Belinda, a delivery driver for Walmart, who works through the app Spark, recently shared a TikTok video in which she showed off a grocery haul worth $499 that she received for free. The customer canceled the order after Belinda completed it, which allowed her to keep all the groceries. In addition to the free groceries, she received her $50 base pay through Spark.
Belinda’s TikTok video quickly went viral, amassing over 1 million views. Some viewers guessed that the order was intended for a daycare or a family, while others warned Belinda that she should have returned the groceries to avoid deactivation by Spark.
Belinda later posted a follow-up video in which she explained that the order was canceled by Spark due to a “cold order violation,” which meant that the cold grocery items were in the cart for too long. She also learned that she got the groceries for free due to a glitch in the app, which marked the order as a “return” instead of requiring her to return the items to the store.
Despite the mixed reactions to her viral video, Belinda expressed her gratitude for the unexpected haul and even mentioned doing a food giveaway in her area so others could benefit from her bounty.
Belinda’s experience highlights the challenges that delivery drivers face, such as rude customers and low tips. The job can be difficult, but moments like this can make it all worthwhile. It is important to recognize and respect the hard work of delivery drivers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when their work is essential to keeping communities running.
Belinda’s experience also highlights the importance of reliable and glitch-free apps in the gig economy. A glitch in the app caused the order to be marked as a “return,” which allowed her to keep the groceries, but this could have resulted in her deactivation if the glitch had not been in her favor. App creators and companies must ensure that their apps are reliable and free of glitches to avoid confusion and mistakes that could negatively impact gig workers.
Belinda’s unexpected haul of groceries highlights the highs and lows of being a delivery driver for a gig economy app like Spark. Despite the challenges and potential pitfalls, it is clear that Belinda’s experience has touched many people and brought some positivity to a difficult year.
