Getting Ready to Work for Gopuff

Gopuff is one of the fastest-growing delivery companies in the industry, and they need drivers.

Other delivery providers handle meals and groceries, but Gopuff covers all the convenience store necessities, including alcohol.

Gopuff serves an in-demand need for thousands of people all over the country who have gotten used to the ease of having their goods brought to their door and are willing to pay for the privilege.

As long as you have a car and are 21 or older, you can take advantage of this lucrative gig as a Gopuff delivery partner.

The goal is to maximize your income, whether you’re working a few hours on the side or making it your full-time job.

Keep reading for all the tips you’ll need to prepare you for success when you start to work for Gopuff.

What Does A Gopuff Driver Do?

Gopuff stands out from the delivery service competition because it has a unique mission and action plan. The company promises that customers can get a wide range of must-have products (including medication and alcohol) without a hassle.

They do this by keeping over 2,500 products in one warehouse. A Gopuff store, if you will.

Deliverers pick up straight from the facility to bring clients their order, cutting out the extra stop.

Job Requirements For Gopuff Workers

Are you over 21 with a clean driver’s license and regular access to a reliable car?

If so, once you pass a background and driver’s license check, you could be a Gopuff driver.

In this role, you’ll deliver convenience items like snacks, household items, and over-the-counter medicine to customers. Each order is made directly on the Gopuff delivery app. You accept the order, pick it up from the Gopuff warehouse, and deliver it.

It’s as simple as that!

A Typical Week In The Life Of A Gopuff Driver

So, what would your workweek look like?

Since you’d be an independent contractor, your hours are flexible. How much money you can earn is up to you, the shifts you schedule, and the orders that come in on your shift.

Here’s what an average week of work will look like when you work for Gopuff:

• When shifts for the next week are released, you log in to the Gopuff Drive app and choose as many as you can work. Try to get on there as soon as possible, since shifts can disappear fast.
• When it’s your shift, head to the micro-fulfillment center in your area and wait for any orders.
• As orders come in, you deliver them, then return to the facility to collect more.
• Only orders within a 30-minute radius of the facility are allowed. Depending on the orders and their location, you could deliver to multiple customers in one ride.
• You’re paid for all shifts and tips at the end of the week through direct deposit.

You’re not expected to shop for the items in various stores as other delivery companies require. Just grab the packages, drop them off to customers, collect your tip, and repeat. The hardest part is dealing with traffic, so if that doesn’t bother you, you’re golden!

How Much Can You Make Working For Gopuff?

Does the job description sound too good to be true?

It is true — and it gets even better.

Another advantage to working for Gopuff is that they pay competitive rates even on top of their flexible schedule.

According to Indeed, the average independent Gopuff delivery driver earns about $20 per hour. The pay structure works like this:

• Gopuff guarantees a minimum hourly pay rate based on your experience and the area you’re servicing — for example, $13 an hour.
• Minimum pay will vary depending on your zip code. If you move to Denver from San Francisco and pick up where you left off with Gopuff, you may not receive the same minimum pay rate.
• You receive commissions on each order, as well as 100% of the tips.

Your Pay Potential, Explained

Let’s break that down further.

Imagine a day when you have a six-hour shift, and no orders come in at all. When you were hired, Gopuff gave you a minimum guarantee of $13 per hour. So, for doing nothing at all but waiting, you’ll receive $13 x 6, or $78 for your time.

On another day, you’re busy your entire shift. You complete four orders every hour, and Gopuff’s commission is $4 per order. That’s a guaranteed $16 you made each hour, so Gopuff doesn’t have to fill the minimum guarantee gap.

On top of the commission, you also get tips, which can average about $5 per order. That would be $20 per hour in tips, plus the $16 in commission.

Now you’re making $36 an hour, with a six-hour shift. $36 x 6 = $216 for a busy day of hustling and driving. Not bad at all!

Maximize Your Earnings

Those two pay scenarios are on the extreme end. What you’ll average is likely somewhere in between.

But there are other ways to maximize your earnings.

From bonuses to tip boosts, here are some expert tried-and-true tips from long-term Gopuff drivers:

• Watch for “boost” opportunities. When a shift doesn’t have enough drivers, Gopuff will offer extra commissions to entice people to cover those shifts.
• Keep an eye on your reward status. Drivers get weekly bonuses for covering a certain number of deliveries. If the closest tier is 40, and you’re at 39 near the end of the week, you’ll want to grab one more delivery as soon as you can.
• Be communicative to clients. Let them know when you receive the order, and that you’re on the way. The more customers see you as a person instead of an app service, the higher your tip is likely to be.
• Consider the traffic in your area. You’ll probably get more jobs in a busy city like New York than in a rural setting, but the traffic can make it difficult to make multiple deliveries in a short period.

To make a decent living, schedule as many shifts as you can and fill every order that comes your way. Be friendly and personable to customers, and watch for bonuses and boosts.

Your part-time Gopuff gig may make you more money than that full-time job you thought you had to have!

With all this new cash you’ll hopefully be making, you must spend it responsibly, in a way that you can get some rewards. Check out our picks for the best credit cards for contractors.

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How Do You Become A Gopuff Driver?

Ready to join the other Gopuff drivers in your area? Follow these steps to start your successful career:

1. Visit this page and fill out the application to be a driver-partner. Besides the one for the United States, you can access the United Kingdom and Spain applications as well.
2. If there are any openings in your market area, you’ll receive an invitation to set up an interview, either via phone or in person.
3. A Gopuff recruiter will contact you, review your skills, and schedule a background check.

If you make it through the screening process, you’re not officially hired quite yet. You still need to gather any necessary documentation and send it in.

This includes the following:

• Copy of your driver’s license
• Proof of car insurance
• Copy of valid registration for your vehicle

Unlike driving for a rideshare company like Lyft, there are no vehicle requirements for drivers. You’re only liable for your safety — not any passengers — so you can keep your car in any shape you’d like as long as it can make it to each location.

Other Helpful Tools

The car requirements are slack, but you can make your job even easier by having some helpful delivery tools.

Gopuff provides the delivery app, Gopuff Drive, where you’ll receive and log your delivered orders, manage your schedule and account, and track your money.

Beyond that, the rest is up to you, but we’ve put together a list of things other delivery drivers swear by as everyday essentials:

• Hot and cold insulated bags for perishable food
• A hands-free cell phone mount
• Bluetooth headset
• Durable phone charger
• Dashcam
• Umbrella or raincoat
• Flashlight for night deliveries
• Basic first aid kit
• Head and neck rest

While your job doesn’t necessarily require having any or all of these supplies, you’ll find they make deliveries go much smoother.

Read more: Do Freelance Drivers Need Commercial Auto Insurance?

What Are The Advantages Of Working For Gopuff?

You’ve heard of all the competitor delivery services: Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Postmates, Uber Eats, and of course, DoorDash.

What makes Gopuff the preferred company for those in the delivery driver profession?

While choosing your schedule is a perk of freelancing, it’s not something Gopuff can be singled out for. Most delivery companies offer flexible scheduling.

But there are a few benefits Gopuff provides that those other companies don’t.

These advantages are enough to tempt newbies and skilled drivers to work for the service.

A Set Pay Base So You Can Plan Your Budget

The way the company sets up shifts and pays hourly rates is unique.

Other companies only pay per delivery. If you have a slow day, there’s no guarantee you’ll earn enough to cover your bills.

Gopuff lets you plan your budget because you know you’ll make at least the minimum guaranteed rate during the hours you’ve scheduled in your shifts.

Simplified Pickups

Even better, you don’t have to waste gas running around to different stores to get the products in all the orders. You’ll be at the fulfillment center, and all the orders you pick up are from there.

Work When You Want — For Whoever You Want

Additionally, since you’re an independent contractor, there are no loyalty requirements. You can work for other grocery and food delivery services too, and increase your income.

But Wait, There’s More!

If you decide the hustle of an independent contractor life isn’t for you, and you’d rather work as a Gopuff employee, there are Gopuff jobs for those positions.

You can get your feet wet by applying to be a Temporary Operations Associate — which can be picked up as a permanent position — at warehouses in cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Louisville, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

As an eligible employee, you’re entitled to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance. The company offers optional FSA and HSA plans, 401(k) matching, and supplemental life insurance policies.

You Can Still Have Benefits As A Delivery Driver

If you prefer to stick to delivery driving, you can still have the vital resources to make self-employment easier. Everything necessary for gig workers to create a successful career is available on Selfgood.

At Selfgood, members have access to these benefits:

• Limited Indemnity Plan
• Teledoc Health
• Legal expertise
• Discounts at hundreds of stores nationwide

Add a membership to Selfgood to your must-have list as the next step on your entrepreneurial business plan.

Conclusion

Delivery drivers play a vital role in today’s supply chain network, and you can make a solid living doing your part when you do this work for Gopuff.

When you start your new career as a gig worker, you’ll get hooked on the time freedom and impressive potential income.

With resources like Selfgood available to help you, you can leap into the freelancing world — and stop living paycheck to paycheck.