How to hire a store shopper

How to hire a store shopper, step by step

Here's a step-by-step store 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 store shopper job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new store shopper
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a store shopper do?

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a store shopper, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A store shopper's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, store shoppers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of store shoppers.

   Type of Store Shopper	Description	Hourly rate
   Store Shopper		$11-21
   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
   Personal Shopper	A personal shopper helps customers get the best possible purchases. Primarily, personal shoppers help others shop through suggestions and advice... Show more	$10-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Groceries
   • Grocery Store
   • Product Knowledge
   • Strong Customer Service
   • Customer Service
   • Delivery Service
   • Product Replacements
   • POS

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the appearance of the store in conjunction with the store priorities to present a desirable image of Aldi.
   • Collaborate with both local small businesses and large franchises to host consultations for VIP customers.
   • Negotiate contracts with suppliers to confirm competitive pricing and secure quality merchandise and POS while ensuring brand equity.
   • Pilot a new product launch summary that track weekly POS, market share, and comparisons to competitive brands.
   • Receive recognition from management and customers for perfect and fast deliveries of groceries.
   • Manage the appearance of the store in conjunction with the store priorities to present a desirable image of Aldi.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your store shopper job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A store shopper salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, store shoppers' average salary in alaska is 42% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level store shoppers earn 47% less than senior-level store shoppers.
   • Certifications. A store shopper with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a store shopper's salary.

   Average store shopper salary

   $16.08hourly

   $33,456 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level store shopper salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average store shopper salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$42,222	$20
   2	New Jersey	$39,896	$19
   3	Massachusetts	$39,657	$19
   4	District of Columbia	$39,001	$19
   5	Hawaii	$38,688	$19
   6	Minnesota	$37,452	$18
   7	Indiana	$36,684	$18
   8	Iowa	$36,310	$17
   9	Louisiana	$35,399	$17
   10	Ohio	$35,250	$17
   11	Connecticut	$35,156	$17
   12	Michigan	$35,034	$17
   13	New York	$33,937	$16
   14	Illinois	$33,913	$16
   15	Georgia	$33,891	$16
   16	Maine	$33,590	$16
   17	Texas	$32,865	$16
   18	Nebraska	$32,807	$16
   19	Colorado	$32,699	$16
   20	Pennsylvania	$32,323	$16

   Average store shopper salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Shipt	$40,704	$19.57
   2	L'Oréal	$40,636	$19.54	152
   3	Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC	$39,057	$18.78
   4	Fresh Thyme	$38,914	$18.71	26
   5	Roche Bros. Supermarkets	$38,756	$18.63	7
   6	Conn's	$38,112	$18.32
   7	Festival Foods	$37,977	$18.26	34
   8	Albertsons	$37,936	$18.24	459
   9	Stew Leonard's	$36,453	$17.53
   10	Reasor's	$34,559	$16.61
   11	Graphic Packaging International	$34,537	$16.60
   12	Amazon	$34,466	$16.57	18
   13	Town Pump	$34,384	$16.53	15
   14	H-E-B	$34,017	$16.35	37
   15	Blackstone Consulting	$33,631	$16.17	1
   16	Adecco	$33,154	$15.94	1
   17	Vertex	$32,554	$15.65
   18	Express Employment Indy South	$32,071	$15.42	2
   19	Express Employment Professionals International HQ	$31,944	$15.36
   20	Whole Foods Market	$31,909	$15.34	282

4. Writing a store shopper job description

   A job description for a store shopper role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a store shopper job description:

   Store shopper job description example

   • At least 18 years old
   • Eligible to work in the United States
   • Consistent access to and be able to effectively use a recent smartphone (iPhone 6s / Android 5.0 or newer)
   • Ability to lift 50 lbs with or without accommodation
   • 
     

   Additional Information:

   If you have experience in the grocery industry, you might want to consider joining the Instacart team. We also welcome interested individuals from other industries and backgrounds. Shopping with Instacart is great for anyone looking for flexible, seasonal, entry-level, weekend, weekday, after school, temporary or any type of part-time opportunities.

   Instacart is committed to diversity in its workforce. Instacart is an equal employment opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to any prohibited ground of discrimination under applicable human rights legislation. The company provides accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities, as otherwise required in accordance with applicable laws.

   
   

   Instacart also values providing applicants with a fair chance to pursue employment opportunities. Instacart evaluates criminal histories in accordance with this value and applicable local, state, and federal laws, and tailors any consideration of criminal histories to the requirements of the contract engagement sought. For all individuals applying to work in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, Instacart considers individuals in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable Fair Chance ordinances.

   
   

   Availability Policy:

   In Store Shoppers must provide at least 20 hours of availability each week, with Mondays, Saturdays, or Sundays accounting for at least 12 hours each week.

   
   

   Wage Policy:

   Every In-Store Shopper has a starting zone wage. From that starting wage, a shopper can increase their hourly rate by $0.25 every 500 hours worked, up to the zone max wage. Note, the zone max wage is $2 above the starting wage

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find store 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 store shoppers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level store 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 store shopper job on Zippia to find and recruit store shopper candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with store 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 store shopper

   Once you've found the store 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new store shopper. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a store shopper?