In 2022, grocery delivery services have become a staple. The world adapting to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also promoting new advancements in technology. Apps like UberEats, GrubHub, and Postmates are some of the most common delivery services, and chances are you’ve used at least one of these platforms.
These are used mostly for premade food from your favorite restaurants and fast food chains. Instead of driving or walking to your closest restaurant, you can have meals delivered to your doorstep in a few clicks. Grocery delivery services work in a similar manner, except for the goods they deliver.
Grocery delivery apps like Instacart cater to people who prefer having fresh and organic goods delivered to them. For food delivery apps, the restaurant that the customer orders from prepares the food. But for grocery delivery apps, it’s not a brand or company pulling together all your groceries.
In Instacart, trusted people are paid to collect your groceries and ensure that all the goods from the store are fresh. Because of how simple the job is, many people want to learn how to make good money on Instacart.
In this article, we’ll outline the steps you need to take to learn how to make a lot of money with Instacart, and what else you need to know before you start.
How to make a lot of money on Instacart
The primary way to earn money through Instacart is by applying as an Instacart Shopper. You can apply to become either a full-service shopper or an in-store shopper.
As a full-service shopper, you’ll be responsible for personally selecting the needed grocery items of the customer, bagging or packaging them, and finally delivering them. Essentially, you’ll be handling the entire grocery shopping experience for your customers. In-store shoppers, however, are only responsible for selecting the grocery items, bagging them, and labeling them. The labelled goods are then picked up by the customers or delivered by full-service shoppers.
Compared to being an in-store shopper, full-service shoppers are considered independent contractors. In-store shoppers are only stationed in select stores and groceries, while full-service shoppers need to use their cars or vehicles to deliver the items to their customers. Full-service shoppers then earn more money than in-store shoppers.
You can sign up as a Shopper on Instacart’s website. If you’re referred by a current Instacart shopper, both you and the person you obtained the referral code from getting a bonus once you’re eligible to become a shopper.
Tips on how to make a lot of money with Instacart
The responsibilities of being an Instacart shopper are straightforward. However, there are different things you can do to ensure that you’re making the most of the opportunity to work under Instacart.
The first tip is to take note of what time slots are most in-demand so that you can claim as many hours and customers as possible before groceries close. Your income as a shopper is determined by how quickly you prepare groceries and how many customers you accept. Being aware of the busiest hours where customers are most likely to place their orders heightens your odds of earning more.
The second tip is to familiarize yourself with the store you’re shopping at and to organize your shopping lists. Once you have a good idea of how the grocery you’re stationed at is layoutted, you can swiftly find the items your customer needs without having to loiter around or go back to the same aisles.
The third tip is to be a smart and efficient driver. This applies to full-service shoppers. Once you’re done checking out and bagging the groceries of your customers, the next hurdle you have to deal with is delivering the goods to your customers. It’s important to have a car that efficiently saves gas. This ensures that the salary you earn doesn’t get eaten up at the gas station whenever you need to go to different locations.
To maximize your time, accept customers within the same area or geographical radius as well. Instead of having to travel for a long time and wasting hours stuck in traffic or on the road, you can spend it instead grocery shopping for your other customers.
What are the requirements to be a shopper?
Instacart requires shopper applicants to be at least 18 years who currently live in the United States or in Canada. They are also required to have an up-to-date smartphone where they can accommodate the Instacart app, and have enough strength to lift 30 pounds or more. The Instacart Shopper app is available on iOS and Android.
If you want to become a full-service shopper, you are required to own a registered and insured vehicle. This is not a requirement for in-store shoppers.
If you’re finding a part-time job opportunity, and you already have previous experience as a personal shopper, being a shopper at Instacart is a great fit for you! Even with no experience, you can make a stable income as a shopper who helps out customers all over the nation.
