My pick of the Sharing Economy
The Sharing Economy means big business, and it’s only getting bigger. Take a look at some of my favourite sharing companies across the world – here’s hoping if they’re not already here that they will come to Ireland soon!
Borrowmydoggy.com
Probably the most adorable sharing company I know. This site connects people who have a dog with people who want to spend time with a dog but cannot commit to full ownership. If you are heading out for the day, going on a long holiday, or need someone to walk your dog daily for you, Borrowmydoggy will connect you with people who are available and want to spend time with doggies. Furthermore, Alice Willis from YourDogAdvisor.com gave 8 reasons why borrowing a dog is better than owning one. You pay an annual subscription fee and then you can message members to find a suitable furry friend! Excuse the pun but, I think it’s a Pawesome idea! Check out their website here:
https://www.borrowmydoggy.com/
JustPark
Originally called ParkatmyHouse, I think this is a brilliant idea. Many people living in or close to the city have designated parking spaces but do not own a car. On the other hand, parking is very expensive (unless you have a GoCar, sure then it’s free!) JustPark allows people to rent out their car spaces to people who need them, with no middle man In between. You just search where you want to park and JustPark will give you the options. It works really well if you want to park near stadiums, airports, hospitals etc. The site is still very small in Ireland, but it works! It just needs more people involved to make it a more comprehensive service. It’s like GoCar, the more members we have, the more we can add to our service!
Streetbank
Streetbank allows neighbours to share with each other. You can give things you no longer need away, you can share things that you only use from time to time – a power drill or a ladder for example, and you can share any skills you may have! For example, using this site you could find someone in your area to give piano lessons to! As it involves sharing with neighbours, it can help foster a community spirit and provides an opportunity to get to know people you may have never met before. At the moment, Streetbank have 72,988 members across the world. It has not picked up in Ireland yet but here’s hoping!
http://www.streetbank.com/splash?locale=en
TaskRabbit
The idea behind task rabbit is that it connects people who have odd jobs that they don’t want to do, with people who are willing to do those tasks for a fee. TaskRabbit operates in the US and in London. Originally it had a bidding system, so if you wanted someone to clean your apartment, people would bid for that task. However, now there is a fixed rate per task – for example, food delivery would start at $10 per hour. There is a team of “taskers” who are all vetted through a criminal record check, identity check etc. You tell task rabbit what errand you need done and then you are connected with the taskers. Every task is insured up to$1 million to give both the taskers and the “taskees” piece of mind.
Airbnb
Airbnb is definitely the most well-known sharing company on this list. It has grown hugely in popularity both here in Ireland and abroad. It is effectively a “community marketplace” where people travelling can connect with hosts who have spare space for them to stay. The payment system is fully secure and hosts and guests are both reviewed.
According to Airbnb themselves, they provide “a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world”
Hosts can rent out a bed, a room, an apartment, a house, even a boat! It’s free to list your space on Airbnb and you create your own profile for the space, with photos, descriptions etc. Travellers can search for what they are looking for on the Airbnb site.
For one reason or another you may not be able to buy a car, a house in Spain, a dog or a parking space, but with the above companies you can access them all! The Sharing economy is a smart economy!
