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Being an Instacart shopper can be a great way to earn extra money. However, there may be times when you face long periods without batches. That can mean long waiting times and ruin your earnings for the day.
So, what can you do? What causes you to get no Instacart batches? If you’re struggling with this issue, you’ll be happy to learn that there are some tips you can use to have more work and make more money.
We’ll explain how you can get more money and more batches to turn things around!
What’s the reason for no Instacart batches?
Instacart batches are basically a set of orders that their shoppers get on a periodic basis. Obviously, the more batches you get, the more money you will make as a shopper. In contrast, if you keep getting zero Instacart batches for long periods of time, then it will clearly not be very good for your bank account! But what exactly causes a shopper to get no batches from Instacart?
It’s easy to get zero Instacart orders if you have a low rating on the Instacart Shopper app. Your average Instacart Shopper rating is the average of all the reviews you have received from Instacart shoppers for the last 100 orders you have placed. If your rating is low, that will immediately hurt your chances of getting more orders.
It’s also possible that there are no orders being created on Instacart because there aren’t enough customers. It also depends on where you are located, because Instacart takes your location into account when assigning batches to you. Many shoppers park their cars in parking lots near grocery stores to help get a lot of orders. Check out where hot spots are on the Instacart map or in other areas of your city that are busy.
Why is getting lots of Instacart batches important?
Because your goal as a shopper is to get as many orders as possible, then it is crucial that you get enough batches to make it worth your while. That’s why you need to understand the importance of getting more batches.
It’s also important to note that Instacart is a seasonal business. The most common reason for getting no batches is because shoppers are doing seasonal shopping and there aren’t enough orders being created on Instacart. If you are getting no batches in the winter months, then it might be because there aren’t enough shoppers doing seasonal shopping during those months.
The essence of Instacart is that you’re gonna be in a competition against other shoppers. That’s why it’s crucial that you are doing everything you can to get more batches. Now that you know why Instacart batches are important, it’s time to find out how to get more batches! In this article, we will teach you how to get more Instacart orders and make more money as a shopper.
How does Instacart assign batches?
Instacart offers products in batches to shoppers who have the highest ratings; those who have higher ratings will get more products in their orders. Instacart uses a five-star rating system, so if you have low ratings, then you shouldn’t be surprised if you’re not getting as many batches as other shoppers.
Each time a customer places an order that goes past the last 100 items that they ordered, the rating system begins a new cycle based on their average rating for that order. Shoppers who have higher ratings will get the first opportunity to place an order over other shoppers. If your rating goes below 5 stars, you won’t be the first person to have an order placed for you.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t get orders from other shoppers if your rating falls below the average for other shoppers. But there may be less orders handed to you if the rating falls below those of other shoppers.
How do you get more Instacart batches?
Hot spots are a great way to get more Instacart orders – or to increase your odds of getting a batch – by waiting around for them! The Instacart Shopper app has a handy map that shows all the hot spots in your area. These are stores that have high demand and are often busy, so if you wait near one of these stores, you will get more batches of orders.
The map shows how far you are from hot spots and shows you how many orders are placed at each store on average. Try to stay within 1 mile of these spots!
You can also complete their alcohol and prescription delivery certifications. More sensitive orders, such as those involving meds and liquor, are given to shoppers who have specific certifications.
You can take alcohol and prescription delivery courses in the Shopper app if you want to start selling alcohol. You can take all of your alcohol and prescription classes in one sitting, but you must be at least 21 years of age to deliver alcohol to shoppers on Instacart. People also often complain that delivery people who take prescription orders will give you less income and generate less tips on average. So, use your good sense and don’t accept any orders just to get more orders!
Have your cooler bags approved
Another way to get more Instacart batches is to have your cooler bags approved. These are insulated food delivery bags that keep your customers’ food temperature controlled. In other words, cooler bags keep food cold or frozen before you deliver them.
If your cooler bags are approved, Instacart may give you more batches that include frozen or cold food items. To get your bags approved, just tap the “food safety” button in the Instacart app. This will take you through the certification process.
You’ll be required to send a photo of your cooler bags and show proof the bags are insulated.
If you don’t own any cooler bags, you can find affordable insulated bags at Amazon or Walmart, which run between $20 to $30. Remember, this is an investment in your business and it will help you earn more money in the long run!
Shop on the busiest days
At Instacart, there are various days when there’s more business than others. Shopping on these days can definitely earn you more batches and money!
One of the busiest days to shop on Instacart is Wednesday! Monday is another busy shopping day and an excellent way to earn more batches.
Can you take multiple batches at once?
You can take orders for many different batches at the same time. These are called double batches, and you can even get yourself assigned more than two batches at a time, sometimes up to even four batches. What you should do is to shop for several different batches at the same time.
Double batches are like two orders that you place together in one trip. You can shop for both of them all at the same time by going to the same grocery store. You’ll have to ship the right items to each individual buyer separately.
The most successful batches are those that contain the most items to buy. You need to pick orders that have a large number of items if you want to have the highest batch of customers paid. You could make more money by shopping in large batches at stores close to where you live. This will decrease the delivery time to your customers and give you more opportunities to quickly pick up other batches that are available.
So, to maximize your chances of getting more batches, you should set aside a predetermined amount of time in which you can fully commit to completing all of your orders. It’s important to get a large number of orders as soon as possible so that you can have the highest number of customers paid. This is also true for shoppers who are interested in alcohol and prescription delivery. If you are a seasoned personal shopper, you may be able to pick up multiple shifts during the week and choose your preferred delivery time.
