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Why does Instacart have a waitlist?
When you apply to work for Instacart, you will likely end up on a waitlist. This is the list of people who have joined a queue waiting until the next open position appears. You will not be able to pick up a shift as a result of waiting on the Instacart waitlist. You will just have to sit and wait and hope that the company will alert you when a new order becomes available.
Most people will have to wait until they are considered available for a job at Instacart, but not everyone will. If you live in an area where there are plenty of people who use the Instacart app, it may be possible to go for an order immediately. So why is there a waitlist in the first place? You may be on the waitlist because Instacart has more active drivers in the area than they need. Unless there are enough people using the Instacart app in your area, some of these drivers will have to wait until more orders come in.
You may be tempted to cancel your job position there when you’re stuck on a waitlist. But keep in mind that there are many other apps that operate a waiting list, as well. Waitlists for rideshare companies or grocery delivery services are fairly common, particularly when there’s more supply than demand for the service in an area.
What is the InstaCart Waitlist?
The InstaCart Waitlist is a waiting list of new shopper applicants. They are placed on this list if too many shoppers are already working in their area (market). That means that InstaCart currently has too many shoppers, and they don’t have enough work for new applicants.
If you’re on this waitlist, you may receive messages say there are no spots available. InstaCart then informs you that they will email you once there’s an opening available.
In addition, you may be placed on the InstaCart waitlist if the platform is unavailable in your zip code or area. In that case, it’s best to wait for InstaCart to expand into your market before becoming a shopper.
Why is my Instacart waitlist stuck?
The reason why you’re stuck on a waitlist for Instacart may have to do with the area you live in. Instacart works best in urban areas, where there are plenty of people who want to order groceries online. But if there aren’t enough orders for drivers in your area, you may be on a waitlist until there are more people who want to order from Instacart.
Normally, Instacart will send you an email when a spot opens up on the waitlist for you to purchase something for a customer. So, check whether you are on the list or not is on a regular basis on the email you signed up with to be an Instacart shopper. Remember to make sure you check in with the same email you signed up with and that you know the password to access your account. Do not call Instacart or email their customer service to see if you’ve been placed on a waitlist. This will likely be a waste of time, as Instacart only emails you when there’s a new spot available.
Can I skip the Instacart waitlist?
There is no way that you can skip the Instacart waiting list, but you can try to get around the waitlist and start shopping as soon as possible if you change the zipcode where you live. Applicants have to give a zipcode when they apply to be a driver.
Being on the waitlist means that your zip code area is fully filled with Instacart drivers. So no additional drivers are needed! But try changing your zipcode as soon as you can if you want to avoid being placed on a waiting list. Send them to customer service and they will see if any of them are acceptable.
Changing your zip code would likely take less than half an hour, so you can start shopping right away! If you are unable to change to a zip code with no waiting list, then there’s no choice but to wait until this one opens up.
In other words, the best way to avoid being placed on a waitlist is to move to an area where there are more people who want to order groceries online. But this is not an option that is available for everyone. Should you not have the right zip code where there’s a lot of Instacart orders available, you’ll be stuck waiting for a bit.
How do I get off the Instacart waitlist?
You simply can’t do much but wait for an open spot on Instacart so that you can get off the Instacart waitlist. Trying to get off the waitlist by using tricks , gaming the system, or complaining to their Support team will likely not work anymore.
If there are too many drivers shopping for Instacart products in your area, you’re probably going to spend some time on the watchlist. There are many details that are impossible to know, like how long the waitlist for Instacart customers will be in your area. However, there are ways to get off the waitlist.
If applicants have a good response rate to Instacart’s online request form or the customer support team is extremely helpful, they can learn how to bypass the waitlist.
How Long Does the InstaCart Waitlist Last?
Waitlist times can vary from area to area, so the length of your wait depends on the market and how many other shoppers there are, and how many are on the waitlist like you.
In some cases, it can take several months to get off the list; however, in some areas, the wait may only be a few days or a week.
We’re not sure if there’s an official policy for how long your wait may be. So, it could be that you’ll be on the waitlist for a while. It could be several days, weeks, or months before you start working as a shopper.
How to See If InstaCart is Hiring in Your Area
The best way to see if InstaCart is hiring in your area is to enter your zip code on the app’s website and see if it shows openings in your area.
What are alternatives to waiting for the Instacart waitlist?
Instacart has one of the largest delivery networks in the world, so you’ll be stuck on a waitlist for some time if you’re not in an area with plenty of orders. If you live in an area where there are plenty of people who want to order from Instacart, then you may be able to get off the waitlist immediately after signing up. But most likely, you’ll have to wait until there are more orders available for Instacart drivers.
If you’re impatient, there’s no rule saying you have to wait around for Instacart. After all, there are many other gig economy apps and services that you can use to get paid for shopping. You could also join a crowd-sourced or on-demand labor service like TaskRabbit or Fiverr. These are typically much cheaper than Instacart, and you can usually find plenty of orders to take.
If you still want a gig that involves driving and delivery, you can try out Postmates, Uber, Lyft, and much more. These are some of the most popular apps for ordering food, groceries, and other products. The bottom line is that you don’t have to wait around for a spot on the Instacart waitlist if you want to get paid to shop online. You can use other apps that are much cheaper and may be better suited for your area. In fact, many people would recommend switching back and forth between these different apps to get the most orders whenever you can, as opposed to relying on Instacart exclusively.
