Shipt Grocery Delivery Review: Is it Worth Doing?

Shipt is a new (ish) grocery delivery service that allows for FREE same-day delivery – but is it worth the yearly cost? Read our unsponsored and unbiased Shipt review to find out.

Shipt Reviews

A year or so ago, I discovered how nice free grocery pickup with Walmart Grocery Pickup was.

However, there was just one problem…sometimes I just didn’t have the energy to even go to the grocery store. I know that totally sounds like a first world problem – and it is. But I have some health issues that sometimes make simple tasks like going to the store rather daunting.

I also found that I really don’t love all the grocery items from Walmart, so that started to deter me from doing it all together.

With that said, I didn’t want to pay $10+ for grocery delivery. So I kept going with Walmart on occasion, but I mainly just went to the store myself.

I actually don’t mind grocery shopping, but when I have to do it with my little ones in tow – or when I wasn’t feeling well, it isn’t quite as fun.

So when I heard about Shipt, I was intrigued. There was a $99 fee, which deterred me a bit, but they delivered groceries from Target and King Soopers – my two go-to stores – and it was same day delivery!

I stored that information in the back of my head, and I decided I might consider it at a later time if I saw the price drop at all.

A few months later, I saw a coupon code that made the yearly fee $49, rather than $99, so I decided to jump on it. I tried it out the next day, and I have to say, I’m hooked.

While I still go to the grocery store (because I really don’t mind it), I’m finding myself using it more in more. There are times where I just don’t have the energy to go, or it’s a big grocery trip that I don’t care to take my boys on, or we are getting home from a vacation, and it just makes it so convenient.

Currently, I am recovering from abdominal surgery, so grocery shopping is definitely a no go, so I know that I’ll be using this frequently over the next few weeks. In fact, I just used it today laying in bed!

I’ve had a lot of questions about Shipt and how it works, so I thought I would share a little bit about my experience. I do use my referral code in here, but this isn’t sponsored in any way by Shipt!

Shipt FAQ

What is Shipt?

Simply put, Shipt is a grocery delivery service. You can order your groceries and other goods through their app or website, and then they are delivered straight to your front porch.

Shipt gives you the option for same-day shipping – in my experience, the times are usually just a couple of hours out. I LOVE this feature. As I mentioned, I used to use grocery pickup services quite a bit, but sometimes I needed groceries that day – and most of these are next day pickups.

Shipt isn’t available at all stores, so make sure you check to see what stores are serviced in your area. In my area, they have King Soopers and Target, which are the two stores I shop at much!

Shipt shoppers are individuals that are independent contractors of the store. It’s kind of like Uber for grocery shopping.

You basically place your order, and Shipt shoppers are given the opportunity to “claim” your order. They go and shop for you and then deliver your groceries in their own vehicle.

How Much Does Shipt Cost?

So there are a couple of different costs to consider when it comes to Shipt:

• Annual Cost
• Increased costs of goods
• Shopping trips under $35
• Tipping

First of all, there is an annual cost to using the service. It is usually $99, but occasionally they will offer deals to make it $49 off. 

Click here for a Two-Week Free Trial

For me, $49 was reasonable – but I wasn’t about to pay $99. Just my personal feelings on it.

Secondly, as I will talk about in just a second, Shipt does increase the cost of the goods you are buying. It seems to vary on the percentage – and I did find things were pretty much the exact same price – but it should absolutely be considered.

Third, you only get “free” delivery if your groceries cost $35 or more. If you have a smaller grocery trip, I believe it’s $7 or $8 for them to deliver the groceries. This is why I only use Shipt for larger shopping trips.

And finally, tipping. Although tipping is not required, it is encouraged. You can leave whatever sized tip you like if you choose to leave one – and this happens after your groceries are delivered. You do not give them money directly – you pay it through the website or mobile app.

How Does Shipt Work?

It’s quite simple. Shipt can be used either from their desktop website or from their mobile app. I primarily use their mobile app, but I’ve used both, and they work similarly and easily.

I love being able to use the Shipt app when I’m on the go – once I even ordered groceries as I was waiting for my barre class to start!

I am going to share a little screen video about how Shipt works so you get a better idea. I thought that would be easier than me posting a bunch of pictures 🙂

Does Shipt inflate the price of goods?

One of my biggest concerns with Shipt was that they would inflate the cost of groceries a lot through the app. I think it’s reasonable to expect the price might be a little bit more, but I was worried it would be a huge markup.

I’ve just done a couple of comparisons, but the increase is minimal. Sometimes it seems like it’s not even there at all – for instance, I get Chobani Flips a lot. They were $1 at Target, which is the lowest I ever really see them on sale. However, I have seen other things increased – maybe 10% at most.

With that said, I regularly save 25-30% on my grocery bill – even factoring in the tip, increased the cost of goods, and the annual membership. For me, it’s 100% worth it.

I don’t normally get my receipt, but today I actually did – and I was surprised the receipt from Shipt was actually LESS than what I paid at the grocery store. Here is a comparison of what I was charged on Shipt and what the groceries actually cost:

Here is a little price comparison I did going directly into the store.

This was on sale at the time, but the normal price is $3.29 – on Shipt it was $3.89 reguarly, on sale for $3.39

$3.99 regularly; Shipt has it at $4.79, though when I am looking right now, it is on sale for $2.89.

Simple Truth Natural Eggs – 18 count. $3.99 in-store. Listed for $4.39 on Shipt but currently on sale for $4.09.

In-store price – normally $1.89; Shipt price is $1.99.

So obviously the markups are all over the place.

Can you use coupons with Shipt?

Nope. You can’t use coupons with Shipt – including apps like Ibotta, which is a major bummer!

However, when deciding if this is the service for you, you have to factor in whether you are saving money or not – and if you aren’t, it may not be the best choice for you.

For people who are major couponers, this may be the case. I am not a big couponer (though I do love to use these money-saving apps when I remember), so this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.

**UPDATE – Today I was given my actually my receipt from King Soopers, so I was able to use that with my Ibotta app. I’ve never had that happen before…so I have no idea what’s actually supposed to happen**

With that said, they often upload store sales to the app so you can take advantage of those, including BOGO sales. Shipt also has a sale category that can help you save money every now and then.

My Experience Thus Far

So far I have been very pleased with Shipt. I haven’t had any issues with the shoppers, and they always are very prompt to respond and drop off the groceries.

One thing that you always have to keep in mind is to pay attention to your

There have been a few times where I have searched for an item, and it’s not listed in the database for that store. You can make a special request, which I’ve used quite a few times.

For instance, they don’t list Chobani Flips at King Soopers – but since I buy them there all the time, I knew they had them. I asked them to get me a variety, and there was no problem.

They do put a hold on your account for more money than your total is if you put a special request to make sure the shopper has enough money to pay for your purchase.

The shopper will typically text you when they start the shopping trip if they have any questions, and when they are on their way. I like that they stay in contact with you throughout the experience.

Shipt Discount Code

Right now, we can offer you your first two weeks FREE so you can try it out!

Click Here for Your Two Week Free Trial

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• 19 Things I always Buy at Costco (and one thing I don’t)
• Boxed.com Versus Costco
• Costco versus Sam’s Club Comparison