Is The Shipt Service Free For Shoppers

Kierstin is a grocery store–phobic millennial who has never really cared about tasting grapes and squeezing melons anyway.

this-is-what-its-like-to-get-groceries-using-the-shipt-app — Photo past Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Grocery stores give me panic attacks. Information technology turns out I'one thousand not the only ane.

In 2017 Shipt came to my city and I've been using it always since. Here's how to use Shipt if you've never done information technology before, plus my review of the easiest way to go groceries delivered to your doorstep.

Orders of $35 or more are delivered to you free with your Shipt subscription. — Orders of $35 or more are delivered to y'all free with your Shipt subscription.

Photo by PHÚC LONG on Unsplash

What Is Shipt?

Founded in 2014, Shipt is a grocery delivery service that was purchased by Target in 2017.

Do I Demand a Subscription?

Most of the time, to use Shipt, you lot'll need a subscription. They offer monthly and yearly subscriptions and which you cull will depend on how ofttimes you think you'll use the service. Monthly subscriptions are smashing for those who enjoy shopping but are maybe recovering from surgery. Yearly subscriptions are the improve option for those of us who don't like or don't have time to grocery shop.

Some Stores Offer Grocery Delivery or Grocery Pickup Through Shipt Without a Subscription

Stores like my local Meijer offer an alternative to a Shipt subscription—they'll let you lot shop directly through their own store website but your commitment or pickup will even so be through a Shipt shopper. Y'all'll pay a one-time delivery fee along with whatever amount yous choose to tip your shopper. This choice isn't available at all stores though.

How Much Does Shipt Cost?

You lot can choose a monthly subscription which is $14 a month.

The other subscription option is $99 for a full year, which comes out to a cost of $viii.25 a month to use the service.

See the tabular array beneath for a full breakdown of the costs associated with using Shipt.

How Much Does It Price to Go Groceries Delivered Using Shipt?


Fee Per Month	Fee Per Delivery	Upcharge on Products	Tip
$xiv for a monthly subscription, or $8.25 per month with a yearly subscription of $99.	Orders over $35 are delivered gratis, orders under $35 come with a charge of effectually $7.	In that location is a minor upcharge on each product. For example, the ii for $1 fries at my local grocery shop are two for $1.09 through Shipt. What I'yard personally finding is that my orders come out to a few extra dollars than they would in store. Keep in mind though that you would also have to spend coin getting to and from the store on gas.	Although you don't have to tip your shopper, hopefully you will. The app gives you an selection to tip any you lot'd similar once the order is completed.

Tip your Shipt shopper! Take into account how busy the store you've chosen is, if it's near a holiday and that your shopper is not reimbursed for gas, wear and tear on their vehicle, health insurance or vehicle insurance. — Tip your Shipt shopper! Take into account how decorated the store yous've chosen is, if it's most a vacation and that your shopper is not reimbursed for gas, wear and tear on their vehicle, wellness insurance or vehicle insurance.

Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard on Unsplash

How to Use Shipt

Sign upwardly by either downloading the Shipt app from the app shop or joining on their website.
Cull a subscription option - either the monthly plan or the almanac programme. Y'all will need a credit carte to pay for your subscription.
Brainstorm shopping past choosing the store yous would like to shop at. The platform or app will show yous which stores are available to shop in your area. In my metropolis, we tin can choose from Meijer or Target.
One time you've called your store, begin adding items to your cart. Utilise the filters to shop by category, or use the "search" choice to await for specific items like meijer make vitamin d gallon.
As you add items to your cart you will accept the choice to specify your preferences. For case, y'all may ask that you receive all light-green bananas or only a quarter pound of salami.
Once y'all're done adding items to your cart y'all tin can bank check out. At the cheque out you'll choose your delivery time, whether or not it's okay to substitute any items the store is out of and if information technology'due south okay for your shopper to contact you with substitution options.
You will utilise a credit card to complete your buy. Your credit menu volition exist temporarily charged percentage more than the total of your order. This is so that if your shopper does have to substitute with a more expensive item, your menu has already been approved for this amount. If the total of your order turns out to be less than what you were charged you volition meet a refund to your credit bill of fare.
Once your shopper has begun shopping your guild, y'all volition be notified.
When you lot society is washed existence shopped you lot will be notified that your shopper is on their way to your house or whatsoever location you're at including work (or that yous can see them at the store if y'all've chosen the pick-up choice available in some areas).
If social distancing is beingness practiced you may exist asked to wait inside your dwelling until after your shopper has dropped off your groceries either on your porch or inside your garage. If it is not beingness proficient your shopper may bring your groceries right inside your habitation. Information technology's best to contact Shipt regarding their current policies on this.
Once your shopper has left you will get a notification to rate your feel and to tip your shopper.

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What I Like Most Shipt

You don't take to drive anywhere
The upcharge on items is actually pretty small and ends up being less than what most of u.s. would spend on unnecessary purchases
You can shop sales!
You tin shop store brand
Saves fourth dimension for other things you take to do (homework, yay...ish!)
You're supporting flexible piece of work options locally
Makes it piece of cake to meal-plan and avoid impulse purchases on less-than-salubrious foods just considering your tummy is rumbling or you lot need to get the hell out of that store
You lot don't have to elevate toddlers through the cookie aisle
It's a fantastic option for the elderly, those who don't drive, working parents, or anyone who just doesn't feel like making a trip for groceries.
Information technology is a great way to practice social distancing

What I Don't Like About Shipt

They will permit you to sign upwardly for a subscription even if there aren't enough shoppers in your expanse to fulfill orders—an issue during holidays and pandemics
You lot can't utilise coupons
The selection isn't as big as the shop selection (it's still huge though, honestly)
If you lot're on a tight budget, the small markup on items and the tip that yous should absolutely be giving could be more than you lot're willing to pay
Pickup window is sometimes limited
Like most corporations in the United States, Shipt isn't providing a livable wage or benefits for its shoppers.
Sometimes items aren't actually in stock, even when the app says they are
Can't bear upon or audit the product yourself before purchasing. I've learned to specify in my notes that I do not desire dented cans.

If groceries are extra in-demand in your area, be prepared to choose a delivery time for the next day. — If groceries are extra in-demand in your expanse, exist prepared to cull a delivery time for the side by side day.

Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash

How long will it have me to get my groceries delivered?

Typically, you can order same-day commitment and then you lot'll be given a i hour window for when it will arrive. Still, if groceries are in-demand, say around a holiday or you know, a global pandemic in which people suddenly experience the need to hoard fresh, raw chicken and x clam shell containers of tomatoes then you lot may have to wait a day or more for delivery.

What can you buy with Shipt?

Almost anything that can be found in the stores that participate with Shipt in your area. In my city, we take Meijer and Target so I tin can go anything from a bottle of vino to last-minute birthday presents delivered to me. And of course, fresh groceries

And so I can get booze delivered to my house?

With valid I.D., at participating stores, yeah.

How many orders can I put in each calendar month?

As many as you want.

Tin I order from two stores in one mean solar day?

Yep, if there are available commitment times you lot tin.

Do I have to tip my Shipt shopper?

Shipt doesn't crave you to tip your shopper nevertheless, it wouldn't be very nice non to. Keep in heed that Shipt shoppers aren't paid a wage by Shipt. Although they make a small percentage off the total of your gild (like, pennies off each particular) they earn based off tips. If y'all don't tip your shopper they don't get paid to shop your order.

How Much Should I Tip My Shopper?

A rule of thumb is that you should start at xv% of the order total. So if you spent $150 on groceries, your tip should exist no less than $22.fifty.

Other things to consider when tipping your shopper are:

How big was my lodge? Did you lot spend $60 on a bunch of low-priced items that took a lot of time to collect, scan, bag and carry to your door? If so, a $9.00 tip isn't fair.
Did my shopper go to a higher place and beyond to ensure I received high-quality items and substitutes?
How far did my shopper accept to drive from store to my home? Is it a long trip?
Did I place an society during bad weather or on/around a vacation?

How do I add a tip?

In that location are two ways to add a tip when using Shipt:

In the app. Open your Shipt app one time your groceries take been delivered and a screen will pop up asking you to charge per unit and review your shopper. Once you lot have, they volition offer you lot the option to tip your shopper.
On the website. Login to your Shipt account on the website once your groceries have been delivered. A screen will popular up asking you to rate and review your shopper and once you lot have y'all volition accept the selection to tip. If this screen does not pop upwardly just get to your previous orders tab, click the latest order and tip from there.

Does Shipt accept EBT, WIC or SNAP?

No, they do not.

Can I buy souvenir cards for Shipt?

No, Shipt doesn't offer gift cards.

Can I used gift cards to stores that participate with Shipt?

No.

Tin can I utilize my Target RedCard with my Shipt subscription?

Co-ordinate to Shipt, no you can't.

All the same, if you use the Target app you lot tin can choose to take your groceries (and whatsoever else awesomeness Target has sold you) delivered to your door same-solar day via Shipt. This is like an al a carte choice. Instead of using your subscription, yous'll pay the individual $9.99 Shipt commitment fee, simply you'll besides be able to use your RedCard and whatsoever Target offers, all without the usual markups since Target owns Shipt.

Tin can I pay in cash with Shipt?

No. You have to utilize a credit or debit card to pay for your Shipt order.

Can I tip in cash?

No, you need to utilize the credit or debit bill of fare you lot have on file to tip your Shipt shopper.

Help! I signed upwards for Shipt and at present I can't put an order in considering it says there'south no available delivery times in my area! What exercise I do?

Honestly, I would cancel the subscription. When the service has available commitment times it's a great pick. However, I have gone weeks at a time with no delivery options while still paying my subscription fee.

What if something I receive isn't the quality I would accept picked for myself?

There have been times though where I've received out-of-date meat or freezer burnt items (things that shouldn't have been on the shelf in the first place!) where I requested a refund through Shipt's customer service, normally via Facebook messenger.

Recently, I've noticed Shipt's customer service is now less-than-ideal. They're much less flexible on returns and require yous to go through the store you lot received the spoiled items from. To me, this is a huge downside to using the service since I'm using the service to streamline my life, non add more stress to my day.

Tin can I enquire my shopper to use reusable grocery bags?

Probably not. For the sake of hygiene you lot'll most likely have to use the store's dispensable numberless but y'all could request paper numberless just in the notes at checkout.

Volition Shipt shoppers bring my groceries into my house and put them abroad for me?

Information technology's unlikely. In the past they have simply information technology will depend on the company's electric current social distancing policies.

Can I request a shopper?

You can't, simply if you really similar a particular shopper make sure to rate them highly in the app. In my experience it makes them more likely to be offered your orders, thus making them your repeat shopper.

How do I cancel my Shipt subscription?

It'south non easy. Y'all can't merely go in the app and cancel, unfortunately. Contact them via email at back up@shipt.com or by phone at i.205.502.2500 and be prepared to look.

Do you or have you ever worked for Shipt?

No.

If you're not affiliated with Shipt so what'south your game, what are yous hiding?

Nothing. I told you that grocery stores give me panic attacks.

I remember you're very lazy for using Shipt and not just grocery shopping on your own, wow. How should I go about telling you this?

Go ahead and leave information technology in the comments. I'll come across it earlier I delete information technology.

Why are you lazy?

Considering I'k tired.

Assist! I'one thousand ethically opposed to Shipt, what should I do?

Don't sign up for Shipt.

I'm having a hard day! Can I go out y'all nasty comments since this telephone or computer I'm typing on gives me the illusion that you're non a real human existence and it's absurd for me to have out my anxiety and inner dysfunction on you?

Go for it. Life can exist tough, and I'm pitiful that yous're having a hard time. I ask that afterward you take a infinitesimal to check in with yourself and reflect on what'due south going on inwardly so you tin be kinder to the next person you lot see.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author'south noesis. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes simply and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Questions & Answers

Question: When you lot utilize Shipt, exercise you get an actual receipt or an online receipt like you lot would if yous use an app similar Ibotta, etc.?

Respond: With Shipt, y'all receive ii digital receipts: one for the full of your purchase and one for the total of your tip.

You'll also probably receive a physical receipt tucked into one of your grocery numberless. This receipt isn't accurate though considering it's the total of the items purchased NOT including any small-scale upcharges on products.

For example, at my local grocery store, Meijer, which uses Shipt for abode delivery, I might pay $1.99 for a gallon of milk through Shipt, but at the shop itself, it might be $1.79. I paid a twenty cent upcharge on this item to pay for the toll of the Shipt service.

Curiously, at Target I don't pay whatsoever upcharges. If a box of crayons is $5 in-shop, then I pay $5 through Shipt as well. I'm assuming this is because Target at present owns Shipt, so they don't need to upcharge their items since Shipt employees are as well Target employees.

Question: Can I utilize my Mperks with Shipt?

Reply: Yes! You can apply your Mperks account with Shipt when shopping at Meijer through the service. Here's the catch though - you can just collect points using Shipt, y'all can't redeem them unless you lot actually go into Meijer and use them while shopping yourself. Keep in heed, this may vary from store-to-store (your Meijer/Shipt partnership may exist different from my Meijer/Shipt partnership), but with my Meijer/Shipt partnership, this is how the rewards organization works.

Some other thing to keep in mind is that if your local Meijer has merely recently paired with Shipt, they may not have Mperks in place withal just you lot can always transport a quick message to Shipt back up via Facebook to find out when they'll be incorporating shopping rewards for your shop.

Question: Is Target cheaper than Meijer?

Answer: It depends on what y'all're buying. For household items, brand proper noun items (like Kraft and Annie'due south) as well as novelty items, Target is the cheaper option.

For dairy, meat and produce I find Meijer to exist a college quality/lower price.

Question: My mother is elderly, information technology is challenging to squeeze time in my schedule to take her to the grocery shop. Does Shipt have EBT cards?

Answer: They exercise not, unfortunately. Caring for an elderly parent takes a lot of dearest and energy - do you have a local commission on aging or a caregiver respite program? Contacting one of these types of agencies might put you on the correct path to finding help caring for your aging female parent without burning yourself out so quickly. I take older family members who've been able to receive securely discounted services through these resources, just information technology took some earthworks to find out they even existed.

A website called ElderCareDirectory.org is a good place to showtime for a list of services to look for in your state.

Question: Can the shopper go out items outside your door when you use Shipt?

Reply: Yes! They exercise where I live, anyway. What I typically practice is open up my garage and fix out bins or a wagon for the to load everything up in and then have them text me when they're all set. Information technology's easier for me to exercise it this way because it keeps my kids and dog from following me out and making the whole thing more complicated than information technology needs to be.

Question: Can you buy clearance items from Shipt? Is there a way to view the arrangement/prices without starting your free trial?

Answer: I'm not sure you can look at the app without starting the trial, yet yes, y'all tin buy sale/clearance items! Shipt itself has sales then you're also able to shop the store's sales likewise. I buy most of my produce, meat and bakery items on sale and just bought a pint of Talenti gelato for my girl on sale today using my Shipt app.

Question: I alive lonely and am having surgery. Volition Shipt commitment people carry my groceries within and put the refrigerated items into the fridge? I would so be willing to tip extra for this.

Answer: Hello! I know for a fact that my commitment people offer near every time to bring the groceries right into my house. As for if they'll put the refrigerated items abroad, I don't know for sure, but I'd encourage you lot to message Shipt on Facebook and ask them. Their client service on Facebook is awesome, and they get back unremarkably inside two hours.

I would exist surprised if they said their drivers won't do that, but I am curious to know what you find out!

Question: Is Shipt more expensive than going to the grocery store yourself?

Answer: Yes, Shipt is going to cost more going to the grocery store yourself. You're paying for a service that buys you convenience. If you're expecting to use Shipt at the same cost equally running up to the grocery store yourself and so you lot'll be disappointed.

Question: Can I use my Target REDcard when I store with Shipt?

Answer: Yep! Every bit of June 2019, you tin can utilise your Target REDcard when you identify a Target order through Shipt. Here'southward how to do information technology:

ane. Sign upwards for Shipt (if you're already signed up, skip this!)

2. Go to Target's principal website (non the Shipt site)

3. Make sure yous're logged in using your Target business relationship

iv. Once you're logged in, offset shopping. Y'all'll want to use the filters to cull "Free Same Day Shipping" so you're only shopping items offered at your local Target.

5. Cheque out as you usually would on the Target site. They'll automatically apply your REDcard discounts, every bit well as whatsoever other promotional offers before yous confirm your bank check out.

That's it - I just did information technology and was able to apply my usual v% off plus whatever sales and promo codes were available. Nice!

Question: Will Shipt deliver alcohol?

Answer: Yes, if whatsoever of the stores that Shipt is partnered with in your service area likewise sell alcohol, then Shipt volition deliver it. The only exception to this that I've noticed is if the partnership is new or if Shipt is new to your zip code then it sometimes takes them a few weeks to get the alcohol commitment incorporated into their service.

Question: Will Shipt evangelize cigarettes?

Answer: No, Shipt will not deliver cigarettes or whatever other tobacco products considering of legalities. I'k not a lawyer or a Shipt rep, and then I have no thought what those legalities are, though.

Question: My Mother is elderly and lives in a third floor condo. Will the commitment commuter accept the groceries into the home?

Answer: I'm almost sure that they will! Information technology would be good for her to make a notation in the notes before cheque out though to let the driver know, that way they can bag the groceries for a long haul up the stairs.