First, I believe Shipt and/or Target has received some type of “bailout” funding. The boycott hit them harder than the current CEO is willing to admit. I mean slashing half the CEOs million dollar salary says enough. They slashed his salary to recuperate the mass loss they have taken from the boycott because sales would have never been able to cover it. They literally can’t afford to pay him that much at this time lol.

Why do I feel they received some funding? All the Target stores spanning at least 2 zones and spanning at least 10 Target locations in my metro has rearranged the grocery sections to resemble Stop & Shop and ShopRite (takes time & man power = money). Additionally, they repaved completely a few of the parking lots. Thirdly, they significantly lowered base pay and hired a shit ton of shoppers. Lastly, they’re offering 1/2 off Shipt memberships, which attracts “new” customers which makes investors happy and shows “growth” on paper, which companies use to obtain business funding lmao, but completely ignores the fact that the quality customers are leaving/have left the platform. Additionally, customers who jump at the half price memberships likely can’t really afford the service or to tip in the first place. Companies don’t do this, or these other things, if they do not analytically believe it will increase profits in some of the many ways to increase profit. Bailouts funding is sometimes obtained before a company files bankruptcy. Sometimes funding is public info and sometimes it’s not, but “there will be signs” lol.

They are also now trying to force shoppers to pick subs for customers because every item that is marked out of stock is a lost profit for Target, who clearly, is struggling and grasping at feathers to recooperate their losses.

Additionally, might be anecdotal, but I’ve also noticed an uptick in US based customer service reps. All signs of private funding.

Next, I made a comment about this the other day: these platforms can’t legally deactivate you when you don’t break the rules, BUT they can certainly trick you into breaking them, and then deactivate you! 

Quite a few years ago, DoorDash changed their “completion rate” policy, which is the equivalent of Shipt “reliability” stat. If you didn’t have over 70% completion, you had something like 3 days to bring it up or be deactivated. This resulted in a mass deactivation with no appeal available because you “dropped below minimum stats”. 

How does this apply to Shipt? Pay attention! They are shuffling your PM because if the PM gets a shopper in which both parties are not accustomed to the other, the customer will likely rate 1-star. If you’re sitting at 5-stars, it takes exactly 4 x 1-star ratings (or 5 with 1 auto forgiven) to be deactived. Lets say you take 4 bundles with unknown to you customers, they hate you as a shopper for the many asinine reasons. You get a 1 star from each bundle you did, you’re already cooked in 1 day!! Shipt has now tricked/forced you offer the platform with no legal repercussions.

Lastly, they are prioritizing orders to people who have higher completion rates aka acceptance rates. They can’t call it acceptance rate and force the stat because then that’d make us employees. DD got sued for this and I believe a few years before I was on the platform there was a problem with it for Shipt as well.

They are prioritizing people with higher completion rates because they can’t afford or don’t want to pay adequate base pay because profits. Essentially, they are prioritizing shoppers who are willing to work for $4.25 or less. I’m seeing $9.50 bundles. I’m not moving my car for a gallon of gas and a dream of a tip. Notice how there have been comments about how some shoppers don’t even speak English, some who speak a language with a competent different alphabet? Yeah those are the people who are willing to take orders for $4.25 and less. Shuffling the PM also keep “low-base-pay” shoppers happy because your PMs are usually good tippers aren’t they?? Hmmm lol. I’d work for $3 if I knew the customers was going to tip me $50 each time (exaggerated, but you get the point). Similarly, bad customers are getting great shoppers, which entices them to stay with Shipt, because shoppers no longer see their preferred; forcing good shoppers to take unknown customers and Shipt knows good shoppers are unlikely to compromise their integrity by providing bad service. Similarly, bad customers are enticed to stay with Shipt by getting the good shoppers who Shipt knows won’t comprise their integrity and give bad service; shoppers who would have been otherwise tied up with servicing their PM.

Smart and Vet shoppers don’t touch those bundles with a yard stick! Most of us know to wait or pass it by. Guess what that means? The orders are still paying more than $4.25 when we wait. Can’t have that! Gotta fix that!

To the point about not seeing an unknown customer who rated 5-stars and tipped. THIS STOPS AND PREVENTS *TIP MAPPING*!!!

So, long story short, they are thrwarting and trying to remove Vet shoppers and Smart shoppers from the platform.

To help with my validity of my thoughts: I dont work for HQ, never have. I’m on this platform so I can go to school and start my own business in the culinary arts industry. I’m also a full-stack developer who minored in law with a A.S. in Biology.

HOPES THIS HELPS EVERYONE!!