14 Instacart Shopping Tricks and Tips That Make Money (earn $15 to $20 per hour).

Last updated on September 21st, 2024 at 10:28 am

 

When you understand Instacart shopping tricks and tips it becomes easy earning more through the platform. Sure, Instacart shopper tips make earning get easier compared to when you’re just surviving on what the app presents for the day.

Instacart is one of the most commonly known grocery shopping platforms online at the moment. And it’s really a steadily growing business, especially in grocery sales in the United States.

If you put in the work for the best at the end of the day as a shopper it’s possible making up to $120. Therefore, there’re things that you must put into consideration in order to make the most out of the app.

Instacart Compulsory Requirements for New Shoppers

Despite Instacart shopper hacks to be talked about regarding making the most out of Instacart, let’s first look at compulsory requirements for new shoppers. And some of these requirements are normally cut across different delivery platforms.

If you’re able to meet the requirements as requested by one app it again gets easier in case you want to register with another grocery app.

• Background Check

In order to get acceptance to make deliveries with Instacart you must have gone through a thorough background check.

• Adult

With Instacart you must be at least 18 years of age in order to get approval and start working with Instacart.

• Smart Phone Device

There’s no way you can effectively work on a delivery app if you don’t have a smartphone. You need to download the app which you’re going to use to pick up orders.

• Bank Account

You’re required to possess a bank account where payments for the service done are made. Sure, a checking account or a savings account is very important here.

• Capacity To Carry 30 Pounds

Since sometimes you may land on heavy batches, you’re required to be in a position to carry groceries of at least 30 pounds in weight.

Ways To Make the Most Out of Instacart Using Instacart Shopping Tricks and Tips

If you’ve just started using Instacart, I know you might be finding challenges but in case you’ve been around using the app you just want to get better at it. But getting better means adopting healthy practices that will enable you to earn as a shopper.

1. Hourly Pay Boosts

During the day there’re times when Instacart gives bonuses to shoppers. And this mostly happens during peak times with high volumes of sales which shoppers need to take advantage of using proven instacart tricks to getting batches.

Though bonus offers don’t happen all the time, when available it’s a great way to squeeze extra dollars from Instacart.

The platform displays bonus offers available during the day and a shopper can decide on which offer to take on. Orders with high peak boosts attract more shoppers compared to those with low peak boosts.

2. Selectivity

Understanding which batches are worth your effort during the day is a matter of time and experience. This mostly goes to those that are just getting started, it’s hard to get choosy unless after a while.

For those that have been around, it’s a bit easier playing with batches to maximize earnings. It’s clear that order distance and amount of items in a batch impact hourly earnings for shoppers.

Sure, you need to take on orders that are really worth your effort to get better pay. But this is something that you need to do after you’ve gained more experience in using the platform.

3. Delivery Period

If you want to make more money from Instacart you need to be fast in making deliveries. And to make fast deliveries grocery stores need to be located close to drop-offs.

When you use less time to make deliveries it’s possible to take on a number of orders in a short time increasing hourly earnings. Also, shoppers need to be clear about the locations of different stores such that there’s less time spent looking for the right items.

Shoppers that have been around for a while are really making huge amounts per hour making deliveries on time.

4. Keep Receipts

Most shoppers don’t hold on to receipts after making deliveries to clients. Right, clients also get confirmation of the purchases they made with an email receipt from Instacart.

But as a shopper keeping a receipt saves just in case there comes a complaint from a client to whom you made a delivery.

At times you may not get paid in case you don’t have supporting evidence like a receipt about the delivery made.

Therefore, keep receipts for at least 2 weeks or until when you receive payments for deliveries made. You want to earn the most with Instacart, right? Sure, keep receipts safe until it’s right to put them off.

5. Busy Locations

If you want to make more money then you have to handle more batches. You need to work in busy places with high demand to get plenty of orders.

And it’s easy to find batches with better pay in busy places since there’s less competition for the service. Instacart currently has features that allow shoppers to easily locate nearby locations with more batches to maximize deliveries for earnings.

6. Double Check Orders

Always look through available batches to ensure that you don’t miss out on new orders and the more orders you take the better.

This means that any time you can easily come across batches with better-paying orders during the day. And of course, taking high-paying orders is one of the best ways to use to maximize earnings at the end of the day.

There’s nothing wrong with double checking after all it’s at no cost to you yet an effective strategy to use in case you want better pay.

7. Make Referrals

There’re many people that want to get started working with Instacart to make money. You can take advantage and share your referral link such that they can join through you to earn.

And such people would be your family members or friends interested in using the app. When you make a referral expect to get referral bonuses of about $100 or even more.

8. Communication

Effective communication is key to Instacart shoppers since it creates a good relationship with clients. Shopping also becomes easier when shoppers connect with store workers since they help to give directions for available items.

Shoppers with good communication skills easily connect and hence can even negotiate for tips. Clients mostly connect with shoppers who are concerned about their orders, take an example where you communicate before making deliveries.

And just in case the client wants to make any changes will definitely do since you’re in touch. Being in touch with clients helps shoppers handle replacements with the best practice since there’s room for communication.

Clients easily get to know about the status of their orders due to effective communication with shoppers. Use convenient means of interaction that won’t interfere with performance when shopping at grocery stores.

9. Double Batch Orders

At times Instacart issues requests for shoppers to make two deliveries at the same time. When two grocery orders are made at once for separate deliveries it’s known as double batch order.

But in order to qualify for double batch orders you must have made at least sixty orders in deliveries. Then you can qualify for double batches if any to increase your earnings per hour through the app.

Double-batch orders make shopping easier since items are picked up from the same grocery stores at the same time. But though orders are handled at the same time to be delivered, still they must be kept separate in the process.

Ensure to have a system in place that will help you manage batches and orders in the app to avoid confusion. Orders for customers need to be differentiated that is whether through the app or during physical handling.

10. Customer Ratings

Bonus offers to shoppers with better customer ratings keep changing over time but any available offers are worth the effort.

If your customer ratings are high, it’s easier to access batches compared to those with low ratings. And accessibility to batches with high ticket offers increases chances of better earnings at the end of the day.

However, ratings somehow affect new shoppers using the platform since they are overshadowed by those with high ratings.

Customer rating impacts earnings that’s why you need to make things right such that you get better ratings. Ensure that you’re updated with any changes on the platform if you’re to keep up with customer satisfaction.

11. Use An Insulated Grocery Bag

Customers want to receive their products while in good condition for example cold things to keep cool and hot things to keep hot. Insulated bags are good at controlling temperatures hence maintaining quality with client orders.

Here you’ll avoid customer complaints in relation to order quality after making delivery more so with food items. Insulated bags can be accessed at a cost but still, I say it’s worth it since it benefits you in the long run.

12. Keep The Phone Charged

This is something that shoppers need to also very much put into consideration in order to effectively work on orders. You won’t effectively carry on with shopping when your phone is on and off due to poor battery.

When your phone is charged you won’t miss out on batches to make more money. Therefore, if the phone battery can’t last long enough then you better move with a power bank or a charger for convenience.

13. Mileage App

A mileage tracking app can be used to measure miles driven while making deliveries to different locations. And here you’ll be able to tell how much you’re to incur in terms of fuel or gas costs in relation to earnings.

Using a mileage app will help you to manage delivery costs taking worthwhile orders for better earnings.

14. Use A Collapsible Grocery Cart

If at times you work on large batches with difficulty, a collapsible grocery cart is an option. It eases deliveries since you can use it to handle several grocery bags at once to different places.

Sure, shopping is done at once using the cart in a single trip which saves a lot of time yet working on more orders for more earnings.

A collapsible grocery cart goes at a cost but it’s worth it and saves a lot. Carts are available at price-friendly charges ranging from $20 to $100 on eCommerce platforms.

FAQs

Is There Flexibility in Working Hours on the Instacart Delivery Platform?

With Instacart you can schedule working hours at your own convenience to make deliveries. This implies that it’s up to you to decide whether to work during busy times or not depending on your timetable.

However, Instacart is a busy platform with partner stores in busy cities hence there’re orders available at different times of the day.

When Do Shoppers Receive Payments on Instacart?

Compared to some other apps, shoppers on Instacart receive their payments on a weekly basis using Stripe via direct deposit. And specifically on Wednesday of every week, the payment takes about 1 week and 3 days to appear in the bank account.

Are Instacart Shoppers Supposed to Be Tipped by Customers?

It’s not a must that shoppers should be tipped by customers, unless when the customer personally decides to do so. And it’s up to the shopper to either deny the offer or not depending on the connection between the two.

Do Instacart Customer Ratings Affect Shoppers’ Earnings?

Yes, customers get more attracted to shoppers with high ratings compared to those with low ratings. Shoppers with better ratings automatically get suggested to new batches which may contain better-paying offers and tips.

What Can I Do to Get Access to More Batches to Make Money?

For new Instacart users, it’s really a hustle accessing batches for better offers. You need to have high ratings in order to easily get access to batches and this gives a hard time to new users wanting to earn.

However, when it comes to getting a rating, performance matters if you’re to get positive reviews from customers. Getting a good rating takes time but what to do yet it’s the only way to go for the best.

In Closing About Instacart Shopping Tricks and Tips

Sure, it’s possible making more money through the grocery delivery app but ensure putting into consideration best practices. And when you do things correctly and smarter it gets easier to make the most out of the app.

The practices that give you an edge are worth the costs after all as a shopper you want to up the game.