A Spark Driver is an independent contractor who picks up and delivers orders from Walmart and Sam’s Club stores using the Spark Driver app. You use your own vehicle, choose which delivery offers to accept, and get paid for each completed trip. The work ranges from simple curbside pickups to shopping inside the store for a customer’s groceries and delivering them to their door.
Types of Orders You Handle
The Spark Driver app sends you several kinds of delivery offers, and each one involves a different level of work.
Curbside pickup and delivery is the simplest type. A Walmart associate has already picked, packed, and staged the customer’s order. You drive to the store, check in through the app, load the bags into your vehicle at the designated pickup area, and deliver them to the customer’s address.
Shop and deliver orders require more effort. You walk through the store, pick items off the shelves yourself, bag everything at a self-checkout register, and then drive the order to the customer. The order is prepaid, so you never pay for anything out of pocket. At self-checkout, you scan a QR code from the app to clear the transaction, then receive a digital exit pass to show the door associate on your way out. If any items have anti-theft devices, you press the assistance icon on the self-checkout screen and a store associate will unlock them.
Pharmacy deliveries add a few extra steps. You pick up prescription orders from the pharmacy counter inside the store, not from curbside. The app walks you through a selfie ID verification, then gives you a one-time passcode to share with the pharmacy associate so they can release the order. At the customer’s door, the app may ask you to verify the customer’s ID, collect a signature, or enter another passcode before you can mark the delivery complete. You cannot deliver a pharmacy package that appears damaged or opened. If that happens, you return it to the pharmacy and contact driver support, since delivering a compromised prescription package could create a HIPAA violation.
The app also offers batched orders, where you handle two or more deliveries in one trip. You shop or pick up multiple orders at the same store, bag them separately using guidance the app provides, then scan the QR code once at checkout to receive a single exit pass covering all orders in the batch.
How the App Guides Each Delivery
Nearly every action you take runs through the Spark Driver app. When an offer appears, you see the store location, estimated pay, and delivery distance. After you accept, the app walks you through each phase: navigating to the store, checking in, shopping (if it’s a shop-and-deliver order), scanning the checkout QR code, confirming you’ve left the store, driving to the customer, and completing the drop-off. For pharmacy orders, it layers in the selfie verification and passcode steps automatically.
If something goes wrong during a delivery, you tap “Delivery Issues” in the app to trigger return procedures or contact support. For pharmacy orders where a customer isn’t home to show ID, for example, the app prompts you to return the package to the store. If the pharmacy is closed when you get back, you can ask a manager at the customer service desk to accept the return.
Requirements to Get Started
Spark Driver is open to anyone 18 or older with a smartphone, a valid driver’s license, and a clean, reliable vehicle. Motorcycles, motorized bicycles, and motorized scooters are not allowed since they don’t provide enough space for deliveries. There’s no specific vehicle age requirement listed, but the car needs to be in good working condition.
You’ll need to upload proof of valid auto insurance that shows your name, the vehicle information, and an expiration date. The details on the document need to be legible, uncropped, and right-side up. If you plan to use more than one vehicle, you need separate proof of insurance for each one.
A background screening covers both your motor vehicle record and criminal history. Results typically come back within one to seven business days, though the timeline depends on how quickly state and county agencies process requests.
What a Typical Day Looks Like
There’s no set schedule. You open the app when you’re ready to work and either receive offers pushed to you or browse available trips in your area. Each offer shows enough detail for you to decide whether the pay and distance are worth your time. You can accept or decline without penalty for skipping individual offers, though consistently ignoring offers may affect the types of trips you’re shown.
A single delivery can take anywhere from 20 minutes for a quick curbside pickup to over an hour for a large shop-and-deliver order. Batched orders take longer but pay more since you’re completing multiple deliveries in one run. Pharmacy trips tend to involve extra time at the counter and more verification steps at the customer’s door.
Because you’re an independent contractor rather than an employee, you’re responsible for your own fuel, vehicle maintenance, and taxes. Earnings depend on your market, the number of offers available, and how many hours you choose to work.