Bottom Line
Working as a Ship shopper is not entirely reliable as a full-time job, but it can be an ideal side hustle, especially for regular drivers.
You can easily fit it alongside other jobs such as Uber or Lyft driver if you live in a busy area.
The Pros:
- Excellent tipping policy
- Flexibility
- User-friendly app
- Allows combination of orders
The Cons:
- Lack of orders in quiet areas
- Payment delays
- No guaranteed work at scheduled hours
Are you looking for a shallow, commitment way to make some extra money? With a reliable car and a working smartphone, you can earn money as a Shipt shopper.
Shipt allows customers to order home essentials and groceries and receive them on the same day.
This article is a detailed review of the Shipt platform, requirements to become a shopper, the possible amount you can earn, and other crucial information.
What Is Shipt?
It is an on-demand grocery service owned by Target Corporation. Shipt allows customers to make orders from Target, Costco, HEB, CVS, and other retailers.
When a customer places an order, nearby shoppers receive an alert, and whoever claims the order buys the items and delivers them to the customer.
Shipt is available in two different apps: the customers’ app and shoppers app for freelancers (both iOS and Android).
Signing up as a Shipt shopper is free, but customers can choose to pay a monthly or annual fee.
How Does Shipt Work?
Shipt simply works by linking customers with freelance shoppers and nearby grocery stores or retailers.
As a shopper, you need to have a good car and a working smartphone to accept, shop, and deliver orders.
You can wait to respond to order alerts or open the app to find open orders in the area manually.
Best of all:
Shipt also allows you to ‘add yourself’ to the shopping schedule to make deliveries in a specific area at a particular time. However, this needs to be done five days in advance.
While shopping, freelancers may fail to find some items which may be out of stock and need to contact the customer through the app for substitutes.
Shoppers are also expected to wear a Shipt shirt which helps store employees and customers know you work there.
Shipt provides a loaded debit card to pay for orders; therefore, you don’t have to pay for anything out of your pocket.
The shoppers earn an amount within the estimated pay range for every order and 100% customer tips after delivery.
Requirements To Become A Shipt Shopper?
If you are thinking about becoming a personal shopper, you need to meet the following Shipt shopper requirements:
- A minimum of 18 years of age
- Have a smartphone with Android 5.1 or iOS 10 or higher
- Have access to a reliable vehicle manufactured in 1997 or later
- Have a valid U.S. driver’s license and car insurance
- Own an insulated cooler bag for ferrying groceries
- Have a bank account for direct deposit payments
- Ability to lift at least 40 pounds
How To Sign Up As A Shipt Shopper
If you meet the above requirements, you can download the Shipt app and sign up in the following steps:
Step 1
Fill out an online application that asks for the following basic information:
- Name
- Age
- Email Address
- Residence ZIP code
- Postal address
- Driving experience
- Insurance information
- Shirt size
Step 2
Shipt interviews their shoppers virtually, asking questions about availability, practical skills you may have, and how to respond to situations while shopping.
The questions are primarily standard, trying to get if you understand what you will be doing for Shipt.
Step 3
The last and part of the application process is a common step in every business. It relates to the Shipt Shopper Agreement background check, a check consent form, and your W9.
You can complete all the application steps through the app, and once you are done, patiently wait for a response.
Step 4
If you pass the interview, Shipt sends you a confirmation email 24-48 hours after submitting the interview.
Nevertheless:
It may still take you around three days to start accepting orders since Shipt adds new members to their team on an as-needed basis.
Once a spot opens up, it takes another six days for you to receive the Shipt credit card and a free shirt.
How Much Can You Earn From Shipt?
A Shipt shopper earns a flat $5 commission rate plus 7.5% of the total order amount for every successful delivery.
Let’s say you deliver a $200 order; you earn a total of $20. An order that size may take between 1 or even 2 hours to deliver.
After accounting for gas, car maintenance, and possibly parking expenses, the net pay is slightly higher than the minimum wage.
According to some Shipt shoppers, they mainly make around $13 per hour without considering expenses. But, you can earn more by doing double orders, which is stressful to your body and car.
Generally, the following are factors that create the difference between the expected pay and actual pay of Shipt shoppers:
Commission
It is the $5 flat-rate amount for each order and 7.5% of the overall order amount. The commission appears on the app before the shopper accepts the order.
Tip
Tipping is not compulsory on Shipt, but it is highly encouraged. After completing an order, customers have up to a week to add a tip to the order.
And the good news?
Shipt shoppers get to keep 100% of all tips.
Mileage
During delivery, you are often required to drive around, which not only puts wear and tear on your vehicle, but you have to pay for gas.
Shipt does not cater for any of these costs, and they take a share of your take-home pay.
Taxes
When you become a Shipt Shopper, you are an independent contractor responsible for withholding your taxes.
Like most businesses, the general rule of thumb is to set 30% of each payment aside for taxes.
How To Maximize Your Earnings As A Shipt Shopper?
As with most jobs in the economy, the key to earning a decent amount of money on Shipt is to utilize some tricks.
Below are a few tips that can help maximize your earnings on Shipt:
Offer Excellent Customer Service
Tipping can significantly boost your overall income if the customer is happy enough with your services.
Simply put:
You need to communicate clearly if you need to substitute some items and treat your customers in a friendly but respectful way.
Don’t Ignore Small Orders
The total commission from small orders is generally small and may not seem worth the time and effort.
But if you could manage to get tips on some of them, you could make a decent amount. Small orders also make it easier for you to accept multiple orders at a time.
Don’t Miss Out On Sundays And Mondays
Sundays and Mondays are some of the busiest days for Shipt, where you can easily claim multiple orders at once.
How Does Shipt Make Money?
Initially, Shipt was a membership-only platform that offered customers free delivery for orders over $35.
But now, anyone can use Shipt, where non-members pay flat rates for delivery and members still receive free deliveries for orders over $35.
Shipt generates income by charging membership and delivery fees to customers.
Shipt vs. Instacart
Conclusion
With more people choosing to work remotely from home, there is an increase in online orders for any items, including groceries.
Shipt satisfies both customers and shoppers by providing a perfect side hustle and on-time deliveries.
If you have some spare time, especially on Sundays and Mondays, you can sign up to Shipt to start making some extra money.
