(Yicai Global) April 21 -- As Shanghai’s Covid-19 lockdown extends into its fourth week, residential communities are being encouraged to buy their daily groceries through online bulk purchases, as opposed to individual orders, to speed up efficiency. Yicai Global spoke to a teaching professional who volunteered as a group buy leader, or the person who initiates the bulk order, to find out what his new role entails.

Tomson, a young man in his 40s, has been working at home since his residential community was locked down on April 1. He is responsible for gathering orders of daily necessities from residents in the community, placing the orders online and paying for them and then distributing them to each household upon arrival. The tasks are very different from his normal job, and much more demanding that he had imagined them to be.

Tomson checks a delivery of drinks including bottled water, soft drinks and coffee to make sure it is accurate.

Tomson studies the order list on his phone. He has divided the community into seven blocks and has a special numbering system to make things easier.

Volunteers help to take the goods from the building entrance to the doors of residents. Here a volunteer checks the list to see what he needs to take where.

Tomson borrows the cleaners’ electric tricycle to make the deliveries to each block's entrance. He disinfects the tricycle every time after using it.

Tomson works late into the night. No matter how late, it is important that residents get their groceries on time, he says.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Kim Taylor