Updated Instacart Shopper Guide
Since you are here you have may already be signed up. If you have not please feel free to use my Code below.
Referral Code: ERICH2171A9
What Is InstaCart?
InstaCart is a grocery delivery service that allows people to go online and order either by their site or by their app. It is currently the only grocery delivery app that delivers in less than 1 hour. Customers shop from any of their favorite stores. And Instacart will do the rest. Browse every product you can imagine. Including organic, antioxidant, gluten-free, local products, etc. The order is hand-picked by a professional shopping contractor. They do not just do the basic grocery store shopping for customers. Customers can also get their pet store, and warehouse club shopping is done by them as well.
The app allows customers to build a grocery list from stores in their local area. The list they create will come to a personal shoppers cellphone. The shopper will go out to the store. Then pick the customers items. The customers will receive updates from the shopper while they shop for them. Finally, the shopper drops the groceries off on the customer's front doorstep. In under an hour in some cases. Or whatever preferred to time the customer chooses to have it scheduled. If the customer is happy with the delivery they have an option of tipping the shopper. Shoppers can expect to have their earnings deposited directly into their bank account every week.
Work Requirements
As with any other side gig app, you will have to be able to pass a background check. You are also required to have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record.
How-To Guide
1. Sign Up With Referral Code
2. Join Local Facebook Group While You Wait
I can't say that there's no one out there trying to scam people and get their information but I can say in order to come on board as an independent contractor with these companies you are going to have to put your information in many times. Including your social security number so they can do that background check. While you are waiting for your background check to clear. Look on Facebook for local Instacart groups. This will give you a place where a lot of your questions can be answered.
3. Get Your Shoppers Card
So you can not get started until your card arrives which may take a week plus. If you are ready to start right away you may find the local Facebook group you found while waiting for your background check very helpful. They let me know I could go to my local Whole Foods and pick up your card once I had been approved. All I had to do is show up and let the person who works for Instacart at Whole Foods know I was there to pick up my card.
4. Pick Up Hours - Early Access
It's important to remember there are rules regarding how to keep early access. You must do certain things to keep early access such as work a certain number of hours. Even if you have early access it's still hard to get hours. By 9:30 Sunday all the hours may already be gone. As you can imagine the first couple of weeks a lot of people get quite frustrated.
What are you going to do in this situation?
The first thing you want to do is jump on another side gig app. Not saying give up and quit. I always recommend not relying on just one side gig app. If this app is slow, then open up Uber or Lift to get some hours. You do not want to rely on just one app.
Second, you are going to want to check your shopper app extremely often. What I mean is look at the app every hour each day. People will drop hours all the time. So you want to be the one to get see them first.
5. Be Ready To Go
6. Plan Out Your Route
You may be assigned more than one batch or order. In this case, you should shop for both at the same time if you can handle it. When I do this I am very careful about not getting orders mixed up.
7. Pick The Assigned Order or Batch.
8. Deliver Your Batch or Order
Is InstaCart A Scam
Although they ask for some very sensitive information that makes you cringe upon being asked. They are far from a scam. This is a legit app that has been around since 2012 paying their shoppers and serving their customers. That being said anytime you put your personal information out there you risk the possibility of the info slipping into the wrong hands. However, if you want to do any of these type of side gig apps you have to put your information out there. This goes for any legit money making opportunity you will find as an independent contractor.
Final Tip
If you guys can think of any questions I did not answer. Or if I left anything that you would like to add. Also would love to hear from you guys about your experience with InstaCart as well. Is it your favorite side gig or have you found better? Please let me know in the comments below.
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