This guide walks you through a TryShopper job from first sighting to payout — including the two moments where you must stop and wait before moving on.
Before you accept any job
Get these in place first. Without them, Add estimate stays disabled.
- Verify your account — Complete NIN and passport verification. Admin must approve you before you can accept work.
- Link payout details — Add your bank account under Profile → Payment. You cannot submit an estimate without it, and payouts after delivery go to this account.
- Set your service area — Your profile addresses determine which jobs you see. Jobs only appear for orders delivered in states matching your saved addresses.
- One active job at a time — Finish your current order (through delivery or cancellation) before accepting another.
How jobs reach you
- New orders in your area show on Jobs (Available tab) and on your dashboard.
- You may also get a push notification when something new is posted.
- Open the job to read the full list, delivery address, customer contact, budget, substitution rules, and any partner store pickups (catalogue items).
Step 1 — Review the job and submit your estimate
What you do
- Open the job from Jobs. The platform briefly locks the job while you review it so another shopper does not estimate at the same time.
- Tap Add estimate.
- Enter a price per item (catalogue prices may be prefilled) and a transport fare (your cost to get goods to the customer).
- Submit. Status becomes Estimate received.
What happens next — The customer reviews your quote. They must approve and pay the estimate before you shop. TryShopper holds payment — you do not front the money.
⏸ Wait here — do not start shopping yet. Do not mark “Shopping started” until the status is Estimate approved. While status is Estimate received, the customer may still be reviewing or paying. Starting early risks buying before the order is funded.
Step 2 — Start shopping (only after payment)
When status is Estimate approved — The customer has paid. You can head to the market or store. On the order page, tap Next step to mark Shopping started.
While you shop
- Buy against the approved list and budget.
- Respect substitution rules: Ask first (contact the customer before swapping), Allow substitution (you may substitute similar items), or No substitution (do not replace without asking).
- For catalogue / partner store items, use the pickup ref and store details on the order. Collect only what is listed for that store.
- Keep every receipt. You will upload them in the next phase.
Step 3 — Mark items purchased
- When you have finished buying, open the order.
- Tick the items you actually purchased.
- Tap Next step to mark Items purchased.
This step records what you bought. It does not send receipts to the customer yet.
Step 4 — Submit receipts and the actual total
On the same order (status Items purchased), use Submit receipts:
- Receipt photos — upload clear photos of every receipt (at least one required).
- Actual total — enter the real amount spent (goods + transport, as on the receipt). Edit the prefilled figure if the shop total differs from your estimate.
The customer reviews your receipts and final total. They may approve, reject (you resubmit), or pay an extra amount if the total is higher than what was held.
⏸ Wait here — do not go en route yet. Do not mark “En route” until the customer approves the final total. You will see “Waiting for customer approval” on the order. Stay put — finish packing, but do not leave for delivery until approval comes through. The app blocks Mark en route until then. If the customer rejects, fix receipts or totals and submit again.
Step 5 — Go en route (after final approval)
- When the customer has approved, status still shows Items purchased, but the waiting banner is gone and Mark en route is enabled.
- Leave the store or market and head to the delivery address.
- While En route, your location can be shared with the customer on the map (keep the order page open if you want live tracking to work).
Step 6 — Complete delivery with the handover code
At the customer’s door
- Ask the customer for their 4-digit delivery code. They receive it only after they approve the final total — not before.
- Enter the code in the app (digits only, 4 characters).
- Tap Next step to mark Delivered.
The code confirms handover with the customer. Delivery cannot be completed without it. Your service fee payout is tied to a confirmed delivery.
Order status at a glance
- Awaiting estimate — Job is open; you can quote.
- Estimate received — Wait: customer reviewing / paying.
- Estimate approved — Paid; you may start shopping.
- Shopping started — You are buying items.
- Items purchased — Buying done; submit receipts, then wait for approval.
- En route — Approved; deliver to customer.
- Delivered — Complete; payout processes.
Partner store pickups (catalogue orders)
- Each store block shows store name, address, phone, maps link, and a pickup ref.
- Collect only the items listed for that store.
- The store is notified when you start shopping and when items are ready for pickup.
- You do not need a store collection code for shopper-mediated pickups — the store marks pickup when you collect.
Cancellation (before en route)
- Only the shopper can start cancellation, and only before en route.
- The app generates a code; both you and the customer must enter the same code to complete cancellation.
- Do not use this for minor changes — message the customer or adjust during shopping when substitutions allow.
Payout
- Your service fee is shown on the order.
- After Delivered is confirmed with the delivery code, TryShopper processes payout to your linked bank account.
- If payout fails, check Profile → Payment and fix bank details; failed payouts retry after you re-link.
Quick do / don’t checklist
Do
- Wait for Estimate approved before you shop.
- Upload clear receipts and an accurate final total.
- Wait for final approval before Mark en route.
- Get the 4-digit delivery code at handover before marking delivered.
- Complete one job at a time.
Don’t
- Don’t shop while status is still Estimate received.
- Don’t drive to the customer before final approval.
- Don’t mark delivered without the customer’s code.
- Don’t accept a new job while another is still in progress.
A TryShopper job has two mandatory pauses: after you send the estimate (wait for customer payment) and after you submit receipts (wait for final approval). Everything else is forward motion — shop, document, deliver, and get paid.