Instacart’s reach has spread across the country, and the pool of shoppers has grown exponentially along with it, with over 500,000 Instacart shoppers now working.
Some shoppers have turned to batch grabbers to maximize their earning potential. But what are Instacart batch grabbers? Keep reading if you’d like to learn more!
What Is Instacart Batch Grabber In [currentyear]?
Instacart batch grabbers are extensions or apps that either notify shoppers immediately of new batches, or “grab” desirable batches as soon as they become available in [currentyear]. The nature of Instacart’s batch system has made these grabbers appealing, especially for lower-rated shoppers; however, their use is forbidden by company policy.
To learn more about obtaining a batch grabber, how they work, where it says that batch grabbers are not allowed and much more, keep reading for more facts!
How Do You Get a Batch Grabber for Instacart?
The author over at Ridester has an excellent breakdown of Instacart batch grabbers, starting with where you can find them.
However, he notes that iPhone users are out of luck; many developers have tried to create a batch grabber that works with Apple, but none have been truly successful so far.
Android users can find a batch grabber application and download it onto their phone, just like any other app.
You can find the InstaMan batch grabber here, where you can either press the download button or use the QR code with your phone’s camera.
How Do Instacart Batch Grabbers Work?
Instacart batch grabbers have been designed/developed to function in a few different ways.
Some of them automatically refresh every 10 seconds or so, alerting shoppers when a new batch has appeared.
This is convenient for shoppers who don’t want to sit there and manually refresh.
Other batch grabbers do that, plus, they allow you to enter batch parameters, like a minimum amount or a specific location.
Then, when batches appear that meet your parameters, they claim them for you – you don’t have to do anything except start shopping!
Are Instacart Batch Grabbers Allowed?
Instacart batch grabbers help give shoppers with lower ratings or an overly saturated shopper market a leg up on the competition.
However, while they are not illegal, the use of these apps/extensions is prohibited by Instacart.
See the Instacart Shopper Application Terms and Conditions.
Section 3.2.e reads:
“You may not use or promote the use of any form of modifications, exploits, or other unauthorized means to interfere with, or gain undue advantage in your use of the Instacart Platform.”
For those who might try to engineer their own batch grabber, Section 3.2.h states:
“You may not attempt to decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, hack, defeat, or overcome any of Instacart’s software, encryption technologies, or security measures or data transmitted, processed or stored by Instacart.”
Instacart is very clear that batch grabbers are a violation of company policy, and you can bet if you do get caught using any, your account will be deactivated.
Know the risks, because batch grabbers are very tempting, especially for people who are having a difficult time getting orders.
How Does Instacart Decide Who Gets Batches?
To understand why Instacart batch grabbers are necessary for some people, you have to understand how Instacart decides batch assignments.
Actually, it’s quite simple: the better your rating as a shopper, the closer to the front of the line you are when new batches come in.
So, someone sitting pretty on a five-star rating will get first dibs on new batches (along with the other five-star shoppers).
Five-stars can claim or pass, depending on their own preferences. However, perhaps most important, they will see the higher-earning batches first.
Then, the batches filter down the pipeline to the lesser-rated shoppers, who compete amongst themselves to claim the best batches of the bunch.
How Do You Get More Batches on Instacart?
You don’t necessarily have to resort to Instacart batch grabbers right away (or at all, if you’d rather stay on Instacart’s good side).
Improving your rating can give you earlier and better access to the best batches.
One of the simplest ways to achieve this is to up your customer service game.
Craft (or ask a friend to help you craft) a knock-out greeting message, so that your first impression is strong.
Shop as if you were shopping for your own grandmother – find the best produce, the non-dented boxes and cans, etc.
Be as fast and efficient as possible, especially if your batch is for Priority delivery, and always maintain a polite and friendly demeanor.
Another idea is to try traveling half an hour to an hour outside your normal delivery area. Or, if you live in a suburb, try shopping and delivering in the city.
To find out more, you can also see our posts on what time do Instacart batches start, what are demo orders on Instacart, and what is Instacart Express.
Conclusion
Instacart batch grabbers are apps or extensions that either notify shoppers of new batches or claim them automatically on shoppers’ behalf.
However, they are not sanctioned by Instacart, who expressly forbids them in their terms and conditions. Consider trying different methods of obtaining more batches before resorting to batch grabbers.
