Have you ever noticed how Instacart shoppers seem to outnumber regular shoppers at the grocery store? They’re always on the move, filling their carts with items in a flash. It’s enough to make you feel like you’re wasting time doing your own shopping.
Working for Instacart is one of the better gigs in the sharing economy. The company treats in-store shoppers, who fill orders and hand them off to drivers or customers, as traditional employees. This means they get a guaranteed base wage and certain legal rights. From what I’ve heard, Instacart shoppers tend to earn more than those in other gigs that don’t pay hourly wages. Plus, the flexibility to work whenever you want is a big draw for those new to the gig economy.
If you’re considering becoming an Instacart shopper, there are two roles you could fill: full-service shopper or in-store shopper. Both roles involve similar work and weekly payouts, but there are some key differences.
Full-service shoppers are independent contractors who receive orders through the Instacart app, decide whether to accept them based on the payout, and then shop and deliver the orders to customers. They get paid in "batches", which can include up to three orders from the same store. Their pay includes a base payment for delivery, an incentive payment, mileage reimbursement, optional tips from customers, and a "bump" payment to ensure they make at least $10 per batch. If there are in-store shoppers at the store, full-service shoppers might only need to deliver orders. However, the pay structure for full-service shoppers can change, and it seems that average pay has been decreasing over time.
Full-service shoppers can choose their own hours and work as much or as little as they want. But if they decline too many orders in a row, the Instacart app will log them out. They also have to handle their own taxes and vehicle expenses.
In-store shoppers, on the other hand, are employees based at stores in Instacart’s network. They receive orders through the app, fill them, check out, and hand them off to delivery drivers. They’re entitled to a minimum wage and certain legal rights. They can also choose their own hours, but they might earn more during peak times. However, they’re capped at 29 hours per week, so they don’t qualify for health insurance benefits.
If you want to become an Instacart shopper, you’ll need to meet certain requirements. For full-service shoppers, you need to be at least 18, have legal authorization to work in the U.S., be able to lift up to 50 pounds, have a reliable vehicle, and have a newer smartphone that can run the Instacart app. For in-store shoppers, the requirements are the same, except you don’t need a vehicle.
The application process is pretty straightforward. You’ll need to provide some basic personal information, indicate whether you have a car, provide your phone number, and schedule an in-person hiring session. This session includes an orientation and skills test. If there’s no session available when you apply, you’ll have to wait until one is scheduled. Once you’re hired, you’ll need to complete some paperwork, sign a contractor agreement if applicable, provide your driver’s license information, and consent to a background check.
Before you decide to become an Instacart shopper, there are a few things you should consider. You should understand what it means to be an independent contractor, read reviews from current and former shoppers, treat your first few weeks as a trial period, consider the impact on your vehicle, weigh the financial upside against other opportunities, try to gauge the order volume and competition in your area, and think about how traffic, parking, and lines might affect your work.
Working for Instacart isn’t a walk in the park, and it won’t make you rich. But it does offer some benefits, like the protections of traditional employment for in-store shoppers and the freedom of the open road for full-service shoppers. Whether it’s worth it or not is up to you. If it doesn’t seem like a good fit, there are plenty of other side hustles out there.
