Shipt Sign-Up Bonuses Are Rare - Here’s How They Work

Shipt offers sign-up bonuses from time to time, but they’re rare — don’t count on there being one when you start with Shipt. Luckily, there are still lots of other types of bonuses available to Shipt Shoppers and Drivers.

Shipt bonuses are a strategic part of the Shopper and Driver (read about the differences) pay structures, aimed at rewarding efficiency, punctuality, and meeting operational targets.

They provide supplementary Shipt earnings for achieving pre-defined service criteria. For instance, a shopper might earn an additional $75 for completing a set number of orders within a weekend or for maintaining a consistent record of on-time deliveries. 

Sign-up bonus criteria are typically outlined in the Shipt Shopper app. You’ll find them within the in-app sections and emails that Shipt uses to update its shoppers and drivers on the available bonus programs. 

The programs are, however, not as long-running as regular Shipt benefits and perks. Shipt bonuses are mostly temporary, but the platform has multiple on rotation to keep its Drivers and Shoppers motivated. 

Is there a Shipt sign-up bonus?

While many of Shipt’s reward programs are exclusive to dedicated workers who have an extensive service history, the platform occasionally extends the courtesy to recruits. 

So yes, it’s possible to get a Shipt sign-up bonus. They provide both fresh Drivers and Shoppers with lucrative opportunities to generate additional earnings for completing a specific number of orders within a set timeframe. 

But such incentives are admittedly hard to come by. Their appearance is unpredictable, so prospective Shoppers should not postpone joining Shipt in hopes of a sign-up bonus.

This does not mean Shipt offers nothing for new Shoppers and Drivers. You could, for instance, earn a referral bonus whenever you bring new delivery personnel on board. Your referred recruits just need to complete their first set of orders. 

James clarifies that referral bonus offers depend on the metro and says that, in his metro, “we each earn $5 if the referral completes 30 orders in 40 days. Last year, it was $100 — so it must depend on how saturated the market is.”

The two are not to be mistaken, though. Sign-up bonuses exclusively target new Shoppers, while referral bonuses also reward existing Shipt Shoppers for introducing new individuals to the platform — both the referrer and the Shopper get a bonus. Like sign-up bonuses, referral bonuses are also rare, so don’t wait for one to sign up — chances are, it’ll never come. 

When are Shipt sign-up bonuses offered?

Shipt's sign-up bonuses tend to be intermittent, as they are not a constant element of the company's recruitment strategy. 

These programs are more likely to be offered during periods of high demand or when there's a projected shortage of Shipt Drivers and Shoppers – like during holiday seasons or in less saturated markets. They help the platform to balance the volume of orders with the number of Shoppers, thereby sustaining service quality and efficiency.

The availability and frequency of sign-up bonuses are also different across various metro areas. And that’s because they’re potentially influenced by order volume, market saturation, and shopper density. 

For instance, in regions where Shipt is well-established with many active shoppers, sign-up bonuses may be less frequent. But, in emerging markets or areas with fewer Shoppers or Drivers, Shipt tends to offer incentives to attract new recruits.

Matthew Desmond, a part-time Shipt worker of three years, believes that more saturated markets might not have the best bonuses. He explains, “in the height of COVID, for example, Detroit had a $1000 bonus for new Shoppers. Other metros offered nothing.”

How to get the Shipt sign-up bonus

To access a Shipt sign-up bonus, keep an eye on in-app messages and emails from Shipt. 

You should also check out the app's 'Earn bonus' section, which is positioned at the top of the 'Available Orders', 'My Orders', and 'Payment History' screens. It provides access to various opportunities and allows you to track your progress towards achieving the bonuses. The updates here are also in real-time, offering clarity on how close you are to meeting the bonus criteria.

Like Shoppers, Drivers too are informed about Shipt signup bonus opportunities through emails and in-app notifications. Their criteria are however based on the number of completed routes rather than individual deliveries – with corresponding progress tracked in the app's payment history section.

Once a Shopper or Driver meets their sign-up bonus criteria, earnings are processed in the following week. The figures are then reflected in the app's payment history to facilitate progress tracking, as well as provide a reference for computing the resultant taxes on your Shipt income.  

How does the sign-up bonus work?

Shipt's sign-up bonuses for new Shoppers usually require completing a specific number of orders within a certain period. A typical bonus might, for example, offer an additional $200 for completing 40 orders in a week. This setup motivates new Shoppers to quickly adapt and efficiently handle orders from the get-go.

Based on past submissions on forums like Reddit, it’s evident that the scale and structure of Shipt’s sign-up bonuses have varied considerably over the years. There seems to be no standard reward or criteria here. Shoppers and drivers even highlight bonuses ranging from $50 for a few days' worth of orders to larger sums for completing more orders over a week. 

Some Shoppers have reported sign-up bonuses of up to $1,000 for 30 orders – which is quite the contrast to other reports of $50 for 25 orders completed in a different metro.  

So, even though Shipt sign up bonuses are unpredictable, the wide variations in their rewards mean that they have the potential to substantially boost the earnings of new Shoppers. 

Joshua Merrit confirms that Shipt’s sign up bonuses are usually far higher than the standard metro bonuses offered to all delivery personnel in an area “when there is expected to be either a high volume of orders or a low amount of shoppers accepting orders.”

James agrees, explaining that the standard bonuses in his metro rarely go past $25. He says atypical bonus offering in his metro would be something like, “Shop & Deliver 3 orders at Target for an extra $15”. 

Differences between Shipt perks and Shipt bonuses

Shipt perks and Shipt bonuses serve different purposes for shoppers. Perks are ongoing benefits that offer discounts on various services and products. They offer discounts on healthcare services, auto care, and more.

While bonuses provide direct but short-term financial rewards, perks add value to a Shopper's experience through lifestyle benefits and savings. 

Bonus differences for Shoppers and Drivers

Shipt Shoppers and Shipt Drivers have distinct roles with different operational responsibilities and earnings structures. These variances happen to extend even to their sign-up bonuses. 

The majority of new recruits join the platform as Shoppers, with their role being to handle both shopping and delivery. They set their schedules, accept orders, shop for items, and then deliver them to customers. 

Shipt Drivers, however, come in to focus primarily on the logistics of delivery. They pick up pre-prepared orders in bulk, manage delivery routes in the app, and get packages to their respective destinations across each route. 

Because of these structural differences, Shipt had to develop separate bonus programs for its Drivers and Shoppers. 

Shoppers' bonuses usually draw their parameters from the number of completed orders, shopping times, and specific customer requests. Driver bonuses, on the other hand, are more about the rate of completed routes or specific delivery targets.

The fact that Shipt Shoppers account for significantly more order requests means that their sign-up bonus programs are more frequent and possibly easier to find. The Driver bonuses, while potentially less frequent, can offer consistent opportunities based on delivery route demands.

As for their similarities, both roles can track the progress of their bonus within the Shipt app. What’s more, they pay out their bonuses in the week following the achievement of the set criteria.

Take advantage of other bonuses to boost your earnings

If you can’t find a sign-up bonus, there are many other programs that you can possibly use to boost your earnings beyond the standard pay:

Summit Seeker program

The Shipt Summit Seeker Program rewards Shoppers for exceptional service. It has three tiers – Summit Star, Trailblazer, and Wayfinder, each with distinct criteria based on order completion, ratings, and reliability.

Rewards vary by tier and include gas discounts, Shipt credits, subsidized Shipt Shop orders, and priority support access.

Promo Pay

Promo Pay is an additional incentive for orders or routes that are nearing their delivery or pickup window but remain unclaimed. 

According to James, “many orders on promo are the ones that another Shopper claimed, but then dropped at the last minute.” He then suggests that “it’s possible such an order might not have been seen by another Shopper until after it went on promo.”

For Shoppers, Promo Pay accelerates the fulfillment of the affected orders by increasing the earnings per delivery. 

Matthew advises recruits to be cautious when taking up Promo Pay orders. In his words, “New shoppers should be warned that there are reasons why in established metros, some orders could be sitting for long waiting on shoppers to claim with Promo Pay.”

“It may also be hard to tell how much of the pay is from the promo,” says James. “Offer cards used to show the actual dollar amount the promo was, but now they just display the total basepay+promo.”

Metro bonuses

Metro bonuses are offered to encourage more Shopper activity in specific areas, particularly during times of high demand. The bonuses are strategically used to ensure adequate Shopper availability in busy metros.

“Fulfilling these bonuses is what makes Shipt most lucrative for Shoppers,” claims Joshua. He further emphasizes, “Holidays, poor weather, and weekends are the highest probability times for being given one of these bonuses.”

Metro bonuses are communicated through email or displayed in the app. To qualify, Shoppers must complete non-promo orders within the designated delivery window.

Matthew urges Shoppers to always “do the math on the bonus amount per order to determine if it is worth chasing that bonus or not.”

15,000 Shops milestone

Upon reaching this milestone, Shoppers receive a substantial direct deposit bonus as a token of appreciation from Shipt.

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Can you see yourself as a Shipt Shopper or Driver? Read about the differences or apply now to be a Shopper or Driver.