"People were more appreciative when tipping just because of what we were doing and where we were going. "The pandemic definitely boosted pay," Woldhuis said. So, all that methodical shopping paid off.
"There were days and weeks, especially when the pandemic started, that there were hundreds of orders and not enough shoppers," Woldhuis said. And some customers only wanted Woldhuis to handle and bag items, he said.ĭuring the pandemic, Shipt orders were plentiful. When checking out, self-checkout is best because it's quicker. The baskets keep orders organized and separate. He bought his own baskets more than a year ago to set inside a shopping cart. "I am Virgo and like things in their place. "I made sure things were organized so I didn't have to backtrack," Woldhuis said. Woldhuis takes time before each shop to make sure it's organized. "At the store, I also map out my shopping on the Shipt app so it would flow with how the store is set up." Woldhuis became a Shipt shopper when he was looking to pick up some extra money in 2017, around the time the company, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Target Corp., entered the Michigan market. The 2020 earnings even garnered Woldhuis a spot on Parade magazine’s "What People Earn" annual report featured in early September.
His earnings, mainly shopping for groceries, were a combination of tips and what Shipt pays per order which can vary. Woldhuis said he earned $100,280 in 2020 working as a Shipt shopper. Meet Robert "RJ" Woldhuis, who worked as a Shipt shopper and made it pay off, earning him six figures. The service, offered by companies such as Shipt, Instacart and some grocery stores, was invaluable to many who used it, allowing people to stay out of stores as COVID-19 spread throughout the country.īut it was also lucrative to some of the personal shoppers who shopped, including one Michigan man. DETROIT-The demand for ordering groceries online and having them delivered skyrocketed when the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020.