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$38.53 (as of April 26, 2024 18:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Instacart is becoming one of the most popular side hustles for many people looking to earn some extra cash. As an Instacart shopper, you are an independent contractor who shops for and delivers groceries to customers using the Instacart platform. With Instacart, it is very possible to earn $200 or more per day if you know the right strategies. In this article, I will share everything you need to know to consistently make $200 daily or more as an Instacart shopper.
What is Instacart?
To start, let’s cover the basics of what Instacart is. Instacart is a same-day grocery delivery and pick-up service that operates in major metropolitan areas across North America. Customers can place orders from various grocery stores using the Instacart app or website. Their order is then shopped and delivered by an Instacart shopper.
Instacart shoppers, or “personal shoppers”, are independent contractors who use the Instacart platform to pick up batches (customer orders) and shop/deliver them for a fee. As a shopper, you utilize the Instacart app to view available batches in your area, accept batches, shop for the groceries ordered by the customer, then deliver the order to the customer’s doorstep. Payment is made via direct deposit after completing a batch.
The great thing about Instacart is that it allows you the flexibility to work when and where you want. You can pick up batches and earn money anytime stores are open in your area. It’s easy to fit Instacart shopping around your existing work/school schedule or as a primary source of income. With practice and the right strategies, it is very achievable to earn over $200 in a day as an Instacart shopper.
Is it Realistic to Make $200 a Day with Instacart?
A common question is whether it’s truly possible for an Instacart shopper to consistently make $200+ per day. The short answer is yes, with effort and experience, you can easily meet and exceed $200 daily earnings on the Instacart platform. Here are some key points to consider:
Many top Instacart shoppers report earning between $20-$30 per completed batch on average. Doing 8-10 batches per day would equate to $160-$300 in earnings.
Popular times like weekday mornings/afternoons and weekends generally have more batch availability and higher pay. Shoppers in major metro areas also have more opportunity.
Experience and speed leads to higher tips. Faster, more accurate shoppers tend to get better tip percentages, boosting total pay per batch.
Knowing item locations, using Insulated bags, and having a good customer service rating can speed up your shops, allowing more batches per day.
Multi-apping (using multiple gig apps concurrently) can boost your income potential on slow Instacart days by supplementing with orders from other platforms like DoorDash or Shipt.
With practice, most shoppers find their pace and income increases substantially after the first few months as they learn tricks of the trade.
As you’ll learn from the strategies in this guide, $200 per day is certainly achievable for experienced, full-time Instacart shoppers – and even part-timers in busy metro zones. Of course, your individual results may vary based on your market and work ethic. But with the right approach, $200 daily earnings are absolutely within reach.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Before you can start earning consistently with Instacart, there are a few important preparations you need to make. Proper setup and optimization can give you a big advantage right out of the gate. Here are some things to do first:
Make sure your phone and vehicle are in good working condition. The Instacart app will be your lifeline, so have a reliable phone with ample battery life and data. You’ll also need a vehicle capable of grocery hauling.
Sign up for an Instacart shopper account online. Complete the application process, onboarding training and obtain approved background check/ ratings.
Get insulated bags. High-quality cold/hot bags that keep groceries at proper temperatures throughout delivery are essential equipment for good ratings.
Choose your store preferences. Research the busiest locations in your area and get familiar with store layouts before starting. Target markets with one-stop-shop big box stores.
Create a professional Instagram/social media profile. Use hashtags like #instacartshopper to connect with other shoppers and stay updated on local strategies/opportunities.
Get organized supplies. Stock your car with rolling cart, boxes, extra bags, cleaning items, small toolkit etc. A clean, well-prepared vehicle makes for smooth batches.
Learn the ins and outs. Study effective navigation techniques, batch acceptance strategies, shopping/delivery etiquette from experienced shoppers online before accepting your first order. This preparation will give you a head start.
Mastering Batch Selection
To make $200 daily, you need to consistently pick up higher paying batches that fit your schedule and capabilities. This means becoming a master at batch selection on the Instacart platform. Here are some advanced strategies for finding the best batches:
Focus on high item count/heavy pay orders. More items equals more potential for heavy pay bumps. Shop heavy as it builds your speed.
Prioritize multi-order batches over singles if offered reasonable unit pay. Two medium orders = two customer tips!
Shop during peak hours when batches pay more via boosts/bonuses. Monday-Friday 11am-2pm, weekends all day tend to have consistent batches.
Filter your search to show only full-service orders. Delivery-only batches pay less. Selective accepting improves your income potential.
Check order details before accepting, especially unit price and delivery address location/potential wait times. Some orders aren’t worth the hassle.
Consider distance from store to delivery. Multi-mile deliveries waste time and gas money vs short runs concentrated around one zone.
Take note of high-tipping customer addresses for future “priority access” batches if location is convenient.
Learn the value of each store contract. For example, Costco doubles minimum batch pay when heavy order threshold is met, leading to high-paying batches.
Shadow other shoppers. Watch experienced shoppers in busy zones to learn hidden gem store locations and strategic batch selection techniques specific to your market.
With practice, you’ll learn to glance at an offer and immediately gauge how much time/money it represents. Batch selection takes some trial and error but becomes second nature over time. Mastering this skill is key to maximizing your earning potential.
Shopping Strategies for Speed and Accuracy
How you conduct the actual shopping process also greatly impacts your daily earnings. Adopting best practices allows you to get in and out of stores quickly while still providing a great customer experience. Here are some pro tips:
Memorize store layouts and common replacement item locations. This shaves precious minutes off every shop.
Use the Instacart app breadcrumb trail feature to navigate a precise route that minimizes backtracking.
Replace expired/out of stock items promptly and within reason to avoid upsetting the customer. Provide replacement photos when possible.
Bag items together based on delivery address to streamline unloading at handoff. Group perishables, frozen items, produce etc.
Save time at checkout by having store loyalty/Instacart membership numbers ready. Know what payment methods are accepted for fast checkout.
Use insulated bags efficiently. Everything cold goes in the cold bags together, hot foods/drinks in separate bags to avoid contamination.
Double check orders against receipts before leaving stores to catch any errors or missing items at checkout prior to delivery.
Send introductory “hello” messages to customers to inform of your shopping progress and estimated delivery window. Provide updates if delays arise.
Deploy unique organization techniques like sticker labeling or categorized storage bins to make unloading and itemization at delivery faster and easier.
With practice and focus on precision, top shoppers can breeze through large $40-60 orders in under 30 minutes, minimizing driving time between batches. Efficiency means more batches daily and higher income potential.
Delivery Fundamentals
You’re almost to the finish line once you’ve shopped the groceries. But delivering efficiently is still important for more batches per day. Here are some delivery best practices:
Keep cold/hot items in separate insulated bags, labeled, and easily accessible during delivery. Less time rooting around in your car.
Messages customers a few minutes before arriving to let them know their order is on the way.
Park legally, turn hazards on and carry groceries up in one trip if possible. Minimize multiple round trips from your car.
Double check items and receipts with customer, solicit feedback, and clearly identify yourself as their Instacart shopper before departing.
Send a follow-up satisfaction survey request message after delivery. Positive ratings help you get priority access batches from preferred stores/customers.
Leave a personalized thank you note with your name/shopper ID for return customers to gain a loyal base of tipper
Here are some additional tips for making $200 a day with Instacart:
Master replacements. Learning a store’s replacement policies and which items are most commonly out of stock allows you to quickly suggest high-quality replacements that customers will approve, avoiding unnecessary back-and-forth messaging.
Track your receipts and expenses. Use an expense tracking app to log your mileage, gas costs, insulated bag purchases, etc. This allows you to accurately calculate your net earnings each day and year for tax purposes. Some shoppers are able to write off around 30-50% of income as business expenses.
Join local Instacart Shopper Facebook groups. Here you can connect with other shoppers in your area to share batch notifications in real-time, learn about promos and bonuses, discuss best practices, and collaborate on pacing strategies for your market.
Learn heavy pay item thresholds. For example, at most stores the heavy pay bump kicks in at around 50 items. If you see a large 49-item batch, messaging the customer to add one more qualifies you for an extra $5-10.
Multi-app. On slower Instacart days, open up other gig apps like DoorDash, UberEats or Shipt to fill in the gaps. Juggling orders from multiple platforms simultaneously can maximize your hourly income.
Track your metrics. Know your ratings, on-time percentages, speed, item accuracy and unit earnings over time so you can analyze areas to improve. Top metrics get access to better paying priority batches.
Avoid unnecessary replacements. If an exact replacement is unavailable, refund the item and adjust the order total rather than choosing an item you’re unsure about. This preserves your excellent ratings.
Use insulated bags effectively. Proper use of hot/cold bags throughout the entire shopping and delivery process prevents issues like melted ice cream that could reduce your ratings. First impressions matter!
Choose your hours strategically. Weekday mornings and afternoons usually have boosted peak pay. Weekends are generally busier but typically see proportionately lower batch pay. Adjust your schedule accordingly.
Dedicate one zone. Learn a specific high-volume zone intricately for maximum experience and earnings over time rather than bouncing around unfamiliar areas that waste learning curves.
With time and experience applying these advanced techniques, most professional full-time Instacart shoppers ultimately achieve consistent daily incomes exceeding $200 or more. How much you earn depends on optimizing every aspect of the process. Commit to continual learning and improvement.
Inventory Management & Batch Completion Strategies
Now let’s discuss some strategies for batch completion and inventory management – both key areas to maximize income while maintaining high customer satisfaction:
Using insulated bags to keep items separate during shopping (produce, meat, cold goods, frozen, household etc) makes logical packing for multiple deliveries more efficient when batching several shop-together orders. It also ensures proper temperatures are maintained. Here are some multi-order batch completion techniques:
Stage grocery bundles in your car by customer address order rather than store checkout sequence for faster sequential deliveries.
Use stickers or markers to label each bundle with customer name/address to avoid mixups loading/unloading your vehicle between stops.
Message customers whose orders you will deliver last to notify them you will be on a multi-stop trip and provide an estimated delivery window.
Time your driving routes efficiently between stops and save the longest hauls for later in your route when possible to minimize mileage.
Check in periodically with customers still waiting for later deliveries regarding your estimated time of arrival at each stop remaining.
To avoid mixups, only scan/deliver items from one customer’s order at a time rather than scanning multiple orders simultaneously.
For inventory control, shoppers use bins, totes, sticker systems or color-coded bags sorted in their vehicles by department/perishability. This minimizes time spent finding items later for damaged/missing report inquiries which can negatively impact ratings. Organization is key.
Use cold packs or freezer blocks to maintain frozen foods all day through peak summer or multiple deliveries. Replace as needed. A well-prepared shopper maximizes customer and income satisfaction on each batch!
Marketing & Branding Your Shopper Business
With experience, many top earning Instacart shoppers treat it as an independent business, branding themselves for customer loyalty and higher earnings over time. Here are branding strategies business-minded shoppers utilize:
Design personalized branded magnetic car signs, stickers or shirts with your shopper name/Instacart shopper status to promote name recognition.
Launch a shopper-specific Instagram profile with your picture, bio offering 5-star service, local shopper location hashtag, photos of deliveries and shoutouts from customers.
Create eye-catching flyers/business cards promoting your shopper services with your photo, contact info and social media links to leave in deliveries.
Send newsletters to preferred customers sharing your business/holiday schedule, new product/service offerings like evening/weekend delivery hours.
Optimize your profile and location within the Instacart platform so preferred customers can more easily request your shopper services specifically using the platform messaging.
Collect email addresses from loyal customers and send occasional promotional email blasts about new programs, sales on insulated bags/coolers for rent, catering or meal kit services to grow your side business over time.
Host customer appreciation events like new season product tastings to cultivate loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals organically growing your shopper clientele base over the long run.
With dedication to superior shopper customer experience and relationship building, it is possible to eventually generate consistent $200 daily earnings and more solely through a roster of loyal preferred customers. Smart branding differentiate you from the crowd.
Staying Motivated, Healthy & Happy
Working as an independent contractor means there will be ups and downs. Some days you’ll crush it, others may be slower. Staying motivated through challenges is key to long-term success. Here are wellness strategies top shoppers employ:
Track progress & goals to feel success – Whether daily/weekly income or customer ratings, measuring markers of growth keeps you motivated to achieve more.
Schedule rest days to avoid burnout. Even after just one day off your energy, patience and shopping speed will feel refreshed.
Play motivating podcasts or audiobooks to make the time fly and spark new ideas. Andrew Carnegie’s autobiography fueled many shoppers’ success.
Celebrate wins big or small daily through healthy non-food rewards like a massage or cozy socks to avoid comfort eating when stressed.
Prioritize hydration, stretch breaks and protein snacks throughout long shopping days to avoid fatigue or low blood sugar impacting accuracy or patience.
Seek mentorship in Facebook groups from veteran shoppers for encouragement and advice on challenges like low ratings or order issues. Their experience can save you time and hassle.
Keep a log of positive customer feedback to reference on tough days reminding you why consistency, accuracy and great service are worthwhile factors in your business.
Compare current month performance to past records to stay focused on continual improvement, not competition with other shoppers. Personal bests drive motivation.
With grit and a positive mindset, independent success on the Instacart platform is achievable. Consistency stems from daily determination, self-care and always striving to sharpen shopper skills and business practices.
Tax Prep, Business Expenses & Record Keeping
As your earnings grow, proper record keeping and tax preparation become critical for compliance and maximizing financial advantage. Here are vital shopper tax tips:
Open a separate business bank account and credit card to easily track all expenses come tax season.
Log all shopper-related driving miles throughout the tax year. A mileage tracking app like Everlance is deductible at the standard IRS rate.
Save all purchase receipts for insulated bags, car accessories, taxes/fees, data plans and any other shopper infrastructure costs.
Purchase an accounting software like Quickbooks Self-Employed to effortlessly categorize income/itemized deductions in one place.
Set aside at least 25-30% of your Instacart income quarterly for self-employment taxes to avoid an unpleasant tax bill later.
Consider taking some deductions quarterly against current income like the QBI deduction to get some money back and reduce your tax burden earlier rather than later.
Form an LLC or S-Corp to take additional allowable business structure tax deductions if your income reaches certain thresholds.
Establish a SEP or Solo 401k retirement savings account contributing pre-tax income up to $58k annually for added future benefits and lower current taxable income.
Consult a tax professional experienced with independent contractors for advice specific to your geographic tax laws and unique shopper circumstances come tax season to maximize advantages and avoid penalties.
Proper bookkeeping and strategic long-term tax planning ensures this side hustle continues to propel your financial success well into the future by retaining more of what you earn. Consultation is a prudent expense.
Growing Your Income & Opportunities
With time, commitment to continual self-improvement and smart business practices, it is feasible to scale your Instacart earnings far beyond $200 per day. Let’s discuss some strategies veteran shoppers implement to grow their income potential:
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$13.94 (as of April 26, 2024 18:18 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
