This Postmates review will provide you essential information about the company, and of course, on how you can possibly earn extra money through it.
Are you looking for side hustles to earn a little extra?
Well, here’s the thing, there are a lot of side hustles, of ways out there that allow you to earn extra income either for your personal needs or your family’s.
One of the many ways is by working for Postmates, a popular local delivery app that has a huge network of local merchants — mostly independently-owned businesses.
The online delivery service industry is huge. It, in fact, continues to grow year after year – perhaps taking a peak in 2020 when the pandemic occurred, and people were restricted to go out.
Anyway, according to a report published by Nation’s Restaurant News, it says that 60 percent of consumers in the United States order delivery or takeout once a week.
Additionally, according to research conducted by Mintel, they have found that “87 percent of Americans who use third-party food delivery services agree that it makes their lives easier, and nearly one third (31 percent) say they use these services at least twice a week.“
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Meanwhile, according to Statista, the revenue in the online food delivery segment is expected to rise and reach $28,486 million in 2021.
These and more research and studies only show that indeed, the delivery service industry is in-demand and has no sign of slowing down. This also means more opportunities for individuals to earn money through it.
There are, in fact, a lot of online delivery service providers these days – and one of them is Postmates.
As mentioned earlier, in the following sections, we are going to share with you some of the most important information about Postmates, particularly, on how you can possibly earn extra income through the delivery app.
For your reference, we are going to specifically tackle the following:
- What is Postmates?
- How does Postmates work?
- What are the requirements to apply for Postmates?
- How much do Postmates drivers make?
- How does delivery agents get paid by Postmates?
- What are the advantages of Postmates?
- What are the disadvantages of Postmates?
WHAT IS POSTMATES?
There are a lot of more popular delivery service providers out there, and perhaps for some, this may be the first time they’ve heard about Postmates.
So, with that, here’s a little briefer on what this delivery is all about.
As mentioned earlier, Postmates is a food delivery and takeout service provider that is popularly used in local communities. This app allows customers to order from their favorite nearby restaurants, drugstores, grocery stores, general-purpose retailers, as well as liquor stores.
Similar to other delivery apps, if a customer places an order, the nearest delivery person or “Postmate” is alerted to pick up the food item and deliver it to the customer.
Postmates has two different apps — one for food delivery and the other is for freelancers. Both apps are available for iOS and Android users and are free to download.
It also costs nothing to create an account on Postmates.
Since we are talking about your earnings through Postmate, it means you need to download the delivery app, which is called Fleet.
Postmates provides delivery jobs for drivers, bikers, and even walkers — that, however, depends on where you are located.
Currently, the app is available and does business in all 50 states in the country.
Postmates is definitely one of the best ways to monetize your spare time. It is a great way to earn extra cash for both your and your family’s needs.
HOW DOES POSTMATES WORK?
If you do not mind going out and braving traffic, and you have both patience and understanding when it comes to providing customer service, then, working for Postmates may just be the right side hustle for you.
As a “Postmate,” you are classified as an independent contractor, which means you are not employed by the company, and that you are not entitled to a minimum wage or other benefits received by full-time employees.
Technically, Postmates works by connecting customers to nearby food establishments and freelancers who are using the Fleet app and working as delivery personnel.
To get started, you have to have a smartphone. This will be used to accept and deliver orders. Depending on where you live, you can use a car, a bike, or other vehicles. In some locations, they even allow walking as a means of transporting deliveries from establishments to customers.
As a “Postmate,” you earn a base pay for every delivery. Bonuses are given when incentive qualifications are met. Also, if customers are generous enough to give tips, that’s all yours.
Getting Started
To start off your Postmates journey, you need to begin by downloading the Fleet app, which is available for both iOS and Android users.
Once done uploading, open the app, and click the “Create Account” button.
To complete your account creation, you will be asked to provide your email address and preferred password, as well as some basic personal information like your name, address, phone number, as well as where and how you plan to deliver.
You will also be asked to provide your driver’s license information, social security number, and birthdate so Postmates can do a background check on you.
Once you are approved, your free delivery bag and a prepaid card will be shipped to your address. The card needs to be activated before you can start making deliveries.
You will also be prompted to set up a direct deposit. If you are using a car, you will be asked to provide your vehicle information as well.
Taking Deliveries
Once you are approved and done with all the necessary requirements, you may now start with your delivery services. All you need to do is open the app, and make sure you are in a blue zone, and then click “Go Online”.
Postmates allows you to go on- and offline anytime you want, which makes it really an ideal side hustle especially for those who have regular jobs.
Once an order is placed near your location, you will be alerted through the app. You are given limited time to accept or decline an order before it’s given to another Postmate.
Unlike other delivery apps though, Postmates does not provide as many details as you would have wanted. Details such as estimated pay as well as total distance are not projected before you accept the delivery.
You will, however, see the establishment where you are getting the order and the delivery destination on the map.
Once you accept the job, you will see the address of the establishment, and then you can opt to click “Navigate” in the app if you are not familiar with the place. Clicking the said button allows you to see and choose the map app of your choice.
Upon arrival at the establishment, you may then have to click “Pickup Details” to confirm that the order is correct. Slide the bar across the bottom of the screen to complete pickup.
Once done picking up the order, you will then be able to see the delivery details, which include customer address, notes, as well as a contact-free delivery method if preferred.
After the delivery has been completed, you will see a quick summary of your earnings on top of the screen. The app will also immediately start searching for new assignments.
For a more thorough instruction on how to get started with Postmates and the delivery process, check out the video below by a YouTuber named, Cesar Guerrero:
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR POSTMATES?
In this section of our Postmates review, we are going to share with you what actually takes to be a “Postmate”, as well as a quick overview of the application process.
Requirements
To get through the first step of the delivery agent application process, you must meet the following requirements:
- At least 18 years old
- A citizen of the United States
- Live in or near a Postmates market
- Own a vehicle (could be a car, bike, truck, scooter, or motorcycle) with valid vehicle insurance if required
- A valid driver’s license
While most Postmates applicants have previous delivery work experience, the company does not necessarily require candidates to have one. This means anyone can apply for the job for as long as the above-mentioned requirements are met.
Application and Hiring Process
Generally, the initial application takes just a few minutes. You basically just have to input some basic personal and contact information. This includes your full name, address, as well as your vehicle type and model.
You will also be asked to provide your driver’s license and Social Security number. Postmates conducts a background check and driving history check, and in order to do so, you must be able to provide consent.
If the background check turns into a success, then you will need to upload a profile photo to complete everything.
After which, your delivery bag and card will be shipped to the address you provided.
Once the card arrives, make sure to complete some final tasks, and then sign into the Fleet app.
HOW MUCH DO POSTMATES DRIVERS MAKE?
This Postmates review will not be complete without us talking about the estimated amount of money you can earn as a delivery agent or as a “Postmate”.
Generally, how much you make depends on where you are located. You can actually check how much you could possibly earn through the Postmates market pages.
Based on the Postmates’ website, the company’s fleet members earn for every completed pickup and every completed drop-off.
Furthermore, the company also pays fleet members for every minute spent waiting in the store, as well as the travel time between pickup and drop-off locations.
This is how much you could earn per delivery:
- $1.40 per pickup
- $0.80 per drop-off
- $0.07 per minute of waiting
- $0.61 per mile (driving the order from pickup to drop off location)
Again, how much you make depends on the location you’re in. So it’s best to check first.
Now, apart from what a Postmate earns from completing pickups and deliveries, they also get to keep 100 percent of all tips given by customers.
In addition, Postmates does give out bonuses as well, which include:
A guaranteed $125 once you complete 20 deliveries in 14 days, which includes base earnings plus per delivery bonuses
Earn $150 for every person you invite to join Postmates who have completed 20 deliveries in 14 days
A guaranteed $150 if you complete 20 deliveries in 30 days, which includes base earnings plus per delivery bonuses
To conclude, if you want to make more money, then, you should accept more pickup and delivery tasks. At the end of the day, you get to decide how much you make from being Postmate.
HOW DO DELIVERY AGENTS GET PAID BY POSTMATES?
Now that you already know how you could earn from being a delivery agent, in this part of our Postmates review, we are going to talk about how payments are done.
For every completed delivery, a Postmate received a payment, and it is broken down into the following:
- A variable amount for every completed pickup
- A variable amount for every completed drop-off
- A variable amount (paid by the minute) for the time you spent waiting for the merchant to complete the order (if applicable)
- A variable per-mile rate that covers the distance between the pickup and dropoff locations
- 100 percent of tips given by customers
Postmates pays out on a weekly basis through direct deposits. For most cases, activities done during the prior Monday-to-Sunday period will be paid by midweek.
However, if in case you need cash as soon as possible, you can cash out to a linked bank account through the app’s Instant Deposit feature.
It is important to take note, though that while you get 100 percent of customer tips, you won’t necessarily get all the fees that customers pay. Postmates keeps a significant amount of customer-paid fees to cover its own expenses, which is understandable.
Also, the company does its best to exclude cash-only merchants from the app. However, there are still some that make it. If you do get into a cash-only business, what you can do is notify Postmates support and then pawn the transaction off on the company itself.
You are not encouraged at all, in all circumstances to pay out of your own pocket — even if the merchant pressures you to do so.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF POSTMATES?
In this section, we are going to summarize the benefits of being a delivery agent for Postmates.
Some of them are as follows:
- It offers a very flexible schedule. With Postmates, you can go online and offline anytime you want. There is no pressure at all.
- You get to keep 100 percent of customer tips. Unlike other apps of the same kind, Postmates lets you keep all tips given by customers, which definitely is an added income.
- You can use whatever vehicle you have. You do not necessarily have to have a car, because, with Postmates, you can use your bike, motorcycle, scooter, and in some cases, you can even just walk.
- The pay can be attractive. While how much you make will depend on how many deliveries you are willing to take in a day, it’s nice knowing that the company allows Postmates to earn as much as $25 or more per hour (this includes both base pay and tips).
- The delivery fee rises depending on the distance. Unlike other competing platforms that base the delivery fee on the size of the order, Postmates, base it on distance, which means the longer the delivery distance is, the higher you get paid.
- The company provides incentives. Postmates provides incentives that make it easy for delivery agents to earn bonus pay.
- You can cash out anytime. Unlike other delivery apps, Postmates allows you to cash out anytime you want.
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF POSTMATES?
Just like other delivery apps out there, Postmates sure does have its own share of disadvantages, too. As a potential “Postmate,” it is important that you also take time to look into the cons before anything else. This helps you gauge whether it’s worth it or not.
Some of downsides of Postmates include:
- Postmates’ delivery agents work as independent contractors. Since you work as an independent contractor, it means you do not get the benefits that regular employees have. You are responsible for tracking your own tax liabilities, paying for expenses like fuel and car insurance, as well as taking all the cost of an illness or injury while at work.
- Overhead costs are not covered. Postmates does not cover overhead costs, which means, there is a possibility that the overhead can eat into your earnings.
- It is not operational in many locations. Unfortunately, Postmates operates mainly in larger cities as well as in metro areas. If you reside outside these locations, this app may not be right for you.
- Delivery details are not shown upon receipt of the order. Unless you accept the order, you won’t be able to see the amount of order, as well as the distance between the pickup and drop-off locations.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON POSTMATES REVIEW
Online delivery apps are very in-demand these days. This provides opportunities to a lot of people to actually earn extra bucks from working as a delivery agent.
One of the popular delivery apps right now is Postmates. This provides job opportunities for individuals who do not mind dealing with both traffic and customers.
So, do you think you have what it takes to be a Postmate?
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