This relatively new company, freshly rejuvenated by an infusion of investor capital, goes out of its way to make drivers happy. In this blog post, we’ll look at what Gopuff is, what it’s like to be a Gopuff delivery driver, and why drivers love the job. Let’s take it in small bites. We’ll look at:
What is Gopuff?
What is Gopuff delivery? It’s a way for customers to get all kinds of goods delivered to their doors within 30 minutes. Gopuff has an entirely different approach to delivery. Unlike companies that send drivers to retail outlets and restaurants to pick up orders, and in some cases, do the shopping, Gopuff simply has drivers pick up fulfilled orders and drive them to their destinations.
Gopuff buys products directly from manufacturers and keeps them in “micro-fulfillment centers,” warehouses that act as distribution hubs. Independent drivers then deliver the products to customers within a 30-minute time window. In a March 2021 TechCrunch article titled “‘Instant needs’ delivery startup Gopuff raises $1.15B at an $8.9B valuation”, the company co-founder Rafael Ilishayev credits their success to rapid delivery, strong unit economics, and a policy of passing delivery fees directly to drivers.
You may be rubbing your eyes to make sure you read that right, and in fact, you did! It’s rare to find a company that’s willing to pass delivery fees directly to their drivers, but that’s an integral part of Gopuff’s model.
The company is based in Philadelphia and operates in more than 650 US cities. Gopuff was founded in 2013, when Ilishayev and co-founder Yakir Gola were students at Drexel University. When they’d throw parties, they figured it took too many trips to the store to get all their supplies, from liquor and mixers to chips and dips.
From this seemingly insatiable need their ambition grew. They believed there had to be a better way to get convenience products delivered, and it appears that they’ve not only happened upon it, they’ve made it into a great company.
Gopuff makes money by reselling products purchased from manufacturers, not by cashing in on the service fees attached to getting the products delivered. That’s why they are able to pass on the entire delivery fee to their drivers.
The founders see Gopuff as being in the market of satisfying “instant needs.” This may involve pharmacy goods, convenience items, or other kinds of products. Healthy snacks and baby and beauty merchandise are on the list of soon to be available Gopuff supplies.
The common thread among all the products Gopuff carries is customer demand. When customers cry out for a type of item, Gopuff responds by supplying it for them. This creates a diverse inventory of goods and a wide audience of eager customers wanting to satisfy their desire to have all their favorite things delivered fast.
By many accounts, Gopuff has a bright future. Obviously, the surge in demand for delivery during the pandemic years has helped, but even after lockdowns have eased, the company is considered to be cutting edge and holds potential for continued growth. And remember—they pass their delivery fees on to the Gopuff delivery driver! That’s something every driver is going to want to know about. Let’s see what it takes to become a driver for Gopuff.
Becoming a Gopuff driver
Joining Gopuff is very similar to signing on with the other rideshare and delivery companies. There are not a lot of restrictions or requirements, but there are a few, including
- minimum age of 21
- high school diploma or equivalent
- valid driver’s license
- vehicle and insurance where you are listed as insured or covered
- Android 4.4.2 + 1 GB RAM or iOS 10.1 (iPhone 5 at minimum)
- clear criminal and driving records
- a checking account for getting paid
If you meet these requirements, then you can download the app and learn more about the Gopuff scheduling and delivery system. You will be tested on your knowledge of the software before you’re finally cleared to become a full-fledged Gopuff driver.
Once you’re on board, you’ll set up your shifts through the app. You do need to know that when you schedule a shift, you’re obligated to show up. Once you do, you’ll drive to the warehouse and check in with the app. You don’t have to do any shopping or packaging; warehouse workers will handle all of that. When your batch of deliveries is ready, they’ll contact you to pick it up and the app will give you all the directions for the deliveries.
You have to be fast about getting to your delivery destinations, as Gopuff promises customers that they’ll get their goods in a half hour or less. Also, you’ll need to get them to sign for their orders and upload pictures of their IDs to the app when alcohol or other items requiring ID are part of their purchases.
If you finish early enough, you return to the warehouse for additional rounds of deliveries. It’s that simple. There are no unruly passengers in your car, no surly restaurant staff to deal with, and far less hassle and hustle than other rideshare and delivery driving gigs. If Gopuff already sounds like a good deal to you, just wait ‘til you hear about even more Gopuff features drivers just have to love.
Why drivers choose Gopuff
Just for starters, Gopuff driver pay is enough for drivers to rave about. The company advertises that drivers make upwards of $15 an hour. Does that sound good to you? Well, it is pretty good for delivery driving. Here’s how Gopuff driver pay works:
- You start with a “bank” payment. This is money you get just for showing up for your shift. The amount depends on how long your shift is and can vary according to how much you can work. For example, the bank payment for a 4-hour shift is $35.
- You get the delivery fees from the orders you take, at a minimum of $3.50 per order.
- You get tips.
- You get bonuses, when they’re offered, for delivering lots of orders or for working at peak times.
Pay gets transferred into your bank account once a week, and, if for some reason your delivery fees don’t add up to meet the minimum hourly rate established in your area, Gopuff will make up the difference. That’s another thing that makes this company come across as more caring and considerate to drivers, but it’s not all that drivers love about it. There’s even more:
- There are no third parties (stores or restaurants) involved in the delivery process.
- You choose your own working hours.
- Pickup locations are convenient and always include free parking.
- Deliveries are never more than 30 minutes from the micro-fulfillment center.
Gopuff offers a simplified way to make money doing gig driving. There is so much about it to love, and as long as there’s a micro-fulfillment center near you, it’s easy to get in on it.
Would you go with Gopuff?
You might be comfortable with your current rideshare or delivery gig and have little interest in switching. On the other hand, you might be ready for a change, or to find ways to minimize the amount of gas you use in your driving gig. Gopuff certainly helps with that because you’ll never be driving more than 30 minutes away from the Gopuff micro-fulfillment center. Additionally, you can also take advantage of gas discounts for rideshare drivers with Gridwise Gas which is geared towards helping rideshare and gig drivers decrease the cost of gas.
Gopuff also seems to be taking the gig driving model to a new level. Their focus on customer demand is far more targeted than the “shotgun” approach taken by the first-generation delivery companies. Rather than being all things to all people, Gopuff knows what goods people in their area need and want, and they hire drivers to deliver them.
Their pay structure is also very fair and supportive of drivers. Because they are focused on selling the products, Gopuff doesn’t continually increase its take rate at the expense of their drivers or customers.
There surely is a lot for drivers to love about Gopuff. Find out for yourself when you give it a try!
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