accept or counter-bid. If you don't respond in time, the errand may become open for other runners to bid.
What Happens Next:
- The Client is notified of your bid and can see it alongside other runners' bids.
- A chat is automatically created or linked so you and the Client can message each other about the errand.
- The Client may accept your bid, message you for more details, or choose another runner.
- If your bid is accepted, you will be notified and can proceed to accept the errand and start the task (see Payments & Escrow for funding and completion).
Key Tips for Winning Bids:
- Be professional and polite in your comment; explain briefly why you're suited for the task.
- Set a realistic completion duration so clients trust your estimate.
- Respond quickly to messages—clients often choose runners who reply fast.
- Keep your profile complete and your verification approved; clients prefer verified runners with good reviews.