How to get paid for delivering groceries with Shipt!
This post contains affiliate links that HyreCar may receive a commission for referring you to them.
Ridesharing has its ups and downs, but successful rideshare drivers have found another avenue for income. Delivering Groceries with Shipt is a delivery service that allows people to request groceries or goods to be delivered from stores like Target and CVS. Ridesharing has its peak and low volume hours. That’s why it is great to have an approved profile with Shipt to earn extra income when Uber and Lyft rides are down. You can earn up to $22 an hour Delivering Groceries! Most people need services like Shipt during weekdays and Sundays when most people can’t do their shopping. Here’s what Shipt Shopper Stephanie P. has to say about working for Shipt:“‘I’m a Shipt Shopper because it’s the best job in the world. I love interacting with members and other shoppers. It’s the perfect blend of flexibility and autonomy.”
Let’s learn more about how consumers use Shipt and what it’s like to work as a Shipt shopper and delivery driver.
7 Reasons why you should shop and deliver for Shipt
We’ve compiled seven good reasons why shopping and delivering for Shipt is a great way to earn extra income.
- You’ll earn between $10-$20 an hour on average, and that’s not including tips or bonuses, which can increase your hourly payouts.
- You can work anytime between 8am and 10pm, every day of the year.
- Being a Shipt Shopper is an active job. You’re out shopping and delivering, exploring new neighborhoods, and meeting new people every day.
- Shipt Shoppers support each other by meeting for social gatherings and networking groups. There is even a Facebook group for Shipt Shoppers.
- Shipt offers Shopper support 24/7, with the support team onsite at the company’s headquarters in Alabama.
- Shoppers get a free membership to Shipt, saving them over $100 annually if they want to use the service.
- You’re providing a time-saving, valuable service to people in your community, some of whom can’t shop for themselves. Being a Shipt Shopper makes a positive difference in people’s lives
What is Shipt?
- Shipt is an on-demand, app-based grocery marketplace that aims to simplify the lives of busy consumers. Members pay an annual ($99) or monthly ($14) fee to receive same-day delivery of fresh groceries, household items, and other store-bought goods. Customers can order from local supermarket chains and big-box retailers like CVS, Best Buy, Costco, and Target.
- Members place their orders online or through the Shipt app, after which a paid Shipt Shopper will fill the order at a local supermarket or department store. The shopper then delivers the order to the customer’s location, usually within a couple of hours.
- A $7 delivery fee is added to orders under $35. Shipt adds a small service fee to the cost of each item in the order. New customers can sign up for Shipt by clicking HERE.
How does Shipt work?
- Once a customer becomes a member, they can use the Shipt app to select a desired store in their area and select the items they want to be delivered. Then they pick a desired delivery time, and place the order in the app.
- A local Shipt Shopper immediately receives a notification through the Shipt app on their phone that an order has been placed. The shopper then heads to the selected business to begin the shopping and eventually, the delivery process.
- Shipt Shoppers do not deliver prescription drugs or to-go orders from restaurants.
Where does Shipt operate?
- Shipt delivery is currently available in over 250 major cities across the United States. For a complete list of cities and states where Shipt delivers, click HERE.
- Shipt is available in most of Target’s 1800-plus stores. Target bought Shipt in 2017.
- Every new Target store that opens across the country provides more job opportunities for Shipt Shoppers. That’s why it’s a great time to become a Shipt Shopper. Sign up by clicking HERE.
Working as a Shipt Shopper
Shipt Shoppers are independent contractors. This means you are your own boss. You choose the hours you want to work. A Shopper named Joy said this about the benefits of setting your own work hours:
“I’m a Shipt Shopper because it’s flexible and I can work it into my busy schedule.”
Another good thing about Shipt is the company does not set a maximum or minimum amount of hours that Shipt Shoppers can work. You can literally work as much or as little as you want. Of course, the more you work, the more you will earn.
Some other facts about being a Shipt Shopper:
- There are no minimums or maximums regarding the number of orders you must complete to be a Shipt Shopper.
- However, the more orders you accept, the higher your acceptance rating. Shipt tends to send more delivery requests to Shoppers with higher acceptance ratings. Turning down too many lower-paying deliveries may result in a reduction of delivery requests.
- Scheduling your shifts, accepting delivery requests, and viewing a customer’s shopping order are all done through the app.
- Shoppers can choose the Shipt delivery area where they want to deliver through the app as well.
- All Shipt Shoppers receive a free green Shipt T-Shirt after being hired. Wear it while you’re on your shift. This identifies you as a member of the local Shipt Shopper community while in a store and while making deliveries. Worried about washing the shirt like a million times? Don’t worry! You’ll receive two extra T-Shirts after your 30th completed delivery!
When you’re logged into the Shipt app during your shift, you’ll receive a notification when an order has been placed by a local customer in your area. Here’s what happens next:
- The app will show you the estimated amount you’ll earn for completing the order, and the customer’s shopping list. The app’s navigation feature will direct you to the store and to the customer’s location for the delivery.
- Customer and Shopper can communicate through the app in real-time if any questions or special instructions come up during shopping or delivery.
- When each item on the list is checked off, go to the checkout and pay with the prepaid Shipt debit card you received when you became a Shipt Shopper.
- The amount of your customer’s order is automatically loaded on to your Shipt card when you accept the delivery request. Once you pay and the amount on the card goes back to zero, Shipt charges the total amount to the customer’s credit card.
- Snap a picture of the receipt using your phone’s camera and upload it to the Shipt app, but keep the receipt to give to your customer upon delivery.
- Offer to bring the customer’s order into their home in case they might need help with the bags. Shipt tipping is not mandatory, so excellent customer service like that might result in a nice gratuity.
- You keep 100% of all tips whether you get them in person or through the app.
- Satisfied customers also mean high star ratings for Shipt Shoppers. Shipt’s algorithm tends to match more orders to highly-rated Shoppers than those with lower ratings.
- Make sure you designate the delivery as complete on the app. Then you’ll see exactly how much you were paid for the delivery.
- Here’s a cool bonus: Shipt Shoppers get a free Shipt membership so they can use the service as well.
How to become a Shipt Shopper
A lot of Shipt Shoppers feel like they’re part of a special community that’s dedicated to providing a helpful service to customers too busy to shop. Apply to be a Shipt Shopper is pretty easy, which we’ll discuss later in this section.
Check out this testimonial from a Shipt Shopper named Barbara:
“The Shoppers are like a family. We greet each other by name and look out for each other.”
Another Shopper named Chris added: “We get the chance to make a difference and it’s the best part-time income out there.”
It definitely seems like drivers enjoy working as a Shipt Shopper for both the extra income and for the fun and rewarding experience of helping others. Want to drive for Shipt? Shipt driver requirements are pretty simple:
- Must be 18 years or older, with a year of driving experience.
- Need a valid driver’s license and current auto insurance.
- Own an iPhone (iOS 10 or newer) or Android (5.1 or newer) smartphone.
- Be able to lift 40 pounds.
- Have a bank account for direct deposit payments.
- General knowledge of where different types of groceries and other items are found in markets and stores.
- You’ll need insulated shopping bags that keep hot foods and cold foods at the proper temperatures during delivery. Shipt does not provide these.
- As far as Shipt car requirements, you just need a reliable vehicle that’s a 1997 model or newer. Since you’ll be driving a lot, it’s best to drive a car that gets good gas mileage and only needs routine maintenance like oil changes, etc.
- The car must be registered, but your name does not need to be on the registration. So you can drive someone else’s car to make Shipt deliveries.
- Want to deliver for Shipt but don’t own a car? You can rent a qualified vehicle from HyreCar in less than 24 hours. Then, you can get paid to grocery shop for Shipt.
Before you apply to be a Shipt Shopper, let’s talk about what it takes to deliver for Shipt. A successful Shopper named Linda weighed in on the subject:
“An outstanding Shipt Shopper is devoted to great customer service, is attentive to details, has pride in doing their job well, communicates well, cares about the members and is personable!”If that sounds like you, you can start the application process by clicking HERE:
- You’ll provide basic information like your name, age, phone number, and the model/year of the car you’ll be driving.
- You’ll need to pass a Federal database background check.
- You’ll upload your valid driver’s license, auto insurance, vehicle registration, etc.
- It takes around 48 hours to be notified that your application has been reviewed.
- Next, Shipt will send you some written questions about yourself and your customer service experience. You’ll record and upload a video of yourself answering those questions so Shipt’s hiring managers can get to know you.
- It could take a few weeks before you find out if you’ve been hired as a Shopper. Shipt only hires new applicants when more Shoppers in a particular area are needed, so be patient.
Get paid to shop and deliver for Shipt
So, how much do Shipt Shoppers get paid? Shoppers receive a payout after each order is completed. This payout can vary due to factors like the size of the order, the time it takes to complete your order, and any tips you might receive. Shipt also offers bonus fees to Shoppers from time to time, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
- It usually takes about an hour to do each delivery and according to Shipt, you can make $22 an hour or more.
- Here’s what a Destiny, a full-time Shipt Shopper in Tennessee, recently told a Nashville newspaper about how much she earns per hour:
- She shops and delivers 8am-5pm, four days a week, about 35 hours a week.
- She mainly accepts larger orders over $35, because customers tend to tip more on bigger deliveries than small ones.
- Her hourly average, including tips, is around $17.50. She makes approximately $600 per week.
- She receives a direct deposit of her earnings every Friday.
- Shoppers can receive a $6 payout for smaller orders and up to $30 for larger orders.
- Here’s the formula Shipt uses to calculate Shopper payouts:Total Order Dollar Amount x 7.5% + $5 = Shopper Payout. Let’s say the order amount was $100. Here’s how your payout would be calculated:$100 order x 7.5% = $7.50 + $5 = $12.50. This amount does not include gratuity, so the final amount would be higher with a tip.
- Customers can tip you either in cash or through the app. You keep 100% of all tips.
- Shipt Promo Pay is a bonus that Shipt adds to orders that other Shoppers don’t accept right away. The dollar amount rises until a Shopper accepts the order. If you accept the order, a bonus will be added to your payout. This can average between $12 and $30.
- A Metro order is a delivery request from a customer a good distance outside your normal delivery zone. Shipt will occasionally send you a Metro order when deliveries are slow in your regular delivery area. You won’t get a bonus for accepting a Metro order, but it’s a good opportunity to get paid for completing an order you might not normally have been offered. Accepting a Metro order is a good way to raise your acceptance rating. The more orders you accept, the more requests Shipt will send you.
Shipt Shopper expenses
Your expenses while working as a Shipt Shopper are your responsibility, just like with rideshare driving and other independent contractor jobs. Shipt does not reimburse Shoppers for the following:
- Gas.
- Mileage.
- Repairs or routine maintenance on your vehicle.
- Insulated cooler bags for your deliveries.
- Cell phones or related phone accessories like dash mounts etc.
You can write a lot of these expenses off on your taxes, including a percentage of your mileage. Consult a tax professional if you have questions. For a list of expenses that you could deduct click HERE. It’s also a good idea to download a mileage tracker.
How to maximize your Shipt Shopper earnings
We compiled some suggestions from successful Shipt Shoppers to help you earn as much as possible while delivering for Shipt. Check these out:
- Don’t turn down small orders while waiting for bigger orders to come in. Big orders may pay more, but they also take more time to fill.
- You might be able to complete a few smaller orders in an hour and get a larger combined payout than if you only accepted one larger order.
- Take on more than one order at a time. Remember Destiny, the Shopper from Nashville? She sometimes accepts up to three orders at the same time, enabling her to get three payouts in one hour.
- Keep an eye out for Promo Pay bonus orders that other Shoppers aren’t accepting. They could add up to $30 to your delivery payout.
- Accept Metro orders outside of your normal delivery zone. Driving a little out of your way for a decent-paying order and a potential tip is worth it, especially if you’re not getting a lot of orders in your normal zone.
- Use a mileage and expense tracker to keep a detailed list of what you can deduct when it’s time to prepare your taxes.
- Memorize where commonly purchased items are in local markets to reduce shopping time. The faster you get in an out of a store to complete a delivery, the more deliveries you’ll do in an hour.
Following customer’s requests as closely as possible results in the best tips. This is especially true when it comes to substituting items. You’ll see the following choices a customer will let you make if a requested item is unavailable:
1. Do Not Sub: Don’t substitute an item if it’s out of stock. Just skip it.
2. Contact Me: Do not substitute items without contacting the customer through the app first. This could be time-consuming to you but worth it if it results in a good tip.
3. Use Best Judgement: The customer trusts you to make the right choice.
Save money on gas by applying for a store gas credit card at the supermarket you shop at the most. Scan it to collect points every time you make a Shipt order purchase. You’ll soon earn enough points to save big bucks on gas when you fill up there or at a partnered gas station.Delivery Issues:
- Customers are notified through the app when you arrive at their location. If they don’t answer right away, knock repeatedly on the door, ring the bell several times, and text/call the customer using the phone number they provided in the app.
- If the customer does not answer after 10 minutes, contact Shipt Shopper support. Live Shopper Support is available 24/7.
- You can tap Support in the app, email support@shipt.com, or call the Shipt phone number (1-877-807-5537).
Happy Shipt shopping and delivering from your pals at HyreCar!
Disclaimer
Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.