How to Get More Batches in Instacart

Hundreds of millions of people have dived into the “gig-economy” by filling orders for Instacart. Maybe you’ve been working at it for a while but it’s not paying off as you hoped. Perhaps you can’t get more batches on Instacart so you’re ready to quit.

Fortunately, you don’t have to give up on Instacart as your side hustle. Keep reading to learn how to get enough batches to keep your pockets full.

How to Get More Batches

As an independent contractor, your goal is to find the keys to success in your field. This article tells how other Instacart shoppers get more batches. You’ll learn the importance of the Instacart rating system and how it works. Also, we’ve included some “dos” and “don’ts” for making more money with Instacart.

How the Instacart Shopper Rating System Works

Your success as an Instacart shopper totally depends on your ratings. Ratings are calculated using several factors, such as your availability and customer comments. Your ratings make or break your income from Instagram shopping. Therefore, it is important that you understand how the Instacart rating system works.

The main points to remember about Instacart shopper ratings include:

• A 5-star rating system determines batch assignments.
• The ratings primarily come from customer scores on the customer Instacart app.
• The average of your last 100 orders is used to compute the 5-star rating.
• Rating cycles re-start every 100 orders.

Each rating is assigned a point. In other words, a 5-star rating equals 5 points, and so on. Your points are added when you make 100 deliveries. The total is divided by the number of ratings you received in those one hundred deliveries. This number is your average rating.

Simply stated, shoppers with the highest ratings get more batches. Low ratings mean fewer batches. Consistently low ratings could mean dismissal.

There are some negative ratings that Instacart will not factor into your average. Usually, the negative is for a reason that was beyond your control. Among these reasons:

• Items were out of stock
• Power outages
• Severe weather
• Your lowest score is always forgiven

Your score average determines your overall shopper rating from excellent to poor. The Instacart algorithm automatically prioritizes the highest-ranking shoppers for batch offers.

Improving Your Rating

You don’t have to leave your rating to chance. Commit to becoming proactive in pulling up your rating numbers. Your effort will pay off many times over in the form of a bigger check.

Find Busy Stores

Instacart gets more business in areas with the highest delivery requests. To meet that demand, the company assigns more shoppers to the area. You can increase your chances of getting more batches based on your location when a batch comes into the system.

Follow these steps to get in position:

1. Open your Instacart Shopping App.
2. Go to “Map View.”
3. Search for the busiest stores (indicated with colored circles).
4. Drive to an area within one mile of a busy store.
5. Go online to show your location and availability.

Shoppers that are within a mile of high-demand stores have a higher chance of seeing available batches. Moving your vehicle to an area near the so-called “hot spots” can maximize your earnings.

Meet Consumer Demands

Instacart expands its services based on unmet customer needs. For instance, if many customers request delivery of items such as beauty supplies, sporting goods, and electronics, Instagram will contract with retailers that supply these items.

Make yourself available for more customer requests by:

1. Shopping on Sundays when customer demand is the highest.
2. Taking the alcohol certification course to deliver liquor in alcohol-enabled states.
3. Using a larger vehicle for delivery, if possible, so you can accept larger batches.

Your batches will increase with how much more you offer. Keep looking out for ways to unlock the types of batch types you can shop. For example, get your cooler bags approved so you can earn a Safe Food Handling badge.

There are two ways to achieve the badge in the app:

1. Buy insulated bags through Instacart’s preferred vendor.
2. Purchase insulated bags that meet the Safe Food Handling flow standards.

Send a picture and description of bags you purchase to Instagram Support. You will need approval to earn your badge. Demonstrate your commitment to handling food safely. Read and follow the food safety best practices information on the Instacart shopping website.

How to Accept More Than One Order

The fastest way to get more batches on Instacart is to accept two orders. In other words, shop for two customers with separate orders at the same store.

These are your steps to complete a double order for Instacart:

1. Open the Instacart Shopper app and accept “Double-Batch Order.”
2. Go to the selected store. Click “Got It” on the Instacart app reminder that pops up.
3. Shop the order as usual for both customers. Use separate carts to keep the order straight, if possible.
4. Confirm that each order is accurate by checking the list screen on the app.
5. Check out one order at a time. Make sure the bags are kept separate.

Take the bags to your car but put them in separate areas. For example, put the bags for the first customer in the trunk. Then, place the next customer’s bags on your back seat. Now you’re ready to deliver your orders.

Instacart will display a delivery page for the double batch. Follow the same process as a single delivery for the first order. Follow these steps before you start the second order:

1. Drop off the items at the first customer’s address.
2. Move the red “Swipe to complete delivery” slider on the app. This marks the first order as complete.
3. Wait for Instacart to send another delivery page. Swipe that page to begin the second delivery and to start the timer.
4. Navigate to the second customer’s address.
5. Swipe the “Swipe to complete delivery” again to complete the second order.

Filling two or more batches at a time is complicated but more lucrative. The way to get through it is to take one step at a time. Make sure you communicate with the customers. Finally, deliver excellent service along with their items.

Low Rating Factors

If your ratings continue to drop, find out why they are so low. Do everything you can to raise your rating to excellent or above-average to get more batches.

These are common reasons for low Instacart shopper ratings:

• Passing over a lot of batches
• Too far away from stores
• Missing the four-minute time limit to respond to a batch
• Location services not turned on

Most importantly, poor customer service is definitely unhelpful to your ratings. Customers not only deserve excellent service, but their input weighs heavily on your Instacart shopper score.

Here are a few tips to keeping a customer happy:

• Follow any instructions they leave to the letter.
• Send a message to clarify anything you’re not sure about.
• Remain professional yet friendly if you have to make customer contact.

It is true that some issues will be out of your control. But in areas where you can improve, make changes that will get you more batches.

Business Is Booming

Over 500,000 Instacart shoppers make money every day, and you can too. Don’t leave your earnings to chance. Use the suggestions in this article to set yourself up for success.

How long have you been a shopper with Instacart? Share some tips that have helped you get more batches. Leave a comment in the box below.