If you’re interested in shopping for Instacart, you might be wondering how the onboarding process works, with a company that bases its operations through an app. How will store employees or customers know you’re with Instacart?
In other words, what does Instacart send you when you sign on to shop for them? Do you receive any schwag or goodies? Here’s what you need to know!
What Does Instacart Send You In [currentyear?
When new people sign up to shop with Instacart, the company sends a lanyard, t-shirt and any bags purchased; in times of public health crisis, the company may also send a safety kit that includes hand sanitizer and masks. This is in addition to the Mastercard that shoppers use to check out in [currentyear].
To get more detail into what Instacart sends its new shoppers for onboarding, whether you have to wear anything the company sends over, and even how you can start shopping before you get your Mastercard, keep reading!
What Do You Get When You Sign up for Instacart?
After researching with several different sites that have some authority on Instacart, it appears that the most common items new shoppers receive include a lanyard and a t-shirt.
However, one shopper (albeit four years ago) reported thatthey only receiving a lanyard; still, plenty of others mentioned t-shirts in their onboarding package.
As a funny side note, apparently the t-shirts are an outrageously bright shade of green, which makes not a lot of shoppers want to wear them.
However, that’s not all bad. The t-shirts, and the lanyards, too, are a great way for shoppers to identify themselves without having to say anything.
When shopping in the stores, it can help expedite the process if the employees – and even customers – realize you’re an Instacart shopper.
Also, at people’s homes, if the resident receives a security notification from their doorbell or cameras, they can have more immediate peace of mind if they see the Instacart logo.
Instacart also sends the Mastercard that shoppers use to check out, which is connected to the Shopper app (this is covered more in-depth in the next section down).
If you ordered insulated bags, which you are required to have (though not necessarily from Instacart), you will receive those.
Remember that Instacart helps shift the financial burden of getting started by delaying payment for insulated bags until you have accrued $30 in earnings.
Also, in the recent past, Instacart also started sending out safety kits to its shoppers, veteran and new, to help keep their workers safe during a pandemic.
Does Instacart Send You a Card?
Instacart does not want its shoppers having to use their own debit or credit cards while working for the company.
Instead, they send out Mastercards that are linked to the Shopper app. These are used at check out, and are preloaded with the amount needed for a customer’s order.
However, did you know that you can get started shopping before your card comes?
In his unboxing video, Youtuber “Mr couponer” (sic), talks about how if you have a digital wallet, like Apple/Google/Samsung pay, you can shop as soon as you’re approved.
You do this by adding the card info into your digital wallet. Then you can use it to check out, just like you would if it were your own debit/credit card.
It’s pretty slick, and it gives shoppers the opportunity to start making money ASAP.
Does Instacart Give You Bags?
Instacart doesn’t “give” its shoppers bags as freebies, like the lanyard. But it does offer insulated bags for sale.
Insulated bags are a necessary part of the Instacart shopper’s get-up, because it helps keep the food at the correct temperature during transport.
Instacart sells bags in packs of four, and the company helps alleviate the immediate financial burden by delaying collecting payment on them.
Once you start shopping batches, when your earnings hit $30, Instacart will withdraw the funds as payment for the bags.
However, word on the street is that you can find insulated bags for much cheaper, to the tune of $2 at Target, or a similar price at Walmart and Costco.
Do You Get a Shirt with Instacart?
By all accounts, you do get a shirt when you sign on to shop with Instacart.
However, some people have reported that they did not, so it seems Instacart might not be super consistent about it.
For those that do, though, the color is apparently pretty whacky!
One Redditor wrote, “Dude those green shirts are so stupid and dorky looking…”
Another said, “I laugh when I see the newbie come to the store wearing a shirt AND lanyard. Lol. Silicon Valley even made a joke about it.”
(See the video clip from the HBO program Silicon Valley here!)
Should You Wear an Instacart Shirt?
If you get your hands on an Instacart shirt, you might be wondering if you really should wear it, or even if you have to.
The shirt is not required, and there is no real “uniform” for Instacart.
However, for practical reasons, like identification, it never hurts.
Does Instacart Send You a Lanyard?
Even if you might not necessarily receive a shirt (or a shirt that fits you), Instacart seems to send the lanyard more consistently.
This can be really helpful if you get one of those phone accessories that lets you clip your phone to the lanyard.
You can also put your card in a keychain wallet and attach it to the lanyard.
Either way, it helps free up your hands while you’re shopping, and keep important tools of the trade close.
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Instacart delivers to apartments, Walgreens Instacart, and what are demo orders on Instacart.
Conclusion
When you sign on to shop for Instacart and your application is accepted, the company may send you a t-shirt, but more consistently sends a lanyard with the Instacart logo.
Some shoppers opt to wear the Instacart gear when they’re shopping, and there are some major pros to that decision, while others prefer to fly under the radar while working.
