Do you often use Shipt to get groceries and other household essentials? Then you may be asking this burning question: “How much to tip Shipt shoppers?”
Below, we’ll answer this and discuss how to tip your Shopper, among many other things.
Let’s begin!
What is the Proper Shipt Tipping Etiquette?
According to the Shipt website, tips are not necessary – though they are greatly appreciated. But as traditional customer gratuities go, it’s recommended to tip at least 10% of the amount of the total bill.
But if you got discounts for your order, you should tip based on the non-deducted amount.
Basically, this is similar to what you’d give to any service worker – be it restaurant servers or your neighborhood pizza delivery man.
Of course, you can always give more than the amount mentioned above. If you received impeccable customer service, you could show your appreciation by tipping as much as 15% to 20% of the total Shipt order amount.
Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas, actually campaigns for the latter. She advocates for the 20 or 5 rule, which is tipping your delivery driver “20% of the total bill or $5 — whichever is higher.”
As she explains in an interview:
“Tipping is a mandatory part of the cost of any meal that is brought to your doorstep. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out or order in.”
And, in the case of bad weather, such as rain or snow, it’s always good to add a few dollars on top of the percentages mentioned above.
You know how challenging it is to go out and drive in these conditions. That’s why you had your groceries delivered in the first place!
Should You Tip if You Receive Bad Service?
If you received subpar service, you might not want to give any tip at all. But before you do so, think of this: is it your driver’s shortcoming – or is it that of a grocery store?
It would be unfair to refuse to give them a tip, especially for out-of-stock items – mainly because it’s out of the shopper’s control. They made an effort to complete your list, so make sure to consider that!
Should You Tip for Pickup Orders?
Are you planning on getting the items to avoid the pick-up fees and whatnot? Or are the available delivery times not suitable for you?
Then you may be wondering: should you tip your Shopper if you’re going to get the products in the first place?
According to etiquette professionals, you should.
As per a Reader’s Digest article, it’s good to “Tip your shopper, even if you go to the store and pick up the delivery yourself.”
Again, the recommended amount is at least 10% of the bill. Remember: they still spent time picking and bagging your orders.
Do Most Shipt Customers Tip?
Although tips aren’t mandatory for Shipt shoppers, you’ll be glad to know that most customers give decent tips. This is just one of the things that attract more Shoppers to Shipt.
Again, the amount is up to you, but it’s good to follow the standard mentioned earlier – 10% to 20%.
Here are more tips on ‘tipping.’
How to Tip Your Shipt Shopper
Should you decide to give a good tip to your Shipt shopper, know that you can do it in a couple of ways.
For one, you can tip your driver early via the Shipt app. You just need to enter a calculated (10%, 15%, or 20%) or custom amount on the tipping screen. If you want to increase/decrease the amount, you can do so even after receiving the delivery.
This is the perfect opportunity to show your shopper some love!
Remember: they will only see/receive the amount two hours after the service, so you don’t have to worry about any awkwardness whatsoever when they hand the bags to you.
You can also give a cash tip upon delivery.
The good news is 100% of this amount goes to Shipt drivers. Furthermore, it doesn’t affect the salary they receive from Shipt. They’re luckier compared to the other service workers who get wages based on the tips they earn.
Why Tip Your Shipt Shopper
From a service standpoint, tipping makes a big difference. After all, these workers only earn the minimum wage – roughly about $15 to $22 an hour.
Currently, the Shipt shoppers’ wage is derived from a base pay of $5 per order plus 7.5% of the total order amount. That means shoppers may earn as much as $150 a day to $200-$500 a week.
This is far below the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s recommended living wage. According to a report, it should be $24.16 per hour – based on one’s food, housing, transportation, and healthcare expenses, to name a few.
Additionally, this wage does not account for other out-of-pocket gig economy costs, such as waiting in line or getting stuck in traffic. They also need to pay for gas, car repairs, and whatnot.
The upper range is often expected in New York or Los Angeles, as gig workers in these locations can get as much as $30 an hour.
In smaller places with fewer orders, however, employees rarely go beyond $20 an hour. You need not worry about this, though, as Shipt may offer promos to boost demand. Not only is it suitable for the shoppers, but it also benefits you and other clients.
As one shopper contends:
“Definitely tip more if you’re living in an apartment…and I’m going to have to pay to park, or double-park and risk a ticket—or if you’re on, like, the 15th floor.”
More About Shipt
Shipt is a membership-based marketplace that allows you, the client, to get the following delivered to your home:
- Groceries
- Alcohol
- Household essentials
- Pet supplies
- Office supplies and furniture
- Electronics
Essentially, Shipt gives you access to these popular stores:
- Costco
- CVS
- Harris Teeter
- HEB
- HyVee
- Meijer
- Target
- Walgreens
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- BevMo!
- Sephora
- Petco
You can get your products in as quick as an hour, though you have the option to schedule your delivery – be it tomorrow or next week. And, in case you forgot to put something on your list, you can always call your shopper to make a last-minute addition.
Similar to shopping in-store, you can also avail of sale items in the establishments mentioned above. In fact, you may get some products at a lower price – thanks to the app-exclusive deals and manufacturer coupons.
And, based on your dietary preferences, your Shopper can make substitute selections for out-of-stock items. You won’t find this feature in other food delivery services, such as Instacart or Amazon Fresh.
Happy with your shopper’s service? You can tip them, rate them five stars, or add them to your preferred list of shoppers. In fact, doing the latter will increase your chances of being matched with them for future orders. Again, this is a feature that’s only available in Shipt!
How Much Does a Shipt Membership Cost?
To avail of Shipt’s grocery delivery services, you only need to pay $10 (+ fees) per transaction for a one-time delivery. However, you can also avail of a promo where your first order is free. Just type in the code “GETSHIPT” before checking out.
If you’re happy with the service and want unlimited deliveries, you have the option to pay a monthly fee of $10.99 (+ fees) or an annual fee of $99 (+ fees.)
Tip: You can get a free Shipt membership if you are a Visa Infinite consumer credit cardholder. You can also get a complimentary four-week trial by signing up through the Target website.
Remember: as long as your orders cost more than $35, you don’t have to pay a delivery fee. If not, you’ll need to pay an additional $7.
That said, you may have to add a $7 fee on top of orders with alcohol.
Should you decide to pick up orders, there are no fees to pay. But, as mentioned above, tips for such orders are greatly appreciated!
Should you go on a vacation or visit relatives in another city/state, you can still use your Shipt membership. It’s available in 270 US locations, after all.
If you decide to cancel your monthly or annual membership, you can do so anytime – without paying penalty fees.
So if you’re a busy bee who can’t make a grocery run as often as you need, make sure to avail of a Shipt membership (especially now that you can get it for free.) While there are some fees to pay along the way, you sure can’t put a premium on convenience and quality service!
Conclusion
Ideally, you should tip your Shipt shopper at least 10% of your total non-discounted bill amount. That said, you can also reward their good service by giving a 15% to 20% tip – or more.
Etiquette experts also recommend following the 20 or 5 rule – 20% or $5, whichever is higher.
Remember: shoppers only receive the minimum wage, so a tip is sure to go a long way!