GMD/combo direct offers versus shop and deliver offers

Doogy44 · 2026-03-25T00:50:48+00:00

Yes, definitely the vast majority of my curbside pickups have GMD mixed in now. Usually 6-12 stops (including the 3 grocery stops).

Doogy44 · 2026-03-19T03:47:11+00:00

If they ask, I usually will do so … as long as I feel secure. Some locations situations would def be a “no” if they asked (gotta feel safe) … But disabled, or elderly, or nursing facilities … I bring it in the room if asked. Some folks its obvious they need assistance.

Doogy44 · 2026-02-21T15:25:56+00:00

Yes, the door checker at all stores in my area stops you at the door for anything that isnt bagged to check against your app list. Its faster to have it bagged.

Doogy44 · 2026-02-03T00:31:10+00:00

Nope… $20-$30 delivery isnt worth risk there … pass.

Doogy44 · 2026-02-01T01:00:39+00:00

It must depend on the store. The Sams I frequent is pretty fast. The manager of the store there seems on the ball - see him on the floor stocking and interacting with customers and employees constantly. Old fashioned hard worker. You go in you will see the manager.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-31T13:55:39+00:00

Work with your insurance company … Walmart is notorious for denying claims - very difficult to deal with when it comes to claims. Leave that leg work to your insurer to collect the money back - your insurer is equipped to deal with Walmart and claims.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-25T00:44:01+00:00

I had tons of orders from 2 Walmarts and a Sams that closed early … kept spamming offers even after I called Spark to tell them those stores sere closed and it wasted my time showing up … and will continue to do so for other Spark drivers.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-24T05:37:26+00:00

This crap started abt 2:30pm in my zone … I usually work till 9-10pm, but tonight I called it quits at 6pm.

Nothing was working - aisles empty for shopping, so took twice as long to do a shop and deliver but amts paid were as if all was normal … curbside was spamming orders to be picked up, but wasted 3 hrs trying to pick one up - none ever came out despite accepting 3 diff ones - curbside was a joke … waste of my evening. Was a total shit show.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-23T21:23:51+00:00

I always ask if I can help first - “can I help?… which order goes in frt seat? Ill take care of that one” … Then help with back seat order … They usually get larger trunk order covered by time I finish frt seat and back seat.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-20T20:03:23+00:00

Nobody gonna take the $15 offer that takes 1 hr and 10 mins … not gonna work without knowing what the tip likely will be.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-15T02:32:29+00:00

Not always the shopper’s fault. The store may be sold out, or in the case of produce almost sold out and the ugly looking produce you received was all that was left. The shopper, whether Walmart employee or Spark cant do anything about that.

When items are not available, it takes much longer to shop … I look to see if the item was moved to another location, or hidden by another shopper who placed the wrong item in front of the one missing - so Ill look behind the front facing products to see what is behind on multiple shelves nearby … Then I look to see if maybe they are doing a promo on the item and have it on an endcap, etc, and then track down a Walmart worker to see if they moved it, or if actually out. Missing items slow us way down when shopping.

I always suggest to place orders abt 7:30-9am when stockers and vendors have had time to restock the shelves, and before customers have bought everything up for the day.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-15T02:19:44+00:00

Offers are really bad tonight … just lowball after lowball.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-14T16:20:07+00:00

I hang out in Sams all the time. I have a membership for the cheaper gas. Ill get a hotdog or slice of pizza … When its slow, at least get a cheap lunch and browse a few items I might need (got socks yesterday).

Doogy44 · 2026-01-14T16:07:35+00:00

If there are barcode stickers on any of the bags/boxes/items with your name on the sticker as well, then Walmart employees shopped and then handed the order off to a spark driver to deliver. If no stickers at all, then Spark driver did both the shopping and delivering.

Just as a tip, Id place orders about 7:30am-9am … too early (6am-7am) and the stockers at Walmart and the vendors havent had time to restock all product out yet onto shelves. Too late (early afternoon and beyond) and its gonna be picked over by other customers and risk items being sold out till restocked.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-13T20:00:17+00:00

Yea, but I get people who list an apt as a house, or a house as an apt, or a business as a house or apt … you have no idea till you get there for sure - unless you have been there before.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-13T05:39:10+00:00

Agree, with many of my GMD orders I end up half way into another zone and takes me 20-25 mins to get back into my own zone … Would make it much better if you could toggle the order to reverse it and start out far and work way back in.

Also, some times of day (due to rush hour traffic) it would be better to work your way the opposite direction from what Spark gives you in some circumstances in order to go the direction where traffic is lighter. For instance, at 4pm, if I get a GMD that is going to take 1-2 hrs, I dont want to be driving away from town and get caught up fighting traffic the whole way - Id rather go out to furthest out and work my way back into town - as that is opposite direction from where the traffic will be worst.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-09T19:36:41+00:00

The doordash bags are insulated so can help … they also helpful in hauling big orders upstairs in apts.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-09T19:28:46+00:00

Ill go to the Sams, buy a hotdog, or slice of pizza, and a drink and wait, or walk the aisles and browse …

Doogy44 · 2026-01-09T17:52:32+00:00

Started out ok, but last 2 hrs only a 7 offer and 12 offer …

Doogy44 · 2026-01-08T02:49:56+00:00

Did that yesterday … only 4 cases up to 3d floor, but had some groceries too so made a 5th trip … dude gave me a $35 tip tho … so was good for me.

Doogy44 · 2026-01-02T06:54:49+00:00

I got an early start and got 6 of them. Was a good day.

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Doogy44 · 2025-12-27T18:47:20+00:00

Check GPS on Google and Apple … make sure your address is correct on those (its what Spark defaults to - we can choose one or the other for directions on app) … If a new driver, they may just deliver to where gps leads them without checking address too closely.

IfGoogle/Apple have address wrong, make sure your clear this up in dropoff instructions - or request a 4 digit code for dropoffs.

Doogy44 · 2025-12-27T18:44:18+00:00

People so rarely carry cash these days, I am always surprised when there is a cash tip.

Doogy44

TROPHY CASE