How To Change Your Instacart Shopper Location – What Shoppers Must Know
If you're working for Instacart, chances are, you probably do most of your shopping in the same area.
But, if you travel frequently for work, are moving, or just want to explore another area of your city, you might be wondering: how do I change my Instacart Shopper location?
There's actually a few misconceptions about how to change zones on Instacart, if you even have to do anything, and how to get more batches in general.
So, if you're ready to learn this niche Instacart Shopper trick, let's dive into why and how to change your Instacart Shopper location.
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Why Change Your Instacart Location?
There are two main reasons people want to change their Instacart Shopper location.
The first is to try and get batches in a new zone if your current area doesn't have many stores and you find you're not getting batches.
This is actually a very common request from shoppers, but it's actually impossible to do.
For example, as you can see in this Reddit thread, this Instacart Shopper states that they want to change their location since they live too far away from the Sam's Club in their city but they want to receive orders from there.
However, one of the main ways Instacart assigns batches is based on location.
In other words, you need to be somewhat close to a store in order to receive batches for that store.
I'm not talking about sitting in the parking lot, but think around 5 to 10 miles sort of thing.
So, unfortunately, you can't change your Instacart Shopper zone through the app just to try and cherry pick some better batches.
However, the other reason people want to change their Instacart Shopper location is if they want to shop in a new area or city.
After all, Instacart is an incredibly popular gig app, and it's available in over 5,000 cities, so if you move, there's a good chance you can still keep shopping even if you're in an entirely new market.
Extra Reading – Is Instacart Worth It?
How To Change Your Instacart Shopper Location
If you move to a new area or want to side hustle while traveling, Instacart is still a viable option.
However, the first step is to check if Instacart is even available in your new market since this grocery delivery service isn't in every city.
Now, here's where it gets a little weird.
Some Instacart Shoppers don't have to change their zone or location; they simply login to the Instacart Shopper app when they're in a new city and can start requesting batches.
However, some Shoppers don't see batches and need to contact Instacart customer support to change their location.
Here's an example in a Reddit thread where two Instacart Shoppers share their experiences:
- solarmal says: “When I went from MA to CA, I could see batches in CA but they would not transition to shop mode in the store. I contacted IC and they updated my zones and I could shop. I then went to WA a week later, and asked IC to update me again before I even attempted to shop. So, moral of my story is, contact IC when you get to the new location and have them update you. I have seen here where people say they have had no problems in new cities or states, but that was NOT true with me. However, once I asked IC to change it, it took all of 30 minutes to be updated and ready to shop in my new location.”
- RKT7799 says: “I've shopped 9 states I've never contacted support. Weird.”
From what I've seen, it looks like most people don't need to contact support to change their Instacart zone since the app automatically detects the change and still shows batches.
But, if you do need to change your Instacart location, here are the steps you take:
- Contact Instacart Shopper support through your shopping app
- Inform the company you're shopping in a new zone but aren't getting any batches
That's really all there is to it, and hopefully, you can begin shopping in your new city or state after a few days of waiting at most.
Extra Reading – How Much Can You Make With Instacart A Week?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Do Instacart Anywhere?
Instacart is available in over 5,000 cities across North America.
As an Instacart Shopper, you should be able to open your app and begin shopping in any new city, provided Instacart is available there.
And, as mentioned, it seems like most shoppers don't have to change their Instacart zone in order to see batches.
However, note that you can't do Instacart in different countries.
So, you can't be an American Instacart Shopper and then visit Canada and begin working, or vice versa.
This is because one of Instacart's requirements is to have legal permission to work in the given country, so unless you have a work visa or dual-citizenship, you're out of luck.
Additionally, you need to apply for either the Canadian or American Instacart Shopper role, although this is a fairly niche scenario in fairness.
2. Can I Do Instacart In Another State?
You can do Instacart in multiple states as long as Instacart is available in the market you're in.
When you open the Shopper app in a new state, it should update your zone automatically and you can begin receiving batches from stores in your area.
Remember, location is what matters most, and most people don't have to change their Instacart location by contacting customer support.
Extra Reading – Instacart Peak Hours For Shoppers.
Final Thoughts
I know this was a bit of a long-winded explanation for a very unique question some people have, but I hope this quick walkthrough helps clarify some of the confusion!
You usually don't have to change zones on Instacart as a shopper. So, if you move or travel and want to keep on making money, you're not out of luck as long as Instacart is in your area!
And, if you happen to move to a new city where Instacart isn't available, you can always try a variety of other jobs like Instacart to make some quick cash.
For example, driving for DoorDash or Uber Eats are two ways to deliver food for money, and the gig economy is ripe with other opportunities to boost your income.
Whatever side hustle you choose, I wish you the best of luck!
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