Why Am I Not Seeing Batches on Instacart?

Written by Jeff Campbell in Grocery Delivery & Pickup

Closeup detail of a woman shopping in a supermarket

The key to making top dollar on Instacart is to get a lot of big-dollar batches. If you’ve noticed a decrease in batches, you might be wondering: Why am I not seeing batches on Instacart?

Instacart Shoppers will see fewer batches if the Shopper consistently has low ratings. Instacart’s algorithm automatically prioritizes Shoppers with excellent and above-average ratings. But not being available at peak hours or in busier locations will also impact the number of batches assigned.

But not being close to a grocery store and not turning on location services are secondary factors in a reduction in batches.

In this article, we’ll explore Instacart’s rating system, how to get batches, if one can accept multiple batches, and what to do if low customer ratings have caused a decrease in your batches. Ultimately we’ll look at the best ways to maximize your earnings!

Let’s get started.

Ready to make more money than with Instacart? Consider DoorDash!

DoorDash is a great alternative to working for Instacart, and generally speaking, they pay better!

See how much you could be earning. Available in over 4,000 cities in North America and Australia. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about working for DoorDash!

How does Instacart determine who gets batches?

Batches are offered to Instacart Shoppers based on the average of their ratings. The highest-rated Shoppers have access to batches first. When a shopper’s rating falls below 5-star, fewer batches will be sent to them.

Let’s explore the above.

Instacart uses a 5-star customer ratings system to determine batch assignments. It’s the average of the last 100 orders that are used in the computation.

In other words, by the 101st order, another cycle starts. The ratings from different customers are ratings of each shopper which they’ve left via the Instacart app.

These customer ratings are analyzed, and negative comments that relate to issues beyond the shopper’s control are not factored into the computation of the average.

These factors include stockouts, outages, and inclement weather. The lowest rating received by a shopper is also forgiven.

After each order, the lowest rating is given the boot. If a customer leaves no rating, the order has a neutral value, as it were.

After all, the ratings are the inputs being used in the computation. The computation is not complicated.

The following are the Shopper ratings:

  1. Excellent
  2. Above average
  3. Average
  4. Below average

To get batches often, you have to score excellent or above-average ratings.

Let’s check out how the average rating is computed.

  • 5 star rating = 5 pts
  • 4 star rating = 4 pts
  • 3 star rating = 3 pts
  • 2 star rating = 2 pts
  • 1 star rating = 1 pt

Say a shopper got 50 ratings, made up of 49 5-star ratings and 1 4-star rating.

49*5 = 245

Add the 4-star rating 245+4 = 249

Average rating 249/50 = 4.98

Ready to make more money than with Instacart? Consider DoorDash!

DoorDash is a great alternative to working for Instacart, and generally speaking, they pay better!

See how much you could be earning. Available in over 4,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about working for DoorDash!

How do I get more batches on Instacart?

Exceeding an Instacart customer’s expectations will almost always result in a great review. And the more great reviews received for an Instacart Shopper, the more batches get offered. 

So the key to getting more orders on Instacart is simple:

  • Follow customers’ instructions exactly as written.
  • Seek clarification when in doubt.
  • Offer excellent service.

There are factors beyond a shopper’s control that impact their rating, but offering excellent service is the one they can control.

“Shoppers are offered batches based on average customer star rating, starting with the highest rated shoppers.” 

The quote I shared above is from Instacart. You’ll agree that it succinctly captures how you could get more batches.

As you know, the ratings are being computed by an algorithm. So, if you’ve got low ratings, it’s not because someone’s got it in for you.

Now and then, you will get a bad rating. Don’t take it to heart. That’s life. Be determined to always do your best.

The simple truth is there is no magic bullet to getting more batches other than what I shared above. If you’re not getting enough batches now, simply improve the quality of the service you’re offering. Then you’ll not only get the best tips, but you’ll get more batches and be in higher demand.

Be proactive. 

There’d be a few “customers from hell” who’d still leave low ratings. But, don’t be daunted; keep offering great service. In a short time, your ratings would go up, and you’ll start getting good batches.

If a person starts doing Instacart, would it affect their unemployment benefits? 

That’s the theme of a recent article of mine where I showed that you would have to report your income and that your benefits could be reduced. But there may be 1 way around that!

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Can you accept 2 batches on Instacart?

Instacart Shoppers can accept 2 batches. 2 batches are two different orders from the same store combined into one task. Both are paid for, but the payout may be smaller than accepting 2 orders at 2 different times. 

So, yes, you can accept 2 batches on Instacart. There are even tasks where you can have 3 or even 4 orders at a time.

It’s an opportunity to make more money and is almost always from the same store.  Of course, you’ll have to deliver at different locations. But, they are often locations that won’t require you to spend too much on gas.

On the whole, multiple batches are often lucrative.

But, they can also be complicated. You will agree that it’s more work to fulfill two or more orders at a time. You simply need to take it one step at a time.

Check the requests, communicate with customers if there is a need for replacements, make sure you offer excellent service while delivering the orders and you’ll be fine.

Even if a low-tip order is batched with one of the orders, just deliver excellent service.

Remember that even though it’s not a good thing the customer is not ready to tip you, it’s still worthwhile if they gave you a 5-star rating.

Will bad customer reviews limit my batches on Instacart?

Bad customer reviews will limit the number of batches an Instacart shopper can have access to because the batch assignment system prioritizes shoppers with the highest ratings. 

It’s understandable since the higher ratings are an indication of customer satisfaction which the company would naturally want to reinforce.

Bad customer reviews reflect that a shopper is not pulling their weight and even hurting the brand. Understandably, there’d be some poor reviews.

The algorithm even forgives some, but if it reaches a point where the reviews are too bad, it will reflect in the shopper’s rating, which will be very low, and they’d fall below the excellent and above-average ranges.

Since these two are prioritized, the shopper with bad reviews will find it difficult to get batches and may even be deactivated!

Can Instacart shoppers skip check-out lines if they’re in a rush?

Find out in a recent article of mine. I explained that they could and that some stores even allow them to come in earlier and leave later. They are also provided with dedicated cards for making payments.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Who pays better: DoorDash or Instacart?

Doordash pays better than Instacart. It offers higher rates and opportunities to earn extra income on longer-distance delivery, large orders, and timely arrival. Additionally, DoorDash tips average 15%, compared to Instacart where they average between 5-10%.

Doordash’s rates are a bit higher than Instacart’s. It’s an average of $25 per hour, although, in reality, most dashers make about $20 per hour or $5 per delivery.

There are also different ways to get a little extra, and seeing as DoorDash started with delivering food, the traditional rate for tips in the foodservice industry is 15%.

Instacart shoppers earn between $7 and $25 per hour. This can go to about $25 during peak periods. But $11 is the average that’s earned. There are no extra opportunities to earn more, and the tips are set at a base of 5%.

So, can you make a full-time income from Instacart? 

That’s what I explored in a recent article of mine, where I shared the average income and showed that while flexibility is a good factor to consider, it’s got its minuses.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Do full-service Shoppers get more batches than Store Shoppers?

Ultimately, full-service Shoppers can make more money and get more batches than in-store Shoppers. Full-service Shoppers do both the grocery shopping and the delivery of Instacart orders. In-store Shoppers, by comparison, only do the shopping (most often for pick-up orders).

In-store Shoppers get paid an hourly wage as they are actual Instacart employees. So the number of batches they are given doesn’t matter; they get paid the same no matter how many batches they get or don’t get.

Full service Shoppers, by comparison, can work as much or as little as they choose. That is one of the many benefits of being an independent contractor.

Do new Shoppers get fewer batches than existing Shoppers?

As a general rule, existing Instacart Shoppers will get their pick of available batches if they have a great rating and high customer feedback.

Gig workers often live or die by the Shopper rating system, and new Shoppers just don’t have the necessary feedback yet to get the maximum number of Instacart batches.

But don’t fret.

Customer demand for you can soar quickly by being available to work at peak times in busy areas, delivering on-time, and giving outstanding customer service. The occasional bad review is inevitable. But avoid doing anything consistently that can lead to a lower rating.

As you get more orders under your belt and start to get excellent ratings, you will naturally start to see more batches, and see that extra cash start rolling in.

Final thoughts

How does Instacart’s rating system work to allocate batches?

Can you deliver more than a batch at a time? How can you get more batches? These are some of the questions we addressed.

We also looked at how bad customer reviews are likely to impact you. Finally, we checked out who pays better: DoorDash or Instacart.

Ready to make more money than with Instacart? Consider DoorDash!

DoorDash is a great alternative to working for Instacart, and generally speaking, they pay better!

See how much you could be earning. Available in over 4,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about working for DoorDash!

Jeff Campbell

Hi! I'm Jeff Campbell. I was a leader for Whole Foods Market for over 2 decades. I worked in 9 stores in 4 states, not counting the hundred-plus stores I've assisted in other ways. I was a Global All-Star, a Gold Pen Winner, and won Top-10 Store (company-wide) 3 times in addition to Best New Store (company-wide).

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