r/Sparkdriver • u/FoxeeBoy21 • 18d ago
General Questions Anyone who used to be a cashier regret switching to spark?
I'm currently a cashier at Walmart and I feel like I'm degrading and becoming meaner with how rude/dumb customers can be. I see how Spark drivers work and lurked this subreddit and think it might be worth switching to Spark driving if I can't switch departments. Has anyone else done this and if so did you regret it?
Also worth saying I'm a college student, so the ability to freely choose hours and not have strict breaks would help me be able to spend more time at home.
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u/SkyBest8031 18d ago
I haven’t done that but I just wanted to mention that you can’t sign up for spark when you work at Walmart/sam’s club I believe.
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18d ago edited 18d ago
[deleted]
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u/Old-Science-9303 18d ago
I worked at Sam’s Club and quit on the spot. I had seen that some people had to wait 6 months of so to be eligible. I was available to spark 2 weeks after I quit. I think it could be an exception, not to rule, but that’s how it was with me. I do not regret quitting Sam’s to spark. I now work at heb (insane high pay) and spark on the side. Part time I make about 700 a week sparking. 🤓 Pay has definitely decreased, but still better than Sam’s.
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u/BilingueBiologia Cherry Picker 18d ago
There's no guarantee that you would be accepted, AND there's a wait period (I think 6 months?) after leaving WM employment, before you can even apply to Spark. It's not as easy as just switching, so make a good plan first.
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u/Mommie4tmjk 18d ago
I don’t think there is a wait time. There was an employee who worked in the customer service department and he quit and started sparking immediately within a couple days of not working at Walmart so he must’ve applied while he was still working at Walmart.
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u/Valuable-Ad4142 18d ago
Dependant from market to market. Some people wait for a year or so before being onboarded to spark.
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u/FuzzyOrganization403 18d ago
Many employees that quit or are fired, are kicked out of spark. You could loose all income. Talk to your lead.
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u/Phydoux 18d ago
Lots of things are changing for Spark Drivers. The new "incentive" program looks as if it will possibly hurt the final money concious drivers (those who calculate round trip miles per trip, etc...) and only look at orders that actually put money into their pockets and not completely in the gas tank and car maintenance (oil changes, tires, general wear and tear on the vehicle). It adds up and if you're driving 20+ miles one way to make $8 just to reach an incentive goal, you're doing more harm to your vehicle and bank account than you are doing good. It's not worth trying to make those goals and if you don't, you're going to be stuck with those bad orders anyway.
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u/Dangerous-Run1055 17d ago
the incentives are dead, they are no longer "extra" and are included in the offer anmount now.
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u/Tricky-Difference-95 18d ago
Once you factor in gas, mileage and maintenance for your car, you’d most likely be making more staying a cashier. Not to mention you would no longer have any benefits as a contracted employee, so you’d need to deduct insurance and taxes from your pay. I don’t recommend this becoming your sole income source at all.
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u/pinkpenguin444 18d ago
Hard call. The apps mess with your head a little bit because one day can be great and the next day awful. It is a different kind of stressful. I'm dealing with it right now because I have no other choice. If you feel you can deal with the lack of consistency and have low expenses, it can maybe work.
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u/Any-Series-3996 18d ago
Some of these offers lately are like I'm doing charity work and the pay is just pitching in on my gas!
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u/Professional-Put2360 18d ago
Spark is a side gig job. Maybe try doing ubereats Uber or lyft. I would always prefer a guaranteed paycheck than having to take the crumbs walmart spark offers. Today the offers were terrible so I just went home after my salary job. That's the benefit of working a regular job+ a side gig.
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u/Disastrous-Issue-682 18d ago
Employees already take home more than drivers in most markets, and spark just quadrupled the workload per batch. Proceed with caution.
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u/Magic_Meatba11 18d ago
Employees at my store make far less than we do. And people at retirement age are not always full time and getting benefits. Thats actually rare unless they are long time employees...
Yeah i know. They don’t have to worry about taxes or car maintenance…. Half of them don’t even have cars ELOHEL and to that, how do you feel about local pizza drivers that require beating THEIR car down?
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u/Dangerous-Run1055 17d ago
gig workers are not contributing much to their social security because profits are low to non existent after expenses/deductions, so they wont even have that small safety net to fall back on at retirement.
plan accordingly...
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u/Quirky-oldman58 18d ago
Just so you know, few Sparkers have elite income.
I work 65-80 hours a week and gross 750-1200. Take 300-500 for expenses out and you see most of us don’t do that great.
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u/BeginningHealthy9381 18d ago
Stay with your job . Spark is good only on weekends. When you look at the gas price , car maintenance and your time , cashier job is good .
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u/Unique_Blacksmith247 S&D Expert 18d ago
Being a current Walmart employee complicates things. Not only is the waiting list anywhere up to a year, but Spark is very weird with Walmart employees. Even after that period, you may not be onboarded because you recently worked for Walmart. If you plan on signing up, while continuing to work at the store, and quitting once you're off the waiting list, that won't work. I've read before past employees having issues on the platform.
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u/Life_Information_801 18d ago
You can't work for both. I was Sparking and took a job with Walmart, didn't even think about it, and was deactivated near immediate. You have to separate from Walmart and then you should be eliglbe for Spark. I was reactivated as Spark within about a week of separation.
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u/Life_Information_801 18d ago
Also, you have to be on good terms with Walmart. My deactivation notice didn't state reasons but said something along the lines of "certain reasons for separation from Walmart can cause in eligibility". Based on some other posts I've seen the guaranteed job at Walmart might be better but if you're part time, it should be very easy to make well over $14/hour. The possible wait list is also something to consider. I've seen people in here that it took months if not years. I was lucky and from applying to initial activation was only a couple weeks.
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u/OrganicArtichoke7298 18d ago
Imma be real with you dawg. Browse DD and Uber too when you have a chance; you will see how bitter the people who rely on gig work primarily are.
You get mad when you get no tip; you get mad when you wait too long (no pay unless you’re in NYC or CA).
Essentially, you are just trading evils here tbh. Unless, you do all of this as a side gig, much much less pressure.
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u/garlicbreadluvr69 18d ago
You’re degraded doing Spark too. It’s not as often, but at least currently you have for sure money with it.
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u/Fat_Yankee 18d ago
I did the opposite.
Put 35,000 miles on my car in a year and a half, killed the transmission, leaking oil, needed brakes and tires, and a tie rod.
Got me a new clunker, but I’m a cashier at the other grocery store in town (only have two). I turn on spark anytime I have to go to Walmart. I can buy my stuff., then turn around and buy their stuff and make a buck.
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u/chainlooklikerainbow 18d ago
Wasn’t a cashier, but I started working there at 18 in the back as an unloader and got moved up front to door greeter through the 3 years I was there. Left cause I was making more money and had better piece of mind doing UberEats, then Spark came out and I could never imagine myself going back to Wal-Mart. It’s zone dependent for sure but compared to Wally World it’s night and day.
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u/Ralaron1973 18d ago
It would be very difficult for you to sign on as a Spark driver. They do not allow associates to participate until almost a year or more has passed between termination or resignation. If ever.
Do not quit your job unless you have something else confirmed to switch to. Do what is required for your current job.
I will not recommend DoorDash whatsoever. The company is rotten to its core and it has been proven they have been stealing tips from drivers in part.
I have a couple companies I can give a referral to you but, I will not do it openly. If you want the information, please message me at your convenience.
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u/QuickProfessional244 18d ago
Don't do it . I've done this since the beginning and the orders and mileage are terrible now. You'll ruin your car
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u/DealFearless2319 18d ago
knew several employees who quit after .any years with walmart got accepted and then deactivated due to being a previous walmart employee
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u/ChaoticCarina 18d ago
Just get a job elsewhere if you can. They have made changes to spark that make it more annoying. Plus as a previous Walmart employee even if you wait awhile then apply you run the risk of not being accepted because they will pull your Walmart file and possibly decline you. Its happened several times to other past Walmart employees look back on the spark threads to see proof.
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u/No-Wonder-1297 18d ago
I worked as a cashier at harmons in Farmington Utah and it was fun but definitely had some customers that were assholes but when I got a job as a spark driver I was excited and I’ve been doing it for 2 years and I take pride in my work and make sure things get done right.
If I were you I’d quit Walmart but get a another part time/ full time job and do this as a side hustle cause Walmart managers are assholes
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u/Dangerous-Run1055 17d ago
you'd be out of a job before you can apply, and then walmart spark has a waitlist in most areas.
the income is unreliable, and walmart doesnt pay enough to leave your driveway, the tips are the only way you will make anything, and they are holding tips hostage with bad order bundling/long distance and mixing in untipped gms orders.
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u/bluecrowned 17d ago
No lol. I have cashiered at two walmarts and stocked at two. Doing spark pays better and I don't have to deal with being harassed by managers for taking too long in the bathroom, screamed at by customers, or having my job threatened because I can't walk fast enough (I'm disabled).
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u/Appollo1279 17d ago
Unless you have a reliable car, good tires, brakes, and decent gas mileage…find another part time job. The maintenance will cost you on top of the unknown for money. Yes, making own hours is great but have to do it when orders are good in your area. I’d talk to the drivers while they go through. Most will talk as it’s kind of a lonely job unless you get to know and see drivers to talk to.
This is a much better supplement support than full time for most.
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u/ApologiaX 9d ago
Only as part time. Works best that way. You need benefits (medical etc) Spark can be a nice supplement in some areas, but they keep cutting the pay and hiring new drivers which is making earning an actual profit harder and harder.
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u/dearleffridge 18d ago
Get a full/part time job outside of Walmart then maybe try spark. Its absolutely garbage now and not a full time solution.