The Best Time To Do Instacart: Maximize Your Earnings As a Shopper
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On average, Instacart Shoppers make about $15 to $20 per hour. Some Shoppers can even pull in $25 per hour or more.
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If you’re not hitting even the $20 mark, it might mean you’re not picking the best times to work. Hang on, I’ll share with you the best times to do Instacart so you can earn more.
But before that, let me share a quick Instacart study with you: Instacart generated about $2.5 billion in revenue in 2022 according to data.
The app is on a steady expansion spree; it’s now available in over 14,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada – with about 2,000 retail partners including:
- ALDI
- Meijer
- Wegmans
- Kroger
- Whole Foods, etc.
Image Source: CBINSIGHTS
Additionally, Instacart currently has around 600,000 Shoppers. A survey conducted not long ago revealed that a whopping 90% of Shoppers had a favorable view, with Instacart being lauded for its flexible work options and competitive compensation.
Therefore, let’s delve into the best times to do Instacart so you can get your share of the pie!
What Are The Best Times To Do Instacart As A Shopper?
The best times to do delivery as an Instacart Shopper are:
- Weekdays (Monday – Friday): Around 4.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
- Weekends (Saturday and Sunday): Any time.
Instacart is a grocery delivery app, due to this, customers place their orders when they’re at home so they can receive their orders conveniently.
If you check your Instacart app during those times, you’ll see many batches available up for grabs. It’s a way to snag some earnings by completing these batches.
Instacart even does a great job of showing Shoppers the best times to shop specifically based on their location.
To check this, just open your Instacart app, and below the batches available, you can tap on “see best times to shop”.
The cool thing about doing Instacart during peak hours is that those gigs pay very well. Plus, you may get higher tips from customers if you manage to deliver their orders on time.
If you’ve worked with DoorDash before, you’ve likely seen that the best times for deliveries are a bit different compared to Instacart.
This is because DoorDash gets a rush of orders during mealtimes like breakfast, lunch, and dinner, setting it apart from Instacart’s schedule.
What Time Do Instacart Batches Drop in the Morning?
You can start grabbing Instacart batches as soon as 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m., but the exact time varies by location.
Also, the opening hours of partner stores of Instacart is a factor. If these stores aren’t open, Shoppers won’t be able to make those deliveries to customers.
Yet, in bustling cities where stores remain open 24 hours, Instacart batches are made available around the clock, allowing Shoppers to carry out deliveries at any time, day or night.
Here’s what some Shoppers had to say on Reddit:
Image Source: Reddit
What Time Is Instacart Most Active?
Since most people are out working during the daytime, Instacart is most active in the evenings and any time during the weekends when people are at home.
Instacart is also very active on holidays – so you can make huge profits as a Shopper on holiday rush. Here are some of the holidays you can expect large orders on Instacart:
- Christmas Eve
- New Year’s Eve
- Thanksgiving
- Hanukkah.
Literally, people place orders for these holidays ahead of time – either a week or two. This means you have a golden opportunity to earn more during these busy periods on Instacart.
Does Instacart Deliver 24/7?
Instacart offers 24/7 delivery services depending on the specific location. In most cases, orders come to an end at 11 p.m. except for vibrant cities – where orders are delivered around the clock.
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that not all of Instacart’s partner stores operate 24/7 for Shoppers to collect orders.
However, there are certain stores that stay open all day due to agreements between both parties. Some of Instacart’s partner stores that are open 24/7 are:
- CVS
- Safeway
- 7-Eleven
- Rite Aid
- Walgreens.
The Benefits of Doing Instacart at the Best Times
Working during Instacart’s peak times can really boost your earnings because these are the hours when you typically get better pay.
Plus, when you consistently deliver orders safely and on time, you’re more likely to receive great tips from customers.
What’s even better is that working during these peak times can help improve your customer rating, which is like your reputation.
A high rating is fantastic because it means Instacart will offer you the best-paying gigs first, before other Shoppers. Aim for a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars – that’s the sweet spot.
The new Instacart rating system is designed to be fair and helps you reach that 4.7 goal. In the past, bad ratings from customers could affect the orders you’d get next.
But now, Shoppers are all about getting and maintaining that 4.7 rating. And here’s the good news – Instacart is also going to drop ratings from customers who gave fewer than 5 stars in their last three orders.
Also, don’t fret if a customer gives you a low rating because of a delay caused by bad weather or a store running low on inventory. Those ratings won’t count against you either.
Helpful Tips to Earn More with Instacart
Here are some tips to help you amplify your earnings as an Instacart Shopper. If you’re able to follow them, plus work at the best times – you will undoubtedly earn decent money.
1. Take double and triple orders when available
At times, you might come across double or even triple orders bundled into a single batch on Instacart. Occasionally, two or three customers may place orders from the same store all at once.
When you accept such a batch, it means you’ll need to shop separately for each customer and then make separate deliveries.
The cool thing about these batches is that they offer higher pay compared to single deliveries. Plus, they help you save time because you can do all your shopping in one store.
2. Speed Up Your Delivery
Try to speed up your delivery. When you accept orders, move swiftly through the shopping, and make sure you get those goods to customers as fast as you can.
This way, you’ll be back in the game, ready to pick up another order and keep those earnings rolling in.
3. Get Closer To Big Stores
I think it’s a smart move to stick around larger stores when you’re working for Instacart. This way, when an order pops up on your smartphone, you can quickly shop from the store and complete the delivery ahead of other shoppers.
If you don’t happen to live just a short distance from one of Instacart’s partner stores, it’s a good idea to get closer to them before accepting orders.
Final Words
So, the best times to do Instacart are during weekday evenings and any time on weekends since by then customers are at home to receive their orders. Holidays like Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and Thanksgiving are also the best times to do Instacart.
Again, don’t forget that Instacart offers 24/7 delivery services mostly in lively cities. However, if you’re in a calm city, you can expect batches to be ready at 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m., with the last ones usually around 11:00 p.m.
Whether you’re a full-time Shopper or just doing it part-time, now is the perfect time to go all in with Instacart because you know the nitty-gritty!
But before you log off, you can also try these delivery apps similar to Instacart:
- DoorDash: This is for food delivery. You only need a car, bike, or scooter, plus a valid driver’s license. DoorDash pays between $18 and $20 per hour on average.
- Shipt: Another grocery delivery app to make money. Expect about $18 hourly.
- Uber Eats: On average, this delivery app pays around $18.78 per hour.
- Walmart Spark: Deliver groceries to customers of the big Walmart and make about $16 hourly.
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Manuelo is an entrepreneur and a personal finance nerd. He is the founder of Dollars And Freedom. An expert in side hustles, online gigs, and everything about making money. His works have been featured on major financial publications, like Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, and more. When he’s not busy with his blog or writing for others, you’ll catch him hanging out with loved ones or reading books on stoicism and self-development.
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