10 Items or Less: Always Wear a Smile

The Instacart community is as diverse as the items in the grocery store — every day, tens of thousands of individuals shop, deliver, and become an extension of people’s households. We want to share this community’s stories, highlighting Instacart shoppers, shift leads, and site managers all across North America. 10 Items or Less is a series featuring just some of the amazing members of the Instacart community, sharing their unique experiences and secret sauce with the world.

1. What’s your name and where are you from? My name is Claire and I’m from Methuen, MA. 
2. How long have you been shopping with Instacart, and in what roles? I’ve been a full-service shopper since April 2022.
3. When and why did you decide to start shopping with Instacart? Why miss out on the extra money I can earn outside of my full-time job?
4. What’s your favorite thing about shopping with Instacart? I love that I have the freedom of working when I want. I absolutely love shopping for the elderly and the disabled. The interactions with them while I deliver their items are the best! You just feel like you did the right thing when you help them out.
5. What 3 items are always in your personal shopping cart? On-the-go snack items (for school or the beach), Fruit2O, fresh fruit.
6. What’s a shopping tip that a lot of people might not know (your “secret sauce”)? Always plan out your trip in the store by looking at the shopping list before you reach the store. Imagine what section you’ll visit first and always bring an insulated bag or two with you when you shop for groceries.
7. What’s your most-used Instacart emoji? 😊
8. What’s your “side dish” — a hobby, a hidden talent, another job you do on the side? I surf and snowboard with my husband and son. We travel together a lot.
9. What’s one piece of guidance or encouragement you would give to the shopper community? As long as the customer is happy, that’s what matters. Keep the communication open between you and the customer. They will always appreciate knowing that there’s a long line or only one register available. That’s when the insulated bags come in handy, especially if they’re looking to buy ice cream or other frozen goods.
10. Anything else you want to share with the shopper community? Always wear a smile. Even under a mask, the customer can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. Always say please and thank you. Manners go a long way.

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.