Instacart was founded by Apoorva Mehta in 2012, and since that time has remained America’s largest groceries pick up and delivery company. Other than grocery deliveries, they also provide alcohol delivery services, although that feature is only available in 14 states across the United States and Canada.
To place a delivery or pick up request on Instacart, either a grocery or an alcohol request, you simply log into your Instacart app, then select the grocery items or the exact alcohol you want and simply place an order for it. As soon as this is done, your order is immediately filled by an Instacart shopper who does the shopping on your behalf, and either drops it off at your designated pick up location or at your home address.
What Are Demo Orders On Instacart?
Instacart demo orders is simply a feature on the Instacart app that allows Instacart shoppers to practice how to fill a customer’s order before accepting any real Instacart orders. Basically, Instacart demo orders are simply a form of training provided by the company for its shoppers, in order to understand how a customer’s order is filled properly.
The company uses the demo order feature to simulate real Instacart orders to help new shoppers have an idea of how the Instacart shoppers app works when an order is made.
For better understanding by people who are not familiar with Instacart, shoppers are simply Instacart workers who shop for a customer’s order after an order has been made, and simply delivers the order to the customer’s house, or drops it off at a designated pick up location.
These shoppers are of two types; the In- store workers who receive customers orders, fills the order by picking up the items at the grocery store where they are stationed and drops it off at a designated pick up location.
The other type of shoppers are the full service workers. The full service workers are independent contractors who work part time with Instacart as a means of earning some side income.
This category of workers receive customer orders, then shops for the order themselves from the grocery store, then proceeds to deliver the order to the customer at his home.
The full service workers do home deliveries unlike the in- store workers whose job is simply to fill your grocery order then drop it off at a location where you can pick it up yourself or send a rider.
Where Can I Find The “Demo Order” Feature On Instacart?
The Instacart demo order feature is only available on the Instacart shopper app. To find this feature, simply log into your shopper app and select the menu icon on the page. Then proceed to select the Demo order feature.
After selecting the demo order feature, different grocery retail stores available like Kroger, Walmart, Costco, Publix etc, will be displayed. You simply select the retail store you would like to do the demo at.
Then, after selecting your preferred retail store, additional information will be displayed. These include the fake customers address, the fake customers grocery orders as well as the distance to the fake customers preferred grocery store.
New shoppers should note again at this point that this is a demo order, and not a real order from an actual customer.
While going through the demo order also, you would come across other buttons like you would normally see on a real Instacart order.
An example of this is the “can’t find item” button, there is also the “Message customer”, which can be used to chat with the customer to tell them about the availability or not of a certain grocery item or to make other suggestions.
You can also use the “Found Item” button to mark products as being found which is what you do on a real Instacart shopping trip.
Furthermore, just like a real Instacart order also, you will also be shown how much an order is worth, as well as how much you will earn if you accept the order. You will also see how much Instacart will pay you for filling the order, as well as how much the customer has set as tip to reward you.
After this, you can then click on”accept ”, then the simulation automatically begins.
Read: What Time Do Instacart Batches Start?
Are Demo Orders Real Orders?
The demo order feature exists simply as a form of practice for new shoppers to learn how to fill a customer’s order when they are starting out as a shopper. Demo orders allow new shoppers to familiarize themselves with how the Instacart app works.
However, a lot of new shoppers do not know if they actually have to fill the order listed under the demo order. Matter of fact, some Instacart shoppers on Reddit admit that they did not know that they did not have to actually fill a demo order, and they tried to actually fill the order until their Instacart shopper card was declined by the grocery retail store.
The most confusing part of the demo order feature is that just like a real Instacart customer order, the demo order also required a barcode scan for items picked. However this barcode scan can be skipped manually by simply marking the items as shopped.
Note that this will only work for a demo order, as you can not skip a barcode scan for a selected item when filling a real order.
New shoppers should however not mistake a demo order for a real order. Demo orders exist simply as a form of practice, and the order listed is not meant to be filled.
Both the customer’s address as well as the grocery list displayed are just simulations and only exist for practice purposes.
Read: Does Instacart Take EBT?
Do You Get Paid For Demo Orders On Instacart?
Since there is no money being exchanged by Instacart and any customer during a demo order, the company does not pay you for demo orders. Such orders only exist as a form of practice.
Demo orders are simply not meant to be filled, thus Instacart cannot pay you for it. You only do demo orders in order to get accustomed to how the Instacart app works.
The Instacart demo orders do not require you to actually go to a grocery store or deliver any groceries to the listed address. You can simply stay in your home and complete a demo order easily.
Do You Have To Do Demo Orders On Instacart?
While new shoppers may think it is mandatory to go through a demo order training in order to become a full Instacart shopper, that is not actually the case. The Instacart demo order training is strictly by choice.
However, going through the training is highly recommended, as it allows you to properly familiarize with the instacart shopper app interface.
For other tips relating to what to do while starting out as a new shopper with Instacart, we have published a lot of articles relating to the company on this website. You should check out these articles in your free time.
Want to learn more about Instacart? Check out our related posts to learn if Instacart delivers cigarettes, does Instacart deliver alcohol, and can you work for Shipt and Instacart?
Conclusion…
Going through a demo order training, even though not mandatory by Instacart, is highly recommended for new Instacart shoppers.
This is to avoid mistakes while carrying out a customer’s order in the real world, as making mistakes while filling out orders or delivering items can get you a bad review from customers.
As a new Instacart shopper, ensure that customer satisfaction is achieved in order to receive a glowing review, as excellent reviews may get you more delivery orders.
In conclusion, new shoppers should note that demo orders are not real orders, as they only exist for training purposes and such orders are not expected to be filled.
Even though the demo order may include a real address and a grocery item shopping list, they only exist for training purposes.
New shoppers should also note that they do not get paid for carrying out a demo order training. They only get paid for filing actual orders as per Instacart company policy.