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So on Instacart there are a few different types of orders on the platform. Most are Shop and Deliver, some are shop only but that is dwindling nowadays, delivery only, which is rare but possible.
But more often than not you will see more Multi-order and multi-store batches, yes there is a difference. We are going over the former, Multi-Order Batches.
So in this article, We are talking about:
EVERYTHING You MUST Know about Multi-order batches on Instacart
What they tell you vs how it ACTUALLY is
Everything in between!
Disclaimer: The content of this article does not contain and is never intended to be legal, business, financial, tax, or health advice of any kind, This article is for entertainment purposes only. It is advised that you conduct your own research and consult with qualified professionals before applying anything you find online.
I also want to be clear that everything we are going to go over is very market dependent, and what applies to me and my market may not apply to you.
What is a Multi-Order batch?
Multi-order batches are orders that are grouped together, to be shopped for different customers, in a single store or multiple store locations.
They primarily include double and triple orders but may also include the following—
Add-on orders: 2 or more orders that can be added before you start shopping for your current order.
Mixed multi-order batch: includes a full-service order and a Shop-Only order for a later customer pick-up.
Delivery-only: multiple staged orders are picked up at the store for delivery only.
Multi-store batch: includes orders grouped together for different customers from multiple store locations.
They make it clear what the combination of order’s before accepting it, but they are not clear which is which until you accept the order.
They are also very much an all or nothing kind of company, so if you are one of those drivers that would accept it and then try to investigate and unassign one of them, that’s not going to be possible.
Shopping
Preview multi-order batches by selecting the “i” button in the top right-hand corner of the Instacart Shopper app. Consider looking through the order items in advance to help you pre-plan the cart space you need to organize each order.
Let the app guide you through the entire multi-order batch shopping process. In addition, when you are shopping for a multi-order batch, the app helps you stay organized by displaying a letter (A, B, etc.) for each customer’s order. You can shop for all of your customers at the same time, keeping each order separated.
Keep your cart organized by designating different parts of the cart for different orders.
For the most part, everything you do shopping wise will be the same, as well as through the app, but what will be different is keeping certain orders separate, some people have different carts, or take a cart and a basket to keep things separate, but do what works best for you.
Be prepared to communicate with multiple customers at once. Use these suggestions to help you stay organized when messaging with more than one customer—
In the app, you can communicate directly to all customers that are a part of your multi-order batch.
Tap the messaging icon in the upper right-hand corner to communicate with your customers. The in-app chat shows the customer’s name and the letter assigned to the order to help ensure you communicate with the right customer.
To help you stay organized, you can also use item-level messaging.
Once you’re almost done shopping your customers’ orders, consider letting them know. This way, you can make sure you got everything that your customer needs and minimize issues during checkout.
Review customer chats before checking out to make sure that you didn’t miss any customer messages while you were shopping.
A lot of drivers have different philosophies on this, some like to send an intro text to ensure proper communication and solid ratings. Whereas others like to only communicate in case of a replacement being necessary and ensuring speed and efficiency.
Not to mention how some customers see your communication as an invitation to start adding things to the order. Which for single batches is already annoying, imagine that happening with multiple customers orders or one customer holding the both of them up? Ridiculous.
Checkout
To checkout—
Tap Start checkout below the first order.
Scan or enter the order code.
Tap the Confirm code added.
Pay with your card.
Tap Next.
Keep in mind—
When possible, choose the least busy lane so you can take the time to stay organized during checkout.
Tell the cashier that you have more than 1 order and the orders need to stay separated. It’s also a good idea to let the cashier know that you need to pay for each order separately.
Organize your customers’ orders separately on the conveyor belt using lane dividers.
Pay for each order separately and in the correct order (A,B,C). The app guides you through each step.
Personally, I would prefer self checkout but that is preference by personality not efficiency. Do what is best for you.
NOTE: As a reminder, Instacart charges the customer for what you scan into the app, not what the cashier rings up at the register. Although accuracy remains essential, you don’t need to contact Customer Experience when an item incorrectly scans to the wrong order at the register. (Example: Customer A’s item incorrectly rung up with Customer B’s order.) Try to focus on making sure that you place the item in the correct customer’s bag.
They can change things on the back end but they don’t want to be clogged up with errors all the time, so do your best to remain diligent.
Consider keeping the receipts and writing the customer’s name on each receipt. This way, you can keep receipts for each order organized, in case you need to make a return or if the app prompts an in-app receipt check.
I would also write the name of the app you are using if you are going to hold onto the receipts, in this case it would be Instacart but if you are on multiple platforms it would be best to maintain your own records.
Bagging
Bagging the orders correctly for each customer helps ensure that the correct items go to the right customer. The better you bag, the easier it is to keep the orders organized—and the easier it is for customers to unpack them post-delivery.
If possible, consider bagging the items yourself to keep them organized. If you can’t, remind the cashier/bagger that these individual orders need to remain separated.
Consider labeling the bags with A, B, etc., and the customer names to organize orders.
Keep in mind that some store locations do not offer bags (such as Costco).
I would also recommend bagging and packing the same way as if you are shopping so you keep the items separated.
Packing and Delivering
Tips for packing and delivering multi-order batches.
Packing
Stay organized when re-packing orders back into the cart. Once you finish the bagging process, repack the orders into the cart and take them to your vehicle. To stay organized and consistent, consider using the same cart organizational system you had while you were shopping.
Prepare your vehicle packing space. Designate different areas of your vehicle for different orders. Consider using clean bins or boxes labeled A, B, C, etc., to pack your orders into to keep them separated during delivery.
I usually use the back seat for one order and the trunk for another if I do an order like this at all.
Delivery
Review the order prior to delivery to ensure that all items/bags go to the correct customer. You can review the items in each order by looking at the receipt or reviewing each order's items in the app.
Check your vehicle after you deliver to make sure you didn’t misplace any items.
If you are bagging everything and staying organized, this shouldn’t be a problem.
NOTE: Delivery sequence is based on each customer’s requested delivery window. This helps to ensure customer’s orders arrive within the requested delivery window. Follow the route in the app to safeguard on-time delivery.
Which it is usually A B C etc. If you shopped for them first, you are probably dropping it off first.
Host and Leech
Usually I find these orders to be Host and Leech orders. Usually the order isn’t enough to be a good order on its own so they have to attach a decent order onto it to make it somewhat appealing, otherwise it won’t get done.
After all, who wants to Shop for 98 items at ALDI for $8?
I am still a firm believer of #NoTipNoTrip, so I choose not to work with those orders out of principle.
Shop Only’s Have No Tips
Sometimes when doing orders throughout your day, you will notice that some Multi-Order Batches have Shop only orders within them. It makes sense but Shop only orders also are not eligible for tips.
These orders are the epitome of Host and Leech because oftentimes the base pay is less than 2 orders already let alone the fact that customers can’t tip.
Personally I stay away from these types of orders for this specific reason.
Not for Every Shopper
I don’t know if you noticed by the way I said it in the last point I made, but this system isn’t for everyone.
If you are a gig worker that prioritizes shopping, then sure it makes sense especially if you can take those really good costco orders or wholesale club orders, but if you are a gig worker that just has shopping apps and sometimes takes one, then it may not be for you.
That said, having those options means you have a well diversified gig portfolio and you are working on your exit strategy like the members of the Driven Wyld Discord Server are actively working towards and accomplishing.
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Join here and get started on making the most amount of money in the least amount of time in the safest possible way, we are looking forward to helping you secure your financial future!
If you would like to add some other perspective to Multi-Order Batches on Instacart, feel free to email me: drivenwyld@gmail.com and who knows? Maybe your email or perspective and be featured in a post as well!
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