Walmart is best known for being a multi-channel retailer with grocery stores, hypermarkets, and supermarkets across the United States. These stores are affordable and convenient for many Americans, but it can also be a new way to earn money if you can drive.
Walmart Spark Driver is a delivery app that allows gig workers to shop and deliver online orders to Walmart customers at their homes. It provides a level of freedom and personalization that the typical full-time cannot offer.
If that sounds ideal and you want to enjoy the bonuses and incentives eligible drivers receive, keep reading for a rundown of Walmart’s delivery service.
What is Walmart’s Spark Driver?
Spark Driver is an app launched by Walmart in 2018 that allows people to shop and deliver items from a Walmart store and other businesses. The app is available in all 50 states and over 3650 cities, meaning people across the country can take advantage of this role.
As Spark drivers are independent contractors and not Walmart employees, they enjoy the perk of being their own boss. Drivers can control what orders they accept, the time and location they work in, and the number of deliveries they make.
Customers can order food, groceries, home items, and more on the Spark Driver app. Drivers then claim their orders on the app and deliver them.
Types of Spark Driver Deliveries
There are two main types of deliveries available to drivers on the Spark Driver app, as shown below:
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First Come, First Serve: As the name suggests, these orders are available to all drivers in the area to claim, and the first driver to accept the order will receive it. Declining these orders will not affect your acceptance rate.
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Round Robin: These orders are sent directly to individual drivers once an hour, who can then decide whether to complete the offer. Drivers can decline these orders, but this can affect their acceptance rating.
Types of Spark Driver Orders
Drivers can make three different types of deliveries via the Spark Driver app, including:
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Curbside orders: These orders will be picked up from the curbside, making them one of the simplest order types. Walmart Spark delivery drivers receive a designated parking space where they can check in and wait for an associate to bring out the item.
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Dotcom orders: Unfortunately, Dotcom orders do not allow customers to tip drivers, which means some drivers will be reluctant to accept these orders as there are other, more fruitful orders available. Some of these items, including cleaning supplies and other household items, will be bought from Walmart.com and collected from the store.
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Express deliveries: Express orders are shopping and delivery orders, meaning drivers will collect the items from within the store. A blue lightning bolt appears with these orders, and this means that the delivery must be completed within two hours or less.
These are the “order offers” drivers can accept when orders are being placed on the app:
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Shopping and Delivery: Shop and deliver the order to the customer.
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Delivery: Collect the order and deliver it to the customer.
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Returns: Pick up the return from the customer and deliver it back to a Walmart store.
How Much Do Walmart Spark Drivers Earn?
The average Walmart Spark driver will earn roughly $18.00 per hour, but a variety of factors can influence this. Three of the main aspects affecting how much drivers receive are the distance to the delivery destination, the size of the order, and the extra help required, such as if you need to carry heavier items or make apartment deliveries.
Including these variables, the hourly wage for a Walmart driver can range between $8.17 and $25.24, so this role can be incredibly lucrative.
Drivers can also boost their earnings with incentives, referrals, and tips.
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Incentives help drivers increase their earning potential; it provides drivers with opportunities to complete specific tasks for additional money. Examples include:
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The Lump Sum Incentives: Drivers would receive one payment for completing a certain number of deliveries.
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The Tiered Incentives: Specific goals are set out in tiers; as the number of trips increases, so do the earnings.
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The Earn-Per-Trip Incentives: One additional payment for completing a trip would be received.
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The Multi-Trip Earnings Incentives: If the driver does not earn a specific amount of earnings after completing tasks, the platform makes up the difference.
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Drivers can earn more money by referring their friends to Spark Driver once they complete five trips. The original driver will receive a reward after the person they referred to the app has completed five or more deliveries.
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Customers have the option to tip drivers after completing trips, and the drivers can keep 100% of these confirmed tips.
Payment can also be affected by the area in which the drivers work, as Solo shows. The average hourly rate in San Francisco, California, is $36.13, while drivers in Columbus, Ohio, earn an average of $20.08.
Solo, a gig work management app, also shows that the Spark Driver platform often pays more on average than other food delivery apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and more.
When Does Spark Pay?
Drivers can expect their Spark wages to be deposited weekly on Tuesdays before 20:00 (PST). Walmart Spark payments are calculated from the previous week’s pay period, which runs from Monday to Sunday.
Payment Methods for Walmart Spark Drivers
Spark drivers can link the app to their existing bank accounts or use digital wallets like Branch App to receive their earnings. Although a digital wallet can be the fastest way to receive wages, it is offered by third-party providers and is subject to the provider’s terms and conditions.
How to Become a Spark Delivery Driver
Now that you have all the information, you will have a better idea if being a Spark driver is the right choice for you.
First, you should check if Spark Driver is available in your area. If there is a local delivery zone close to you, then you can proceed through the following steps:
Check Your Eligibility and Sign Up
To be eligible for the role of a Walmart delivery driver, you must meet the Spark driver requirements:
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Be 18+ years of age and authorized to work independently in the US
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Have proof of up-to-date car insurance
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Hold a valid driver’s license issued by a US state
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Pass the background check if required
If you can achieve the first three points and have a smartphone and a roadworthy car, you can sign up for Spark Driver here.
After you fill in your details, background screening and other checks will be carried out to ensure you are an eligible driver. If you are successful and there are vacancies in your zone, you will receive a welcome email and/or text message with instructions on downloading the Spark Driver app.
There will be cases when there are no open spots in the chosen zone, but potential drivers can be added to a waiting list for future vacancies.
Begin Earning
Once you have signed up for the Spark Driver app, press “Spark Now” and you can begin earning! Order offers – Shopping and Delivery, Delivery, or Returns – will come through as they are placed, showing estimated earnings, the store location, order type, and number of orders; you can choose which ones you accept.
You can head to the specified location after accepting an order offer. There will be instructions to follow when you arrive at the location; you might be directed to collect the order in-store or in the parking lot.
After you have collected the order, you can drop it off with the customer as instructed in the Spark Driver app. That’ll be your first order completed!
Simply repeat the process as orders come in, and you’ll have a profitable side hustle.
What to Consider as a Spark Driver
Despite all of the bonuses and perks that workers might experience in this grocery delivery gig, there are some considerations to be aware of. The main two are taxes and vehicle maintenance.
Being self-employed means managing your own taxes, which can be challenging if you’ve never done this before. Spark drivers are responsible for their annual income tax returns, income tax, quarterly tax payments, and self-employment tax. This is crucial to avoid any potential penalties.
Not only that, but you should also think about tax deductions. This helps to reduce the taxable income and save you money annually. Tax deductions could include mobile phones and data plans, vehicle expenses, etc.
Fuel and vehicle maintenance should also be considered when thinking about becoming a Spark driver. As a delivery driver, you should regularly check:
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The battery
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The coolant levels
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The engine oil
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The tread depth of your tires
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The tire pressure
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The windscreen
To Conclude: Should You Be a Spark Driver?
Being a Spark delivery driver offers a flexible work schedule with regular payments every Tuesday. The Walmart Spark Driver app allows gig drivers to earn money delivering groceries and other products sold in-store. Although pay can vary significantly due to the type of orders and the driver’s location, most workers will earn an average hourly wage of $18.00.
However, it is essential to look at the advantages and disadvantages of this role. Is the added stress of managing your own taxes and vehicle expenses worth what Walmart Spark drivers get paid? This will be too much for some people, which means another side hustle, like Get-Paid-To apps, might be better suited to them.