You can make decent money working as a grocery shopper. Shipt is one of the many platforms that offers delivery services to customers through independent contractors. It is a good way to make money on your own time, especially as a part-time job. You can also work as a full-time Shipt shopper.
Working with Shipt will help you make some extra income. But, how much you can make on Shipt? This article will tell you how much you can make, give you detailed information on how to become a Shipt shopper, and how to make more money on the platform.
What Is Shipt?
Shipt is an American grocery delivery service founded in 2014 by Bill Smith. In 2017, it was acquired by Target and now operates in over 260 counties across the United States. Shipt offers same-day delivery for its customers from many retailers across the country through its thousands of contractors.
Shipt operates so that its customers can request grocery shopping from a retail store of their choice and get a wide range of products the same day. The service operates using two apps through iOS, Android, and web for the freelancer and customer respectively. This lets the customer place an order for groceries, and the shopper receive orders or deliveries.
How Does Shipt Work?
To become a Shipt Shopper, you have to download and install the shopper app to get deliveries or orders. You have to set your schedule at least five days ahead to show that you will be available on certain days. You’ll receive notifications showing the size of the order, the store you will shop at, and the drop-off location. You can choose to accept or reject orders if you want.
When you accept an order, you drive to the grocery store, shop for the items, pay using the Shipt app, and deliver the items to the customer within the delivery window. Upon completion of every delivery, you receive a commission and may also get tips from customers. You can also shop for multiple customers at once, especially if it’s from the same grocery store, to save time.
How Much Can You Actually Make on Shipt?
The actual amount that you get to make on Shipt depends on various factors including how many deliveries you make, how many hours you work, and how much you make in tips from customers. According to Glassdoor, the average hourly earnings of a Shipt shopper is about $13 per hour and up to $1 in tips.
The Pros and Cons of Working on Shipt
Like every other organization, Shipt has its perks and issues as well. This section covers most of the advantages and disadvantages of working on this on-demand grocery delivery service to make a bit of money and increase your weekly income.
Pros of Working on Shipt
- Shopper’s Incentives. Shipt offers many perks and incentives to its shoppers. They get discounts from the company’s partner stores, insurance, and medical prescriptions. This helps to reduce some of the expenses for shoppers, which increases demand and can help you gain more consistent income.
- Flexible Working Hours. Every shopper can choose their work schedule as they aren’t restricted to any set time, number of hours, or days. This means you get to work on your own time and select your desired location.
- Special Rewards. As a Shipt Shopper, you can earn rewards upon reaching certain milestones as required by the company. You’ll have access to perks and can earn travel discounts and win gift cards.
- Order Transparency. Via the app, you can see the order information to help you decide if it is worth your time. You can see information like the grocery store you’ll shop from and the delivery location, but not the items on the grocery list.
- Subsidized Car Insurance. With Shipt, you get subsidized car insurance to help you save costs. You also get tools to track your mileage and vehicle maintenance. These are some of the things that go into the expenses of personal shoppers and this offer helps them reduce these costs.
Cons of Working on Shipt
- Limited Order Availability. There are certain zones with fewer requests which means you will have to find an area and time of day that has many customers and work within that area.
- Delayed Pay. As opposed to other gig economy jobs, Shipt only pays out biweekly which means you have to wait two weeks to get the money for every order.
- Car Expenses. It can be quite costly to use your car as frequently as you will while working as a shopper. This will lead to expenses like gas, car servicing, maintenance, and repairs.
- Inconsistent Pay. You don’t earn the same amount every day as you will make more on some days than others. This is because the number of requests and customer tips tend to vary from day to day. Some difficult items take extra time to locate in the store, which can also affect your income.
- Setting a Schedule. You have to set your schedule or shift at least five days in advance to show that you’re available to work. This can be difficult because you may not always know your schedule that many days ahead.
How to Become a Shipt Shopper
The process to become a Shipt shopper is quite easy as it requires just three steps. However, due to the high number of applicants, you may have to wait up to three to four days before getting a response from the team.
1. Online Application
When you decide to become a Shipt Shopper, the first step is to apply for the position on their website. To apply, you need to meet certain requirements. You have to be 18 years or older, have a reliable smartphone, an insured car, a valid driver’s license, the strength to lift at least 45 pounds, and the knowledge for selecting produce.
2. Virtual Interview
After successfully completing the online registration, you will be scheduled for a virtual interview with a team member where you will answer questions to test your problem-solving skills, people skills, and customer service skills. After the interview, the company will run a background check to check if you have a criminal record.
3. Acceptance
If you pass your background check, you will get a response of acceptance within three to four days. You will then receive an official Shipt shirt and credit card within six days and you are ready to begin. The next step involves downloading the app, accepting orders, and earning money.
How to Make More Money on Shipt
Working as a regular shopper on Shipt can earn you a decent amount of money. However, there are certain strategies you can employ to earn more. The list below gives a detailed description of tips on how to earn more working as a Shipt shopper.
Be Prompt and Professional
One way to earn tips from customers is to make sure you look professional and reliable. Make sure you always deliver the right products, especially when the customer has specified the brand they want. Notify them beforehand that you are selecting a different product if anything is unavailable. You will also want to deliver on time to build loyal customers.
Prioritize Weekends
Most people set their grocery shopping to weekends as this is when they are mostly available or have the time to make a list and place an order. If you set your schedule to work more on weekends, you are likely to get more orders and make more money as opposed to weekdays.
Stay Alert on Incoming Orders
Experienced shoppers continuously refresh the app to ensure that they don’t miss new orders. This way you can run multiple deliveries in one shopping trip, especially those that are in the same zone and have a close delivery address. This helps you save gas money, time, and helps you earn more.
Bag Items Appropriately
It is easy to just throw all the items into the grocery bag, however, taking your time to arrange them all before delivering will encourage the customer to tip you and allow you to earn more money. One way to do this is to keep certain items together and others apart. For instance, keep cleaning products separate from food and perishables separate from non-perishable foods.
Check Out For Bounties
Shipt offers bounties on orders that are unclaimed after a while. You can accept these orders in your free time and earn more money. When you get closer to the delivery time, the bounty on the order increases. You can find these kinds of orders by checking the app.
Is Working on Shipt Worth It?
Yes, working with Shipt is a good way to earn extra cash if you don’t mind dealing with crowded isles and fellow shoppers. It has many benefits and can help you earn money to help you get by. It is also a good way for those with a full-time job to make some extra money on the side without interfering with their main job.
Making Money on Shipt FAQ
Shipt shoppers make an average of $13 per hour depending on how many deliveries they run. The total amount they make per day is also determined by how many hours they work and the distance between locations.
Yes, Shipt is a good way to make money while working on your own schedule. You can take on unlimited deliveries based on your availability and make good tip money if you have excellent customer service skills.
Shipt shoppers make the most money by earning tips from customers, accepting deliveries whenever possible, working on weekends when there are more orders, and providing quality customer services.
You can do as many Shipt orders as you like. There isn’t a limit to how many Shipt orders you can do each day as you set your schedule yourself and work when it is convenient for you. You can even fill multiple orders in a single trip.
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