15 Instacart Tips for Beginners: Start Earning $20+/Hour

Your first week on Instacart can be frustrating. You'll see experienced shoppers grabbing the best batches while you're stuck with low-paying orders. But here's the truth: most new shoppers make the same avoidable mistakes that tank their earnings and ratings.

This guide covers the 15 tips that separate struggling new shoppers from those earning $800-1,200 in their first week. These aren't generic advice - they're specific strategies from shoppers who've completed 1,000+ batches.

1. Start at Stores You Already Know

Your biggest time-waster as a new shopper? Wandering around unfamiliar stores looking for items. The app's aisle numbers are often wrong or outdated.

Do this instead: For your first 10-20 batches, only accept orders from stores where you already shop. You know where the organic section is. You know where they hide the specialty items. This alone can cut your shopping time by 30-40%.

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• Insulated Food Delivery Bag - Keep orders hot/cold for better ratings and tips
• Dashboard Phone Mount - Hands-free navigation for safe deliveries
• 36W Fast Car Charger - Keep your phone charged during long shifts
• 20000mAh Portable Power Bank - Backup power for extended delivery blocks

2. Learn the $1/Item Rule

Most experienced shoppers use this rule: a batch should pay at least $1 per item. A 30-item order paying $25? Skip it. A 20-item order paying $28? Take it.

This rule protects you from batches that look good but actually pay poorly per hour of work.

3. Avoid Triple Batches (For Now)

Instacart bundles multiple orders into "double" or "triple" batches. While these can pay well, triples are a trap for new shoppers.

Problems with triples when you're new:

• Keeping 3 orders separate in your cart is confusing
• Wrong item in wrong bag = 3 unhappy customers = rating destroyed
• If one customer has issues, it tanks your completion time
• Stressful when you're still learning the app

Rule: Stick to single orders for your first 30 batches. Then try doubles. Wait until you're consistently fast before attempting triples.

4. Position Yourself Before Peak Hours

Instacart's algorithm favors shoppers who are already near busy stores when orders come in. Sitting at home refreshing the app = fewer batches.

Arrive at a busy shopping plaza 15-30 minutes before peak. Park, keep the app open, and watch the good batches roll in.

5. Communicate Proactively About Replacements

Out-of-stock items are inevitable. How you handle them directly affects your tips and ratings.

Bad approach: Just pick the app's suggested replacement without asking.

Good approach: Send a quick photo and message: "Hi! They're out of [item]. I found [alternative] - would this work, or would you prefer a refund?"

This takes 30 seconds and often increases your tip. Customers appreciate being informed, not surprised at delivery.

6. Never Accept No-Tip Orders

This is controversial but important: orders showing $0 tip rarely get tip-adjusted after delivery. Despite what you might hope, no-tip customers usually stay no-tip customers.

The exception: very small orders (under 10 items) with high batch pay in slow periods. But generally, no-tip orders train the algorithm that you'll accept low-paying work.

7. Get Insulated Bags (Plural)

Instacart sends you one small insulated bag. That's not enough. Buy 2-3 more quality insulated bags from Amazon or Costco.

Why this matters:

• Frozen items melting = complaints = rating drops
• Hot summer days destroy cold items fast
• Separating cold/frozen for double orders is easier
• Professional appearance can increase tips

8. Learn to Speed-Shop the Produce Section

Produce is where new shoppers lose the most time. You're checking every avocado, comparing apples, second-guessing banana ripeness.

Speed tricks:

• Grab produce last (after frozen/cold items are in insulated bags)
• Pick items quickly - most customers don't expect perfection
• If an item looks bad, snap a photo, refund it, move on
• Learn the PLU codes for common items (saves checkout time)

9. Check Delivery Instructions BEFORE Shopping

Nothing worse than completing a perfect shop, driving 15 minutes, then discovering: "Leave at side door, gate code is 4521, call when arriving, no knocking - baby sleeping."

Check delivery notes before you start shopping. Red flags to watch for:

• Gated communities with no code provided
• Apartment buildings with no unit number
• Commercial addresses during closed hours
• "Call upon arrival" (unresponsive customers are common)

10. Protect Your Rating Like Your Life Depends On It

Your rating directly affects batch access. Drop below 4.7 and you'll see fewer good batches. Drop below 4.5 and you're essentially invisible to the algorithm.

11. Use the "Start Shopping" Time Trick

Don't hit "Start Shopping" until you're actually in the store ready to grab items. Your shopping time is tracked and affects your metrics.

Many new shoppers hit start while parking or walking in. Those extra 2-3 minutes per batch add up to worse stats and potentially fewer priority batches.

12. Track Your Actual Hourly Rate

The app shows what you earned. It doesn't show your real hourly rate after gas, car wear, and time between batches.

Simple tracking method: Note your start time when you leave home. Note your end time when you're done for the day. Calculate total earnings / total hours. That's your real rate.

Most new shoppers think they're making $22/hour but are actually closer to $14-16/hour when they track properly.

13. Don't Chase Batches Across Town

You see a $45 batch pop up at a store 20 minutes away. By the time you get there, it's gone - or you've burned gas and time for nothing.

Better strategy: Pick 2-3 stores in a tight zone and stay in that area. You'll get more batches overall and waste less time driving between opportunities.

14. Know When to Use the Help Chat

Instacart support is hit-or-miss, but knowing when to use it can save orders:

• Customer unresponsive: Chat can cancel without hurting your metrics
• Store out of 50%+ items: Get cancellation approved
• Delivery address wrong: Document and get guidance
• Customer asks to add items: Only do this through the app, never cash

Don't bother support for minor issues. Save it for situations that actually threaten your ratings.

15. Set a Minimum Batch Threshold

Decide in advance: "I won't accept any batch under $X." For most markets, $15-18 is reasonable for beginners. This stops you from impulsively grabbing low-paying work.

When it's slow and you're tempted to take that $9 batch - don't. That 45 minutes could've been spent waiting for a $25 batch that takes the same time.