Shipt Shopper is a complimentary service offered by Shipt, a platform that simplifies buyers’ lives through simple and fast deliveries from local stores. They ensure that your online purchases of groceries and other household essentials reach your door in good time and shape and relies on Shipt Shoppers to deliver on that promise.
[Read More: Lending Money – Crypto Topics Information]
Shipt is an independent subsidiary of Target. It operates as an easy-to-use, membership-based grocery marketplace to enable the delivery of fresh foods and household essentials.
So, what does a Shipt Shopper do? The role of a Shipt Shopper is to shop for and make deliveries of the groceries and household essentials purchased from the marketplace to Shipt members within a requested time frame.
Shipt Shopper: Employee or contractor
Shipt Shoppers are neither employees of Shipt nor its registered members. Instead, you will be an independent contractor capable of deciding when and how you work.
You will set your schedule according to other aspects of your life, decide which Shipt members to shop for, and determine which hours to work. However, Shipt shoppers must make the deliveries within the required time.
There are plenty of resources to enhance platform success and help you become a stellar shopper. Resources such as the Shipt Shopper Hub’s advice on how to build your business help one become more proficient, especially as nobody is there to manage you.
All activities must be completed through the Shipt Shopper mobile app, including setting your schedule, accepting orders, and shopping for these orders.
How Shipt Shoppers make money
As independent contractors, Shipt Shoppers are not paid salaries or benefits by the Shipt platform or its members. Instead, you will be paid for every order you deliver to a Shipt member.
So, how much do Shipt Shoppers earn per order? Shipt Shopper commissions start at $5 for every order delivered successfully. Shoppers also receive a 7.5% commission based on the delivered order size.
The Shipt earnings standard guarantees that no offer on the marketplace will pay less than $16 per hour, regardless of where the member is located. However, Glassdoor data estimates that the median Shipt Shopper pay ranges between $11 and $25 per hour, with no less than $2 in additional earnings per order.
[Read More: Lending Money – Trending Finance Topics]
At this rate, Indeed.com estimates that an experienced Shipt Shopper could make $28,946 and $46,847 in annual pay, including tips.
Shipt members are encouraged to tip their shoppers and incentivize exceptional service. The tips are paid through the Shipt app, but a shopper keeps 100% of all tips received per successful delivery. Data from Indeed.com shows that members tipped an average of 20% on deliveries worth $50 or less, which drops to 10% on orders worth $200 or more.
Is Shipt worth it as a shopper?
Pay is a major consideration for Shipt Shoppers, and the marketplace offers competitive rates. However, even this has been dropping significantly, especially following Shipt’s acquisition by Target.
Still, there are plenty of incentives to become a Shipt shopper.
- Weekly pay
Shipt Shoppers get paid weekly via direct deposit. How much you earn in a week depends on the number of deliveries made and the tips received from your customers through the app.
Shipt does not take taxes out of your weekly paycheck. Being an independent contractor, Shipt does not withhold taxes from your paycheck, meaning you’re responsible for handling your tax liabilities. However, Shipt sends a 1099 form to shoppers earning above a set amount during the year.
- Good perks
Shipt shoppers make their work schedules, choose customer orders to deliver, and set their hours. This flexibility suits the self-motivated and independent self-employed workers looking for a second job.
- Easy to join
Compared to similar programs, it is not difficult to be a Shipt shopper. The marketplace has a very lenient application process and a supportive environment that makes it easy to get your first delivery. A new driver can easily average $20 per hour, making at least two deliveries during the period. Further, Shipt shoppers don’t have to wear the shirt despite receiving a couple of shirts from the marketplace.

Shipt Shopper: The downside
Shipt views its shoppers as independent contractors running their businesses. But Shipt shoppers are inherently tied to and sometimes at the mercy of the marketplace.
Here are the downsides to working as a Shipt shopper.
- No car expenses
Shipt Shoppers use their modes of transport to make deliveries, incurring delivery-related expenses. Shipt does not cover these expenses, including gas, mileage, insurance, etc. However, the Shipt app allows shoppers to track their mileage, which you then file with your taxes at the end of the year.
- Solo, lonely trips
Shipt forbids shoppers from having someone ride along while making deliveries as a security measure. Shipt shopping is, therefore, a solo enterprise, and only the approved Shipt Shopper who claims an order can shop for and deliver to the member.
- Holding the first paycheck
Service excellence notwithstanding, Shipt will hold your first week’s paycheck. Afterward, shoppers receive their paycheck every Friday via direct deposit.
- You can be fired
A Shipt shopper is an independent business owner until they’re fired. Shipt’s mobile app AI system controls everything, so shoppers are often fired without being listened to in case of an error or misunderstanding. AI-based decision-making produces very one-sided outcomes in dispute resolution.
The same applies when you drop more than two orders, which revokes your “Delivery Only” certification.
Related Questions
1) Can I do Shipt with my child?
Shipt does not allow ride-along parties; even another approved Shipt Shopper. The marketplace would not allow you to shop while having your baby with you. Shipt exclusively states that shoppers are not allowed to bring children along, but there are witness reports of Shipt Shoppers at the stores with their kids.
2) Can you make a living working on Shipt?
Shipt shopper is a good way to make additional money, but diligent workers can also make a living working on Shipt. The average pay ranges between $11 and $25 per hour, depending on deliveries made. While Shipt shopper earnings can vary wildly, the total amount earned per day also depends on hours worked and the distance between locations.
3) How many orders can you take on Shipt?
During your Shipt “Rookie” period, often the first ten “shop and deliver” trips, shoppers can only claim one order in the same hour-long window.
Conclusion
Shipt Shopper is an excellent way to make money online, whether you work full-time or on the side. The marketplace offers good hourly rates and lets shoppers keep 100% of their tips. Shoppers also benefit from independence and flexible schedules, while Shipt provides essential resources to help shoppers boost their businesses.