The Definitive Guide to GoPuff

In today’s fast-paced, hustle and bustle world, time is our most valuable resource.

It’s hard to get everything we need while also making sure we dedicate enough energy to what we want and like to do.

Because of this, countless services now exist to help people meet the demands of the day.

And as a fortunate side effect, this also means there are lots of ways to make some extra cash for those who find themselves looking for a side hustle.

A great example of this is home delivery.

Most people don’t have the time to run to the store, or to go pick up food, and this is why delivery services, such as GrubHub, Postmates, and  Uber Eats are so successful.

GoPuff is a niche on-demand delivery service specializing in delivering the basic necessities for life, is another great example of a service that is making people’s lives easier.

It’s also offering individuals with some time to spare the chance to easily and flexibly make some extra money.

However, working for GoPuff is a bit different than driving for some of the other delivery companies out there, which might just make it the perfect option for you.

To learn more about GoPuff, as well as how to begin working as a GoPuff driver, read on for the complete guide to GoPuff.

What is GoPuff?

In their words, GoPuff is “the world’s first digital convenience retailer.”

The company was started by Yakir Gola and Rafael Ilishayev, two Drexel University students, who felt throwing a party required too many trips to the store for supplies.

Instead of groceries or fast food delivery, GoPuff focuses on delivery items you would typically find at a convenience store or gas station like chips, ice cream, candy, soda, and even over the counter medicine.

As you can tell from their website, they are targeting college students and the late-night “munchies” crowd.

The service works through the GoPuff app.

You simply download it, scroll through the options available and make a purchase.

Once your order is processed, it will be delivered straight to your door.

All deliveries come with a $1.95 delivery fee, no matter how much or how little you order.

Furthermore, they never use surge pricing, so you don’t need to worry about spending more when you order at a busy or odd time of the day.

What sets GoPuff apart from other delivery services, though, is that they deliver direct.

This means that the products they sell come straight from their local warehouses.

The driver does not need to stop off and pick up your order, which means you can expect to get your products much more quickly than if you go through another service.

GoPuff sells all sorts of things, too, from snacks and drinks to cleaning supplies and medicine, as well as beer and vape juice, if you need it.

If you can find it in a convenience store, then there’s a good chance you’ll find it on GoPuff.

Currently, GoPuff operates in most major cities around the country, especially college towns.

The biggest markets include:

• NYC
• DC
• Philadelphia
• Chicago
• Boston
• Seattle
• Pittsburgh
• Denver

But for a complete list of the cities where GoPuff operates, check out the list below.

Remember, though, GoPuff is a growing company, so if it isn’t in your city now, keep looking, it likely will be soon.

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How to Use GoPuff

As with most deliver apps, there are two ways to engage with GoPuff.

The first is as a consumer.

Overall, it couldn’t be much easier to be a GoPuff customer.

Simply download the app or visit gopuff.com and enter your phone number, email address and physical address.

Once you’ve done this, all that’s left to do is to shop.

GoPuff offers bundles of commonly-bought products, or you can select things one by one.

There is a minimum delivery amount of $10, so fill up your cart and click “check out” to complete your order.

It is here where you’ll be asked to fill in the delivery information and payment information.

You can also add a tip (you should!).

Depending on the time of day, this could take no more than a few minutes, but they claim all deliveries will be made in 30 minutes or less.

Part of the way they do this, though, is by only delivering to addresses within 30 minutes of their warehouses.

In major cities, GoPuff operates 24/7, but in some of their newer markets they have more limited hours, so it might be smart to check before placing an order.

The other way to use GoPuff is to work as a driver, and we’ll outline this process in the next sections.

Working For GoPuff

There are a couple of different ways to work for GoPuff.

The first is to work in one of their warehouses, but this job functions more like a typical stockroom job.

You go in for a set shift, and your primary responsibility is to pull items from the shelves as they get ordered and bundle them up for the drivers to deliver.

The other way to work for GoPuff, which is far more suited to the gig economy, is to be a driver.

Much like other freelance driving jobs, you are free to choose your hours.

This means you could only work once a week if you wanted to.

Or, if you were really trying to hustle, you could work full-time every day.

In general, the experience for driving for GoPuff is a bit different than other app-based delivery service jobs.

This is largely because GoPuff uses its own warehouses.

The Experience of Driving for GoPuff

Unlike some of its competitors, with GoPuff you don’t need to go to a store and pick things up for customers, which often results in longer delivery times.

Instead, you go to the warehouse where other workers have packed customers’ bags for you, and deliver them based on the addresses provided in the app.

This means that your shift will always begin at the GoPuff warehouse, another difference as compared to other delivery services.

You don’t need to worry about going to an area where there’s a lot of demand.

Simply show up to the warehouse, and GoPuff does all the rest.

So, to paint you a picture, this is how working for GoPuff might go:

• Sign into the app and choose when you want to work. Available shifts will be listed inside the app, so you can choose as many or as few as you want. However, if you sign up for a shift, it’s important you actually go. Failing to do so could cause you to lose out on future shifts.
• Go to the warehouse when it’s time for your shift to begin. Once you get there, you’ll need to check in on the app so that GoPuff knows you indeed showed up for your shift.
• Wait to hear your name and bin number. When orders have been filled, someone from the warehouse will yell out your name and tell you which bin your orders are in, as well as how many bags are there.
• Use your phone to find out where you’re going. Once you’ve been given a job, your phone will connect you to the customers’ information using the app. Here you will find addresses, which you can plug into your favorite GPS app.
• Deliver and return. Once you’ve arrived at the delivery destination, you can call the customer to tell them you’re there. You can find their number in the app. Make sure to get the customer to sign for the delivery on the app, and then you’re all set. If you still have time left on your shift, return to the warehouse to start the process over again.

Overall, driving for GoPuff is pretty straightforward, especially once you’ve made a few deliveries and gotten used to the system.

Remember, too, that you work as much or as little as you want.

So, if you’re curious, consider signing up for a few shorter shifts to try things out.

Should you like it, you can take on more work and boost your earnings.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will be responsible for scanning people’s IDs when they order alcoholic beverages.

Failure to do so can get you on a lot of trouble, both with GoPuff but also with the law.

How Much Can You Make Working for GoPuff?

Seeing how easy and convenient it is to work for GoPuff makes it easy to get excited.

But the real question on everyone’s mind right now is: how much money can you make?

Unlike other freelance driving companies, such as Uber or Lyft, GoPuff doesn’t use surge pricing, so this means fees are the same no matter what time people order.

However, this shouldn’t affect how much money you make as a driver.

GoPuff’s pay structure is designed to help you earn a solid and consistent income.

Overall, there are three ways of making money with GoPuff:

• “Bank” payments. This is the flat rate you make simply for showing up for your shift. It varies depending on how much time you work. For example, the “bank” payment for a 4-hour shift is $30.
• Deliveries. You get a few bucks for every delivery you make. The exact amount depends on how far you need to go for the delivery. But since GoPuff never delivers to anywhere it can’t get to in less than 30 minutes, you don’t need to worry about having to go too far.
• Tips. Customers can tip you with their credit cards via the app, or they can give you cash when you make the delivery. Tips made through the app will be added into your weekly pay, whereas the cash you make is yours to keep. Of course, you’ll need to keep track of your tip money so that you can accurately declare your income at the end of the year.

As you can see, the exact amount of money you can make driving for GoPuff will depend a bit on your city, how much you work, how many deliveries you do, and also on how friendly your customers are.

However, GoPuff advertises an average hourly rate of $15 per hour, so this is a good number to start with.

It’s theoretically possible to make more if you really hustle, but count on the average if you’re considering driving for GoPuff.

How to Become a GoPuff Driver

If you’ve decided that driving for GoPuff is the right move for you, then here’s a bit more about the process you need to go through to get hired.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure GoPuff is hiring in your area.

Unlike Uber or Lyft, GoPuff isn’t necessarily hiring in all locations at all times.

As a result, you’ll want to check their website to see if driver positions are available in your city.

If a position is available, make sure you meet the requirements, which are:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Possess a high school degree or equivalent
• Have a driver’s license
• Know how to navigate a GPS
• Understand the area where you’ll be driving
• Have an insurance policy in your name
• And an Android or Apple iOS phone that meets minimum requirements

Beyond this, there’s not much more to do.

If you meet the requirements, fill out an application.

Someone from GoPuff will contact you to go through the final phases of the process, and you could be making deliveries within the week.

Why Use GoPuff

For consumers, GoPuff represents a fast and efficient way to get what you need when you need it.

You no longer need to worry about going out if you run out of beer at your party, or if you come home after a long day to an empty cupboard.

Plus, at just $1.95 per delivery, GoPuff is a cheap way to have things delivered right to your home.

As a driver, GoPuff represents an excellent way to make some cash while only working when you want to.

There are few requirements needed to become a driver (less than driving for Uber or Lyft), so if you’re interested in boosting your earnings while trying something new, then GoPuff could be the perfect job for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully, we’ve managed to cover all the questions you might have, but here’s a recap of some of the main points, as well as some FAQs we might not have already answered.