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Shipt is a same-day grocery and household delivery service owned by Target, partnering with grocery chains, big-box retailers, pharmacies, and specialty stores to deliver to your door. If you’ve never used Shipt before, the first-time experience has a few specific steps worth knowing — especially since Shipt operates on a membership model (different from DoorDash’s pay-per-order approach), and the 14-day free trial is the easiest way to test it. This guide walks through everything from creating your account to receiving your first delivery.

If you’re comparing with other services, see Shipt vs Instacart for Customers for the head-to-head.

🛒 Start Shipt 14-Day Free Trial →

Unlimited deliveries during trial · Terms & Conditions apply

What’s in this guide

What Shipt actually is

Shipt is a same-day delivery service owned by Target. Key facts:

  • Founded: 2014
  • Acquired by Target: 2017
  • Coverage: 5,000+ U.S. cities
  • Stores: Target (primary), plus partnerships with major chains (HEB, Meijer, Publix, CVS, Petco, and many regional chains)
  • Model: Membership-based — pay a subscription, get free delivery on eligible orders

The work flow:

  1. You shop the Shipt app/website for items
  2. A Shipt shopper picks up your items at the store
  3. They deliver to your door same-day

Shipt is structurally similar to Instacart but with a different membership model and a stronger Target partnership.

How Shipt’s membership model works

Shipt uses membership pricing rather than per-order fees:

Membership cost:

  • Annual: typically $99/year (varies by promotion)
  • Monthly: typically $14/month

What membership includes:

  • Free same-day delivery on orders $35+
  • Discounted delivery on orders under $35
  • Member-only deals at participating stores

Per-order costs (with membership):

  • Items themselves (sometimes with markup vs in-store)
  • Tip for the shopper (recommended)
  • Tax

Per-order costs (without membership):

  • Items + per-order fee
  • Higher delivery cost

This is the key difference from per-order services like DoorDash: you pay upfront for membership and then most orders are “free delivery.” For frequent shoppers, this typically saves money. For occasional users, the math is harder.

The free trial removes this trade-off — you get full membership benefits without paying for 14 days.

The 14-day free trial

The Shipt 14-day free trial is the easiest way to test the service:

  • Cost: $0 for 14 days
  • What you get: Full membership benefits (free delivery on $35+ orders, member deals)
  • What’s required: Credit card on file (won’t be charged during trial unless you subscribe)
  • Auto-billing: After the trial, automatic billing kicks in unless you cancel

Strategy for the free trial:

  1. Sign up via the affiliate link
  2. Test 2–4 deliveries during the trial
  3. Decide: subscribe (if you valued the experience) or cancel before the trial ends

If you cancel before the trial ends, no charge. The trial is genuinely risk-free in that sense.

For the full free-trial walkthrough, see Shipt Free Trial Guide.

Step 1: Create your Shipt account

Steps to set up your account:

Step 1 — Visit Shipt. Use the affiliate link to ensure trial eligibility.

Step 2 — Sign up. Enter:

  • Email address
  • Password
  • Phone number (for delivery updates)
  • Mailing address (where deliveries go)

Step 3 — Verify email and phone. Confirm via codes sent.

Step 4 — Add payment method. Credit card or PayPal. Won’t be charged for trial period.

Step 5 — Confirm trial activation. Shipt confirms 14-day free trial active.

Step 6 — You’re ready to order.

The whole signup takes 5–8 minutes.

Step 2: Find a participating store

Shipt’s app shows stores in your area. The available list depends on your zip code:

Common participating stores:

  • Target (the primary partner — most Shipt users start here)
  • HEB, Meijer (regional grocery chains)
  • Publix (in supported markets)
  • CVS (pharmacy items)
  • Petco (pet supplies)
  • Vitamin Shoppe (supplements)
  • Various regional chains

The Target experience is most polished since Target owns Shipt. Other partner stores work but with slight UI variations.

For Target-specific Shipt coverage, see How Shipt Works at Target.

Step 3: Build your order

Inside a store on the Shipt app:

Browse:

  • By department (Grocery, Household, Pharmacy, etc.)
  • By category within department
  • Search bar for specific items

Add items:

  • Tap an item to view details
  • Adjust quantity (1, 2, 3, etc.)
  • Add to cart

Special instructions:

  • For some items, you can add notes (“ripe avocados,” “no replacements,” “specific brand”)
  • Particularly useful for produce, meat, baked goods

Cart:

  • View running total
  • See if you’ve crossed the $35 free-delivery threshold (for members)
  • Review before checkout

Substitutions:

  • For each item, you can specify substitution preferences:
    • “Replace with similar item”
    • “Refund if not available”
    • Specific notes (“any brand of bread is fine”)

This is one of the bigger differences from DoorDash — Shipt orders include grocery shopping decisions, and your communication with the shopper matters.

Step 4: Communicate with your shopper

After you place the order, a Shipt shopper claims it. They begin shopping in real time at the store.

During shopping:

  • The shopper may message you about specific items
  • “Out of organic milk — substitute regular?”
  • “Bananas all very green — okay or refund?”
  • Respond promptly through the app

Why communication matters:

  • Substitution decisions affect your order quality
  • Quick responses keep the shopper moving
  • Unanswered questions may result in refunds (and missing items in your order)

Shipt’s app:

  • In-app messaging (privacy-routed)
  • Real-time notifications
  • Substitution prompts requiring quick response

This is more interactive than DoorDash restaurant orders. Plan to be available during the shopping window.

Step 5: Receive your delivery and rate

When the shopper arrives:

For Target groceries:

  • Shopper drops items at your door (or hand-it-to-you, per your preference)
  • You unload and confirm receipt

For pharmacy items:

  • Some require ID verification (shopper checks your ID)
  • Hand-it-to-me typical

For larger orders:

  • Multiple bags
  • Some bulk items in trunk
  • Make sure you check everything

After receiving:

  • Open bags, confirm everything’s there
  • Note any missing or wrong items
  • Rate your shopper (1–5 stars)
  • Adjust tip if desired (you can increase the in-app tip post-delivery in some markets)

For specific issues (missing items, wrong items, damaged goods), Shipt’s customer service handles refunds — generally similar to DoorDash’s process.

14 days is enough to know if Shipt fits. Test 3–5 orders, see if the convenience justifies the membership cost long-term. Cancel anytime; T&C apply.

Start Free Trial →

Common first-order questions

Why is my order more expensive than at the store? Shipt sometimes adds modest markup on items vs in-store prices. The fee for convenience.

Why are my groceries cold/warm appropriately? Shoppers use insulated bags for refrigerated and frozen items. Most items arrive in good condition. If something is dramatically warm or has thawed, contact support.

Can I return items I don’t want? Generally yes — through Shipt’s customer service. Refund policies vary by item type.

What if I’m not home when the shopper arrives? You can specify “Leave at door” in delivery preferences. Shipt photographs the delivery as proof. Some items (alcohol, age-restricted) require in-person handoff.

Can I tip my shopper? Yes — recommended. 100% of tip goes to the shopper. The default is typically 15–25%; many customers tip more for excellent service.

Can I cancel an order I just placed? Yes, before a shopper has claimed it. After claim, harder. Contact support for assistance.

Will Shipt deliver same-day? Yes — Shipt’s primary value proposition is same-day delivery. Order in the morning, receive by afternoon/evening. Specific time windows vary.

Try Shipt for grocery delivery Target-owned. Delivers from Target, Meijer, Costco, Petco, Sephora, and many regional grocers. New members get a free trial. Try Shipt Free →

FAQ

Is Shipt the same as Instacart? No — both are grocery delivery, but different companies. Instacart is publicly traded; Shipt is owned by Target. They have different store networks and pricing models. See Shipt vs Instacart for Customers.

Do I have to use Target with Shipt? No — Shipt has many partner stores. Target is the most prominent because Shipt is owned by Target, but you can shop other stores too.

Can I order alcohol on Shipt? In supported markets, yes. Age verification at delivery is required.

What’s the membership cost? Annual subscription typically $99; monthly typically $14. The 14-day free trial lets you test before committing.

Will the shopper communicate with me? Yes — through Shipt’s privacy-safe in-app messaging. Be available during shopping window for substitution questions.

What if the shopper makes a wrong substitution? Contact support; refunds are typically processed promptly.

Can I shop at multiple stores in one order? Generally one store per order. Multi-store orders require separate orders.

Is Shipt available where I live? Shipt covers 5,000+ U.S. cities. Check coverage at signup; if not yet supported, alternatives like Instacart or DoorDash may operate in your area.

Will Shipt store my payment info? Yes — for future orders. Encrypted per industry standards.

Can I order via a website or only the app? Both. Shipt has a website and apps for iOS and Android.

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