There can be never too many avenues of opportunity for gig workers in this day and age. Whether you’re a seasoned gig worker looking to add more gigs to a well-established roster or you’re just getting started with gig work, we got you covered with the scoop on Cornershop.
If you love shopping and flourish in a self-directed and self-scheduled environment, then Cornershop might be just for you. Today, we’ll be going over everything you need to know about the platform—how do you use Cornershop, why you should consider becoming a Cornershop driver, what you need to get started, and more!
What is Cornershop?
Cornershop is a gig app that specializes in store to door delivery. The app has seen massive expansion since its development in 2015 after falling into the hands of gig giant, Uber.
Essentially, Cornershop allows customers to shop for items, ranging from groceries to pharmacy essentials, or specialty items, and have them delivered to their doorstep. That’s as sweet as it gets for the customer—but what about for gig workers?
Cornershop allows its shoppers to operate with less stress on their vehicles than other gig app competitors! As a shopper, you will be spending most of your time at the store, not in the car, thus limiting wear and tear. Those extra steps you take at the grocery store may be considered an added bonus for those of us who don’t enjoy sitting still for long periods of time!
Originally, Cornershop was only available in some major cities in Latin America. Since its acquisition, the goods-delivery platform has slowly expanded into major American cities too. Some notable names on the list are Miami, Dallas, NYC, LA, Austin, and New Orleans.
How does Cornershop work?
The Cornershop delivery app works probably just as straightforward as you’d expect with an extra helping of integrity.
Once customers get set up on the app, they simply browse from their favorite stores and choose which items they’d like to order. It is important to note that Cornershop is not only for grocery store items. From shoes to apples to face cream—customers can request items from many different local stores.
On the shopper end, Cornershop shoppers have the opportunity to receive tips before and up to six hours after an order is confirmed delivered, with 100% of the tips going directly to the shoppers. Shoppers can also accept cash tips at the door!
Pro Tip: Adding a personalized “enjoy your delivery” note to the orders you pick up as a shopper may lead to tip adjustments!
If you’re looking to make additional income on the app, Cornershop also offers a referral program where you can invite friends or family to the platform as shoppers to earn a referral reward. The amount received per referral varies depending on shopper location.
What’s most cool about the Cornershop app is its transparency. Customers can leave shoppers detailed notes as to the nature of what they are looking for which takes a load off of the shopper and removes any guesswork.
For example, if a customer needs four extra ripe bananas for a particular order, they can just jot down their preference, and voila! You now know which batch of bananas to choose.
How can I sign-up for Cornershop as a Gig Worker?
The Cornershop sign up is fairly simple and easy to do.
Follow the link above to get to the website for the application. Start by filling out your location and vehicle type. From there, you’ll need to add some basic profile information like your name and email. Boom—you’ve now signed up for Cornershop.
The sign up account for Cornershop is instantaneous, but that doesn’t mean you can start picking up orders right away.
Once you have signed up for your account and are in the app, you’ll need to add a profile photo and upload all the important documents like your ID, eligibility to work, driver’s license, vehicle insurance, etc. After the signup process is complete, you must then wait to be approved by the Cornershop team.
You’re also obligated to fill out a W-9 tax form which is a common tax form for gig workers and independent contractors. If you need more info about filing taxes as an independent contractor or if you need a refresher on the subject, you can check out our Moves tax guide.
Once your documents are uploaded to your profile and have been approved, you’re ready to start making money as a Cornershop delivery driver!
How to get orders on Cornershop?
Now that your account is up and rolling, you’ll be ready to start putting in work as a Cornershop shopper!
Cornershop works very similarly to other rideshare or food delivery app that you may already be familiar with. You will wait for an order request to pop up in your app and then you’re given 20-30 seconds to decide whether or not to take a job.
Each job offer will present you with a few details to decide if it’s worth your while. Namely, each offer shows:
- The store’s location
- The distance between your current location and the store
- The distance to the customer’s location from the store
- The number of items to be grabbed
- Total weight of all said items
- The final payout for the order
There’s also an ‘instructions’ component where the customer can leave you specific notes concerning the order.
To maximize the number of orders you can get, it’s best to stay within a close distance of your local shopping district to reduce the drive time. Most Cornershop customers order groceries so try to stay close to a few popular grocery stores in your area!
How much does Cornershop delivery pay?
Cornershop calculates payout based on:
- Delivery time
- Distance
- Quantity of items purchased
- Weight of the delivery
There is also a base payout for each order you accept within the app. As of now, Cornershop pays $0.50 per product, $0.65 per mile traveled, and an additional payout based on the weight of the product. While the logistics are still somewhat vague for payout calculation, the averages look really good based on shopper reviews from the app store.
Taken from a number of sources including Indeed and Glassdoor, the average Cornershop delivery driver salary falls somewhere just above $16/hr. That’s excluding tips, which as indicated above, have the opportunity to be adjusted by the shopper based on the quality of the delivery. Shopping for and delivering groceries is a rather congenial deed after all and probably invites a great incentive for reciprocity.
Also keep in mind that compared to other delivery gigs, Cornershop requires less actual commuting. Most of the time spent on Cornershop jobs will be in the grocer acquiring items for the customer. That means less idling, fewer gas expenses, fewer parking fees, and less risk of accidents while on the road.
That being said, keep in mind that Cornershop is not yet as widespread as some other delivery apps. We always recommend that rideshare and delivery workers diversify their income streams to take advantage of the natural ebbs and flows each platform offers.
What do other gig workers say about Cornershop?
As with every other innovation introduced to the multi-layered gig economy, you may be asking yourself, “is Cornershop worth it?”. Our answer is yes.
And that’s the thing. While the lesser-known app has a great model that pays out well to its workers, all the kinks have yet to be worked out. In due time, we’re sure the well-backed platform will find its edge and become a top-tier delivery app. Take advantage of Cornershop’s high-paying, flexible job opportunities now and get a foothold in the game!
So there you have it folks—the Cornershop app for gig workers in a nutshell. It’s one of the many apps on the market these days and another great way to further diversify your income. Be sure to link Cornershop to your Moves account and start managing your money better!
Emilie has been with Moves since January 2022 as a Growth Marketing Intern. She is in her fourth year of university and is passionate about exploring the world of personal finance. As a self-identified hustler, when Emilie is not at Moves, she can be found teaching beginner marketing boot camps at her university or working at one of many local concert venues.
