Help Wanted?  

They say that if hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock. Not today. Five Mishpacha writers take the hard route and try a new career for the day. From the backend of Instacart to the underbelly of the plane, from the serving side of the lunch table to the counsel’s side of the conference table, you’ll experience what it’s like to help buyers find a new home — from the comfort of your home.

Instacart Shopper For a Day

Batsheva Grossman

The number on my screen — “Total 415 seconds per item” — hurts. It looks so long!

DO you read terms and conditions? I don’t. No one does. Somehow, though, I find myself reading very carefully through 80 pages of legalese as I sign my life away to be an Instacart shopper. Social security number? You got it. Banking info? Sure! Criminal background check? They do two. At least I know that whoever does my Instacart shopping hasn’t robbed a bank recently. This will be worth the ride… right?

A few hours after I submit my final document, the email comes in: Congratulations! You’re ready to start shopping

I click into the app, and I find a completely new database of info: the shopper side of Instacart.

It dings with a few “batch” options, which is Instacart-ese for “order.” Before you accept a batch, you can see what store you’ll shop in, where it needs to be delivered, the amount they’re offering per batch (usually about $5), the tip amount, and what items need to be purchased.