Working for Instacart: 13 BEST Secrets and Tips to Earn More

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working for instacart

Instacart is an on demand grocery delivery service that allows users from Canada and the USA to order groceries from their favorite local stores and get them delivered the same day. The app also offers job opportunities. If you are looking for a gig job, with Instacart side hustle, you get paid to shop and deliver groceries.

But, how to make the most money with instacart? If you want to become a super shopper you are at the right place.

In this post we provide a breakdown of the Shopper pay and we will share with you the best Instacart tricks and secrets that will help you earn more shopping and delivering for the giant Instacart. Making money with Instacart is not so difficult if you follow our 12 proven ways to boost your Instacart income.

How to work for Instacart

In the cities where Instacart is available, it's easy to get started.

  1. Verify if you have all the requirements
  2. Sign up online. Download the Shopper app from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
  3. Complete signup steps. Instacart will need a copy of a few personal documents
  4. Once you have provided all the required documents, your account should be active in 5 business days.

Is Instacart Legit

Yes, Instacart is a 100% legitimate company. There's no question about that. It's safe to use, and 100% safe to work for. It is a good job and people are getting paid.

Because you're just delivering, there's little-to-no risk or contact with others. Most of the complaints are about the app not working correctly.

Plus, it's nice to see that Instacart is engaging with their community with their Twitter and Facebook account! This goes a long way to show the legitimacy of a company.

Furthermore, there were no complaints I could find about getting ripped off.

How Much Does An Instacart Shopper Make?

There is no minimum wage, Instacart workers are paid per gig and the Instacart earnings depend on:

  • The number of hours a day or week you work
  • Your location (Your location is important, in a major city you will earn more).

Finally, the Instacart hourly pay can be anywhere froman average of $13-$19 per hour to an upper bound of $25 per hour including tips.

So, does Instacart pay well? Obviously, the more you work, the more you can make. There are also other incentives to make more money, like making 30 deliveries in 30 days or getting a new Shopper to sign up. We suggest you consult our detailed guide on how much you can make with Instacart and our comparison of the best grocery delivery apps to work for.

Related Article: Shipt Shopper Pay

instacart shopper tips

How To Make $2000 In A Month Doing Instacart

Every now and then I read some blog posts by enthusiastic or untrustful people saying they found a job worth $2000 a month. Of course at Bestreferraldriver we are very happy for them, and for anyone who can even make $2000 a week with Instacart. But let's try to reason analytically, and then let's try to deepen this thing. Because for me many people are lying and I will never stop saying it.

However, you can do well at this job! Here are the best and proven Instacart shopper tips and tricks that for sure will help you maximize your income:

  1. Busy Days and Busiest Hours
  2. Identify the Busiest Areas
  3. Be Fast
  4. Instacart Card and Mobile Payments
  5. Voice Typing
  6. Make it easy with replacements
  7. Do Not accept order when the delivery is too far
  8. Pick your checkout line wisely
  9. Boost your tax refund
  10. Save Money on Gas
  11. Get Help
  12. Customer Service

1. Busy Days And Busiest Hours: Find The Best Hours

Is Instacart a 24 hour service? Instacart hours are subject to store operating hours, which includes holidays. The delivery windows start as early as 9am and run as late as midnight. You can also check local store hours.

So, what are the best hours to work for Instacart? This is one of our favorite Instacart shopper hacks. The best time to work with Instacart is during slow times. One of my favorite times to shop is early in the morning.

But during working hours or other non-peak times is good too. Avoid busiest times for grocery stores:

  • Right after 5 p.m.
  • Peak shopping hours on paydays and near major holidays.

It will take you a long time to shop and it is not worth it.

Usually Wednesday's and Thursday's have lower demand, at least from what I’ve noticed in my area.

2. Identify The Busiest Areas

You can use the heat map to find the best place to do Instacart.

Hot Spots are the red shaded areas shown in the Shopper app. These are areas in your market where you have the best chance of receiving batching requests.

3. Be Fast

Are you looking for the best Instacart shopping tips? Be fast! One common question is: How much do you make with Instacart? It depends on how fast you are. You will get paid to deliver groceries and the more shops you do the better the pay.

For this it is very important to know how a supermarket is organized. You will probably shop in a supermarket you already know, but if this is not the case, you should know that there is a ‘template’ for every supermarket.

4. Instacard Card and Mobile Payments

You should never forget your Shopper card. If you are new to the platform, the Instacart prepaid card is a special credit card that all Instacart drivers receive with the starter kit and it works like this:

  • Instacart instantly loads the customer's payment onto the card after the order is placed through the app.
  • The Instacart Shoppers use the card at the grocery store to pay the customer’s bill
  • ⚠️ The money does not come out of the Shopper’s personal bank account
  • After the order is delivered and designated completed in the shopper app, the delivery driver gets paid. Take a look at our guide to same day pay jobs.

To increase efficiency and speed, the grocery app recently introduced the mobile Checkout for all shoppers, so they can easily tap their phone and pay at the register without needing to reach for their wallet for the Instacart Shopper card.

Using NFC technology, theInstacart Mobile Checkout is available anywhere credit cards are accepted through Google Pay or Apple Pay.

The biggest advantages of the digital payments are:

  • It saves time: Paying via card, contactless, mobile wallet, or wearable device is almost always faster than using cash.Valuable time is saved as customers simply swipe or tap to pay. No more digging through wallets or purses looking for the card.
  • It’s more efficient: The on-bording process is faster because you do not need to wait for the physical payment card to arrive in the mail.
  • It’s more hygienic: We should never forget that the COVID-19 pandemic is still there. Using contactless you don’t need to touch PIN pads or swap physical cash, making it a more hygienic and health-conscious payment method.

If you are looking for Instacart secrets, this is the best advice we can give you. Set up the mobile payments right now so you do not have to worry anymore if you lose your card.

5. Voice Typing

With the Shopper app you can contact the customer directly from the app by using the message button at the top of the shopping list. We talk faster than we type. Using voice typing (dictation) can save you tons of time if you need to contact the customer for a replacement or other.

Indeed, by using the voice typing, you can continue to shop and you can get work done without needing to use the keyboard.

6. Make It Easy With Instacart Replacements

With the new update, you can easily find a replacement item using the app. Pick one and move on to the next item on the to do list. Once an item has been replaced, the customer will get a notification to accept or modify the replacement.

7. Do Not Accept Orders When The Delivery Is Too Far

Be careful of accepting orders when the delivery is too far. While you can write off miles you drive while making deliveries, going too far it’s never worth it.

8. Pick Up Your Check Out Lane Wisely

As a Instacart full service Shopper, very similar to Shipt Shopper, you get paid to shop and not for the time you spend in the supermarket.

You get to the checkout lanes and they are full of shoppers. Your plan for a quick exit begins to evaporate.

Here are some grocery shopping tips from experts for picking the line that will move the fastest:

  • Go left for faster service
  • Study the customers ahead and what they are buying
  • Choose a single line that leads to several cashiers
  • You can speed up the process if you face bar codes toward the cashier
  • Stay in queue

9. Boost your Tax Refund

We have all said to ourselves that we are paying too much tax. What if you really pay more than you should? It is highly possible. Paying taxes is important for the good functioning of your state, but that does not prevent you from paying the fair tax.

How to reduce your taxes? How to pay less taxes? Bestreferraldriver gives you easy tips to pay less taxes:

10. Save Money on Gas

So, does Instacart pay for Gas? Unfortunately no.

While some blogs will tell you to use a fuel efficient car, we know that it is not always possible to change your car. Sometimes buying a new car is not even a good solution.

You can take a look at our guide of all the delivery rental options.

There are some ways to improve your car fuel’s efficiency . You can also get cash back in your gas expenses, and save money with gas apps and learn how to get free gas at the pump.

11. Get Help

Always remember that Instacart is there to support its Shoppers. If you have questions or concerns, Instacart encourages its delivery drivers to reach out to their support care line.

Whether you are a full service shopper or an in-store shopper, you can get help and keep you informed and connected:

  • Join our social media accounts including our Facebook page, where gig workers share tips for Instacart Shoppers.
  • Join the Instacart reddit for Shoppers where you can find posts and discussions about everything related to independent contracting for grocery delivery drivers.
  • To find fresh news, take a look at the Instacart Shopper blog

12. Customer Service

The last is a golden tip. Having Customer service skills is so important. Note that customers are also able to tip after the delivery.

How to be the best instacart shopper? Here are some tips from our experienced driver:

  • Use the proper equipment to keep the cold items cold and the warm food warm
  • Be polite and courteous
  • Use Instacart memes when you interact with the customer.
  • Send a greeting message to your customers.

📌 Dear Instacart users: Don't tip your shopper 20% during the Pandemic — Tip More

13. Increase Your Income With Instacart Shopper Bumps

If you like to work from home, Instacart allows Shoppers to increase their income participating in research studies including:

  • Surveys
  • Video interviews

Other Ways To Make $200 To $250 A Day Or $1000 A Week On Instacart

Are you struggling to earn $200 to $250 a day or $1000 a week? Here are other tips for you:

  • Share your referral code with friends or in social media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram)
  • Wrap your car

Stay in Queue

If you once leave your queue, you will never be happy again. So stay in your queue! A short film by Laboratoire Ferdinand Lutz

How to get more batches on Instacart

So, how to get more orders on Instacart? With the increased number of full-service shoppers, it is important to know how to get more batches. Instacart works with a priority access to batches based on star rating. So if you want to maximize your chance to have more batches you should keep an eye on your ratings.

Some third party apps will ask you to pay to have early access to orders. This is a scam and by using this bot system you take the risk of being deactivated from the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Instacart make money

The business model of Instacart is based on charging grocery stores a percentage fee for every order made on its platform. Other sources of income include a service fee and delivery fee as well Instacart Express, a monthly subscription service for consumers.

Can I Use My Instacart Card For Gas?

No, you will use the card to pay for any and all orders that are not prepaid. Instacart does not pay for gas and ticket. You cannot use the card for personal use.

Other Side Hustles Hiring Now

Instacart can be a money-making side hustle and a great opportunity to make money on the side if you’re able to maximize your working hour with all our tips and tricks. If you do not like the idea of standing for hours in a supermarket shopping, there are many other apps that can help you earn money. Today with the growth of the gig economy it’s always possible to earn extra cash on the side.

Some side hustle ideas similar to Instacart include being a rideshare driver for Lyft or Uber, or delivering food for services like DoorDash or Postmates . Take a look at our guide to the highest paying delivery jobs.

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