How to hire a shopper

How to hire a shopper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step shopper hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a shopper job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new shopper
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a shopper do?

Post a shopper job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your shopper job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a shopper for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect shopper also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of shoppers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Shopper	Description	Hourly rate
   Shopper		$12-23
   Retail Clerk	A retail clerk is responsible for selling goods and services to the customers, recommending products based on their needs, and responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns about the product. Retail clerks assist with the store's marketing strategies, organize product displays, monitor inventories, endorse promotional discounts, and help customers on their checkout payments... Show more	$11-18
   Blood Donor Recruiter	A blood donor recruiter is primarily in charge of coordinating with different companies, institutions, and groups to promote blood donation programs, aiming to find potential donors. Their job entails reaching out to individuals and businesses to seek support for the programs, utilizing volunteer databases to contact donors, and building positive relationships with the volunteers... Show more	$13-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Groceries
   • Grocery Store
   • Customer Orders
   • Customer Service
   • Instacart
   • RF
   • Pallets
   • Cleanliness
   • Work Ethic
   • Quality Products
   • Professional Appearance
   • Delivery Tickets
   • Culinary
   • Sales Floor

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Light landscaping - planting flowers, mulch flower beds, weeding, mowing.
   • Key notes on quarterly reviews show exemplary marks for punctuality, customer service, and job quality.
   • Stack cases of merchandise on to pallets.
   • Select the highest quality produce and perishables.
   • Train in use of the RF scanner system.
   • Expedite signs for departments and handle pricing issues with management.

   More shopper duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your shopper job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A shopper can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, shoppers' average salary in missouri is 33% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level shoppers 45% less than senior-level shoppers.
   • Certifications. A shopper with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a shopper's salary.

   Average shopper salary

   $36,631yearly

   $17.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level shopper salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average shopper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$45,606	$22
   2	Massachusetts	$44,568	$21
   3	Maine	$43,679	$21
   4	New Jersey	$43,353	$21
   5	New York	$43,033	$21
   6	Wisconsin	$42,521	$20
   7	Maryland	$40,710	$20
   8	Connecticut	$40,525	$19
   9	Michigan	$40,317	$19
   10	California	$40,054	$19
   11	Nebraska	$39,669	$19
   12	Hawaii	$39,266	$19
   13	Illinois	$38,982	$19
   14	Ohio	$38,804	$19
   15	Minnesota	$38,252	$18
   16	Utah	$38,171	$18
   17	Texas	$37,908	$18
   18	Virginia	$37,812	$18
   19	Kentucky	$37,009	$18
   20	Oregon	$36,830	$18

   Average shopper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Reckitt Benckiser	$55,918	$26.88
   2	Shipt	$42,408	$20.39
   3	Retail	$42,003	$20.19
   4	United Natural Foods	$41,344	$19.88	35
   5	Meijer	$40,575	$19.51	109
   6	P&S Surgical Hospital	$39,646	$19.06	14
   7	Shoppers Food	$39,271	$18.88	1
   8	Food City	$39,041	$18.77	85
   9	Instacart	$38,901	$18.70
   10	Festival Foods	$37,853	$18.20	27
   11	Philips Lighting North America	$37,721	$18.14
   12	Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32	$37,666	$18.11
   13	Bloomingdale's	$36,990	$17.78	75
   14	Ascena Retail Group	$36,370	$17.49
   15	Hannaford Supermarkets	$36,288	$17.45	224
   16	System One	$36,058	$17.34	1
   17	H-E-B	$36,005	$17.31	8
   18	LaborMAX Staffing	$35,795	$17.21	3
   19	Dunnhumby USA, LLC	$35,719	$17.17	1
   20	BJ's Wholesale Club	$35,711	$17.17	87

4. Writing a shopper job description

   A shopper job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a shopper job description:

   Shopper job description example

   • Team Members receive their schedule up to 3 weeks in advance
   • Average shifts are 4-8 hours long

   Job Requirements

   • Comfort using handheld technology (mobile) device to fulfill orders
   • Fulfills online orders efficiently, accurately and with a sense of urgency
   • Detail oriented, paying attention to product and order accuracy
   • Eagerness to learn product knowledge, customer service standards, and store operations
   • Ability to keep staging area organized and free of clutter
   • Willingness to work in other departments of the store as required, e.g., customer service, cashier, grocery, etc.

   Basic Qualifications

   • Must be at least 18 years old
   • Ability to read and speak basic English
   • Ability to lift up to 40 pounds, stand/walk for at least 6 hours, and be able to frequently push, pull, squat, bend, and reach with or without reasonable accommodation
   • High School diploma or equivalent diploma

   Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

   • Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
   • In an 8-hour work day: standing/walking 6-8 hours, sitting 1-4 hours.
   • Hand use: single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing and pulling.
   • Work requires the following motions: bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching.
   • Exposure to FDA approved cleaning chemicals.
   • Exposure to temperatures: <32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit (refrigerators), >90 degrees Fahrenheit.
   • Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
   • Ability to use tools and equipment, including box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other heavy machinery.
   • May require use of ladders.

   At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find shoppers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any shoppers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level shoppers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your shopper job on Zippia to find and recruit shopper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with shopper candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new shopper

   Once you've found the shopper candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a shopper?