Instacart: Groceries & Food Customer Service

Instacart: Groceries & Food Positive Reviews

This use to be a 5 star app! Not nowI am a loyal Instacart supporter, and tip after my experiences. The app has changed, but usually change is good. Not this time, and I am a tech person. I can navigate through any app. However, since the Nov 2018 update, I have experienced some of the things that the low stars complain about. My store was Farm Fresh and now I use FoodLion as substitute. Items in this store appear as no pic or they are the wrong item. Last time I got burnt with the new app policy, which I took for granted because I didn’t have to activate or reset notifications when I first used the app. After bad experience 1, I decided to check for setting in the app and update them. This time I again didn’t receive any text notifications even after I set my phone to receive them. I decided to click on the app to find out the status of my order, and it said someone had pick it up. I also noticed an item that I didn’t pick so I called to find out what is going on. The customer service kept saying she didn’t see anything. In the it my order was being delivered. I told her this then all of a sudden the kept popping up one after the other will I’m talking to her and she says after I told what the messages were Yeah when I refreshed my screen it showed me the same thing. I am stuck with an item that I don’t want. I have tried all the things they told me to do on the last call. I am done with that store so I will try shopping at one of the other stores and if I still get this problem then it will be good bye Instacart.Katuna1999Version: 6.18.1

Good app, but seems to over promise...I love the convenience of Instacart! At this point with COVID-19, I don’t always feel comfortable going to the grocery store. I love that there is easy communication with my shopper and the overall functionality of the app is great. I’m an Instacart Express Member and so far I don’t see the benefit...My biggest issue is that mistakes from the app itself are never addressed. On one occasion my app was not updating whatsoever and Instacart never communicated, not even after the incident. My shopper got my number through instacart and called me to let me know that the app is not updating properly. On a separate occasion, instacart said I would have my groceries in two hours and it almost took five. I was never given any indication even up to the last 10 minutes of the two hour window that I would not be receiving my order in a timely manner. The only reason I knew it wasn’t going to arrive on time is because for two hours straight it said that my shopper was, “about to start”. I literally took screenshots of the app telling me I will be receiving my items at a time that had already passed by over an hour...OUTRAGEOUS! I realize that Instacart cannot predict the busyness of a grocery store, but there is no excuse for the lack of communication and the lack of accountability after such an incident takes place. Like I said, I like the app, but if I’m paying the premium price I feel like I should also be getting premium service. Pretty lackluster so far....El poeta negrito(EZ)Version: 7.35.0

So many loopholes in the appHi there! I’m a shopper with Instacart. At first I was excited to do this, but as I move on into the process I just got so discouraged for the amounts bit of scam from the customers. You allowed them to place an item as damaged, when the shopper put it as refund. You let do what ever the customer wants. Missing items, when they are not, poor service when they been extra rude to the shopper, poor replacement when the customers met don’t even answer a question. And then all that feedback “unfiltered” as you guys call it, goes into the shopper, who gets extremely discouraged and upset for the unfair feedback. I have seen my fellow shoppers, showing a whole list “missing items” and you do not anything. Your app has so many loopholes that scammer knows how to get free stuff. YOU GUYS ARE LOSING MONEY BY THE MINUTE. Your policies are strict for the shopper but so soft for the customer. It should be balanced. I’ll give you an example. Monique order some crab legs, they are out, I, the shopper refund them in the app, but 2 days later they show up on my “how am I doing” as DAMAGED! That was almost $56 dollars that you have to give back to the customers. Your app allows this all the time. You don’t educate the customer and don’t limited the window time for customer to do this. You are becoming another Uber, leaving your shopper on the blind and not taking care of them. We, the shopper are your force power so the app can deliver the idea of shopping from the phone..Gig iloveVersion: 6.15.0

Always greatAlways Great!!!!!!!HAPPY 4th of July📣📣📣🎊🎊🎊❣️ Instacart has been a life saver for me I moved here from Manhattan approximately two years ago. I stopped driving when I was in Manhattan because I would always use car service and they knew me so and once in a while I would use an Uber. Instacart is wonderful, I order all of my groceries from the Publix that’s right near me. They have been a real lifesaver as I seen it before. I stopped driving years ago because driving in Manhattan is not the easiest plus it’s a big expense. Every single person from Instacart has been wonderful. They seem to know what I’d like if something is out of stock which is a feeling like I’m on their shoulder and telling them to pick that pick this one then. They already seem to know. The people that work for Instacart are wonderful and I would be lost without them. Since it’s the holiday season please give generously as far as raises and GIFs of monetary value. Plus, every single person that I have engaged with has been customer service at its finest. I know everyone is somewhat short of cash because of Covid and other issues. I always give a generous tip and sometimes even add more to that. Please see if you can increase their salary somewhat because they are very hard-working and they go through thick and thin rain and storms with a happy healthy attitude! Happy holidays to everybody and a healthy happy new year to everyone thank you Instacart for being there for me. Wishing you only the best, Debra Bader.Debra BaderVersion: 7.149.1

Only used twice so far but amazed with results!This service has been impeccable! I don’t know if I’ve just been lucky to get two amazing shoppers in a row, or if this is just the standard for instacart, but I am delighted! Communication from the shoppers was 10/10, going out of their way to find a perfect substitute when the store was out of stock of what I had ordered, they’d even take pictures of the surrounding items so I could choose exactly what I wanted and see exactly what the store had! On my second order, my phone unfortunately died near the end and I fell asleep while waiting for it to turn back on, but my shopper followed my delivery instructions to a T (and my apartment is hard to find/in a confusing location) and called me and left my groceries in exactly the right spot! Both times I ended up adding an extra tip on top of the original tip. What I find shocking is how much better the service is with these instacart shoppers vs restaurant food delivery services like doordash (and those ones ask for way higher tips too-despite doing WAY less work!) even though it is an inherently more difficult and involved service. Lastly, I am very impressed that there does not appear to be a markup on the grocery item prices, as opposed to the often very high markup on doordash, Uber eats, etc. I am super satisfied with this service and will be using instacart for the majority of my grocery shopping needs from now on! I was honestly a bit hesitant to try it out but it’s been a wonderful addition to my life-has made it much easier! Love it!.AfluffyorangecatVersion: 7.201.1

A++ for InstacartShopping is so easy, relevant suggestions pop up on the easy-to-use app now and then while I shop since I have been using it for a few months now. As a wheelchair user, I find Instacart a priceless tool I cannot live without. The Instacart shoppers who shop for me are courteous, professional, goal-oriented to satisfy the customers as well as deliver within a reasonable amount of time. The shopper and I can communicate by message on the app as they shop and let me know if something is out of stock, and ask if I would like a replacement. You can also select a replacement on the app prior. I love double bagging!! If I lift a bag to my lap, I do not want it to rip apart. I also find the “Buy It Again” feature a perfect substitute to a grocery list; it IS my grocery list. Instacart costs more, yes, and very much worth every penny to me. The convenience is amazing! Tipping is done on the app with suggested choices so it’s already taken care of! I also message the shopper know if there is nearby parking in our lot near the main door near when they arrive, and because I buy lots of fresh food, I try to be at the main door to assist them with access. They put the groceries right inside my door as I instruct, and it’s done! There are many other great features you will learn about as you shop again. You can request fresh food, underripe, etc, so functional to use. You are updated how the shopping is progressing and when the shopper is finished shopping, and even when they are on the way! My husband and I love using Instacart! PB&J.ElleJay112Version: 8.26.0

Instacart is fantastic at. . .Instacart was good up until they deactivate your account for mistakes the shopper app has caused. They owe me a little over $100 and have never reimbursed me my money back; from them asking me to use my personal card when I didn’t have the shopper debit card. I’m going on 3 months now not getting my reimbursement. The app has some issues with giving you a customers address and sending you to a different location and blaming it on you for not delivering to the correct home. This happened to me 3x and instacart deactivated my account putting their fault on me. I was a 5star shopper and even with good reviews and great customer service, they will still deactivated your account due to their issues with the app. No one is ever available to talk to you when you, as a shopper, might run into an issue. For every issue a shopper has, their respond is always “sorry for the inconvenience, it looks like your request is still processing”. Who ever is running this app really needs to process my requests, seems like nobody work in that department. I’ve spoken to other fellow shoppers and turns out they’re going through the same issues with their ‘Processing’ department, instacart: takes your money; not giving a shopper the cooler bags they purchased from instacart; from paying for a customers groceries out of your own pocket; hires minors and homeless to do a customers shopping; takes a couple hours to give you another batch; makes you start a batch that is no longer available to you which leads to strikes; the list goes on. Think twice before becoming a shopper..Fellow instacart shopperVersion: 7.100.0

Feedback to InstacartI am a disabled 68 year old veteran and this was my first time using instacart. I needed to see how things went. before I could gushed the tip. Now that I know that it worked, I will be able to tip more, the next time. I had had to pay a computer guy to set up my computer and printer today, so that was a chunk of change. Now I can budget my needs better and be able to tip better. I was a little disappointed that my having vision problems, orthopedic disabilities, and no transportation, that I could not get help placing my order with a person by phone, until I am able to get my health issues resolved and transportation issues resolved. Overall, I am grateful, but would be happy if someone would call me and get some temporary help with the order process. But again, I was just happy to have something to eat and drink. Thank you. If I can get some temporary help until I get these issues fixed, I would be relieved. Thanks for understanding that I am having vision problems, ortho problems, transportation issues, as well as never having had any computer training . I am 68 years old and didn’t grow up with computers or cell phones, so please understand that I have had my house broken into several times in the last 2 weeks and the police have not been helpful or even concerned for my safety. At least you guys are, and I am grateful. Thanks. Please let the delivery person know what is going on and that this was a first time order for me. I needed to know that I would get what I ordered. JJames. Thank you so much..Watchman #25Version: 8.26.0

Extremely unhappy customerInstacart was once convenient but as it grew, terrible shoppers have hired. They no longer communicate, replace items with whatever they choose (today a set of pillow cases was replaced with an actual pillow), shoppers will shop entire orders then at the end say they had an emergency and give up the order to someone else. If you insist they communicate, they will give up your order. Customer service does not complete transactions correctly (orders should be cancelled and shoppers still shopping). 90 min going back and forth with customer service and a $5 inconvenience credit was given. I have to sign for EVERY SINGLE ORDER! I had to sign for Salmon, toilet paper, paper towels, no alcohol or lighters in my order, ALL food and household supplies. The service should be convenient and is marketed as such. I asked for the email for complaint and was given the help email address just to get a returned reply that the email isn’t monitored and to go to the chat. I’m don’t being a customer. Uber Eats has 40% grocery discounts all the time and a three month free membership. I have found Uber Eats is cheaper as well grocery shopping, plus the 40% off. Instacart NEVER had promotions for current customers. I’m don’t using them and only kept it because my ex had the 4.99 membership for having ebt. But after today and working a 16 hr shift expecting my 6 simple items to be shopped I spent now 2 hrs of being inconvenienced and shopping for the items myself! Guess what, also see items the shopper said wasn’t there and the another the second shopper said wasn’t available..Kimilu15Version: 7.193.1

Weekly UserI use this app almost every week. And I found that the delivery people will say something is not available at the store, but then still charge me for it. They put it in as ‘replaced with same item’. I have to pause and tell them to refund because I won’t approve the change. Sometimes they say they can’t fix it, and some do fix it. One driver kept a bag of potatoes, and when I told him I didn’t like my cans dented and my potatoes missing, he has started digging his nails into my fruit and bread, and denting all my cans. I don’t want him anymore, but I am afraid to complain because I don’t want him showing up at my house angry. So, I just throw away things. I also had a woman who has blatantly opened my bread and baby jars to take the little Vienna sausages out for her self, and even stole my blue cheese salad dressing. And I knew she would take it once she accepted my order. She digs nails into all my containers as well. The service itself is fine, but some of the shoppers are crooked, and they have multiple accounts. I have the same guy who showed up under three accounts, and a woman. Often someone other than the pic shows up. Now, my app is not letting me order. Something is really wrong, and I don’t know why. I have been a loyal user for years, and now I can’t pic a store, an error message pops up saying, “Sorry.”.MsSuggestionVersion: 8.85.0

Can be convenient but be aware of pricing issueTLDR Instacart may overcharge you on weighted estimate items I work a wonky schedule which makes getting to a store difficult due to the times I’m free of work typically being shifted and aligning from times stores are closed. Insta cart makes things easier for me by allowing me to just pre-set up deliveries ahead of time and timing the delivery of the order to arrive right before I have to leave or a little before I get back. It can be a convenient resource so long as the items I’m ordering are all flat rate items. I had issue with weighted item being overcharged by a significant amount and when attempted to resolve it was spun in circles. When I finally was able to be connected with a specialist they just sent me the link to Instacarts marketplace vs store pricing page to deny my issue but the link detailing Instacart policy literally supported my reasoning for issue in regards to weighted items being adjusted from the estimate based on the actual weight. I copy pasted the exact lines to the specialist but they continued to deny my request based on a completely separate issue to the one I was having and ended the chat. I searched online and this issue on overcharging weighted items isn’t individualized to myself as several others have discussed this in the span of months. SO be aware Instacart may overcharge you for your weighted items! I’ve done items like this via Instacart through the stores delivery webpage and never had issues..WiwoWiowVersion: 8.70.0

Great App & Convenient, but lacks in some areas.I’ve been using Instacart for over a year now. For the most part it’s pretty good. Although some prices are higher than in the store. But, when you consider the cost to drive there, then to shop and deal with other ppl and waiting in line and bagging groceries etc. IMO it’s worth the extra. I mostly use it for Aldi, as I live in a somewhat rural area and don’t have access to a lot of bigger stores. One of my suggestions to Aldi/Instacart is to plz add the item and or product nutritional information. And please add more images of the actual items and or food. If you’re looking for a food or product you’ve never bought or eaten before, this is a pretty important option that should be available to view before ordering your items. I’ve recently started watching my carbs and fats etc and I’m blown away that the nutritional labels aren’t pictured for Aldi foods. C’mon guys, let’s be better here, let’s aim to provide nutritional info and guidelines and labels. If someone is following strict eating guidelines or diets etc, how are they supposed to determine what they can and can’t eat /buy when you’re not providing the proper images and labels for the products? Please fix this and please do it asap. I’m so disappointed that I can’t see the nutritional information before adding these items to my cart. I’m not sure if this is just an Aldi thing or if this is for all stores as I pretty much only use Instacart for Aldi..Headyx77Version: 8.70.0

Game changerI was once an avid grocery shopping lover. I spent a few days a week combing aisles , reading labels and finding bargains. A few years back, I had an injury and then another. I wasn’t very mobile for a few years and also retired from a long career. I began using Instacart on a whim. At first I experienced multiple issues with delivery and replacements. Customer service was more tan gracing reimbursing me for lost money and adding on extra money for the trouble. After a while I learned that communication with a good shopper saves headaches and I believe Instacart stepped up their game making improvements in their company. Today I use Instacart 2 sometimes 3 times a week. The ease of shopping is amazing. I easily and quickly compare prices and choose the best store to shop. The amount of time I have saved in my day to day life is priceless. Instacart is fast so you get what you need within an hour or two. I could go on and on about how much I appreciate this company. I do t understand why anyone goes to the physical store and lugs bags in and out of a store, into the car and into the house! I still shop in stores on occasion or order my groceries and pick them up bagged and ready for no fee, but I will never go back to doing my own grocery shopping. The cost is minimal and the benefits are maximum!.Myztery 100Version: 8.71.0

Very much improved shopping & delivery app except for carriersI love Instacart, as it has evolved over the years to be an excellent shopping and delivery service from various stores in my area, with so many to choose from. The shopping portion of the app has improved so much in terms of options, previously ordered items, capturing deals at various stores, etc., etc. with Lots of options for replacements of items out of stock, and options to cancel and reschedule deliveries easily. The delivery service is usually good but when perishable items are involved, different carriers provide much different results in terms of keeping items protected from damage, either by over stuffing bags or not keeping temperature fragile products cool enough, especially when frozen items when thawed become toxic to the body. I have actually gotten very sick from using items nearly thawed and Instacart guarantees items will be temperature controlled and do offer refunds but the time and health impacts suffered as a result are not worth the refund amounts because of the cost of time and extra fees for duplicate orders of the same items, let alone the cost of suffering symptoms of spoiled food. I rely on delivery service so I appreciate Instacart very much, but the inconsistency of carriers not only in their quality and consistency of service, but also there are some carriers that actually do not deliver themselves, but seemingly use ineligible employees, perhaps illegal, delivering for them and these unofficial unregistered carriers often do not even speak or understand English at all..Uriel51Version: 8.16.2

The App has GlitchesIt’s good to have an app to which one can order groceries online from and Instacart has that, however, there are some features in the app that are not working such as the ability to delete an address from one’s personal profile. The app has the delete option and the button once in account settings and at the personal information, however when tapping on edit next to a delivery address and then click on the delete option at that particular address, instead of the address being deleted an error message comes up in white on a black background saying, unable to delete this address at the current time and the glitch can be replicated. And the app is also not accessible in its layout and the company’s technicians do not complete the order via phone in lieu of the app when the app is not working properly. And they want to investigate it before fixing the problem. Caveat, you had better taken a foreign language class in high school. I would not recommend this service for your grandparents or elderly parents until Instacart cleans up their act with the app and the help they have working in their customer service department. If you do have to contact their customer service regarding issues with the app, be prepared to do a lot of yelling..Very JakeVersion: 7.202.0

Please don’t use Instacart or you will be outraged for their costumer service teamThis is the worst company I ever met. I had an issue with one of their shopper who stole two bikes from my neighbor’s house in one time he came to dropped off an order and I contacted the support 4 times. And they not only offered me 5 dollars in compensation but every time they said they will contact me to follow up the problem and never had a respond back. Today I spent more than 2 hours in chat with one of their associates and told him/her more than once I won’t leave until they give me an answer and if he or she end the chat is under their responsibility because I won’t give my consent until someone has something accurate to say and this person just ends the conversation and let me in the same position for 4th time. Oh, and I don’t want to forget to say that I paid 99 dollars for a membership and not only all the products are more expensive in their site but this is what I get from them. Not attending to their members issues even if we are talking about a robbery, which is a serious matter. This is like a scam site. Never try to reach their costumer service team because this associate said and I have the proof that the team doesn’t have an email or way to reach them. They are joking on me for more than 2 weeks with this situation. So I’m not giving 0 star because is not an option here but that’s what they deserve. I have proof of everything I’m posting here but I can’t show them to any representative of the company because they never contacted me back.Jennifer RA_Version: 8.31.0

Great App & Shopper FeedbackIt’s a great app and a service that’s been really helpful. Here’s a few things that would be great if either added as options to the app or just shared with shoppers. First: Produce orders aren’t great. If you’re going to be a professional shopper for someone, learning how to choose produce is important. Since most shoppers don’t know I end up not using the app for a lot of my shopping. Second: bags. I am disappointed when I have a delivery and there’s one item in each bag. And this happens quite often. I’m not saying fill the bags to the brim, but smart bagging would be another skill set if you want to be a professional shopper. Also maybe n option in the app for using reusable bags when offered at a store. Third: Deals. If there’s a buy two get two free deal and you see I have four items in the cart, then that means I’m going for the deal. If it happens there’s only three available it’s really as simple as messaging in the app to the buyer how they want to proceed. I normally pick replacements but sometimes even the replacement isn’t available. Then I don’t know that and end up paying more and not getting the deal. So it’s just paying a little bit more attention to the nuance of the buyers cart. I try to message my shoppers when they start but sometimes it’s stressful because I’ll notice they refund the item and then I have to catch it before checkout. If I have to watch the shopper then I may as well just go to the store myself. That’s it. I just think if you’re going to be a shopper the little things matter. Educated about produce, smart bagging, ensuring your customer gets the deals. It only enhances your review and tip!.CodeshaRuVersion: 9.6.0

Hours late and no ETAsI’ve tried this app in multiple cities and with various sizes of order, so I feel comfortable saying these problems are tied to the app itself. Here’s the thing: the app is a handy service, but it gives you flatly incorrect time estimates and then pushes the ETA back while your shopper is getting someone else’s order. Usually the delay is on the order of an hour or more. Example: I ordered at 9:15 AM with a 10:15 ETA; I was still waiting until 11:15. This has happened often enough that I feel comfortable saying this is either a flaw in the business model (shoppers are incentivized to take multiple orders at once, artificially inflating the amount of time it takes) or simply bad work on the algorithm’s behalf. Doordash and UberEats do the same thing but usually faster — and, if they’re not faster, at least they’re honest aboht how much time it takes. That’s the real kicker here: I wouldn’t care about the delays if the estimates were just honest up front, but when the app keeps inching the time back by 15 minute intervals, it’s basically impossible to know when your food will arrive— which means you’re stuck in your house, waiting. At that point I might as well go shopping myself. After I finish this review, I’m deleting this app and using a competitor delivery service instead..Lindsey a.w.Version: 7.137.1

AngryI started out super excited about this service but now I’m really upset with the lack of customer support. Rather than giving you your actual receipt you are emailed a digital one which is not from the store. I found this out when I asked the delivery person got my receipt because I like to have the actual one for business deductions. They were hesitant to give it to me but I was told by another delivery person they just throw them away so I explained why I needed it. I had a large order from Costco so I had to separate the business and personal items on my receipt. I was confused because there was a queen so blanket on my receipt which I did not receive or order. Everything else on the receipt was correct. I knew that the paper receipt didn’t include delivery fees, service fees or the tip but even after adding those in my receipt didn’t balance. It also didn’t balance with the amount I was charged on my debit card. I found all of this out when I was trying to see if I was charged for the blanket. According to the receipt I was. I immediately sent an email explaining my concerns. It took over 2 weeks and 3 emails later before anyone responded. Their first response was a form letter explaining their policy on receipt. It was clear they had looked into my concerns. 2 emails later they claimed the receipt was wrong and there was no such charge. I was given the receipt from their delivery person which includes every single item that I ordered plus a queen sized blanket. I’m bummed because I loved the idea of not having to go to the grocery store or Costco but I’d rather do that than risk my account information with a company I don’t trust..Rather not shopVersion: 6.23.0

Love it!Such a great app that allows you to work freely on your own schedule during absolutely anytime of the day! The only downside in my experience (I’ve done 300 batches since February of this year) is the rating system as a shopper that customers leave. I have almost 100 5 stars and 3 1 stars which are over customers being upset that they were “missing items” when they were out of stock + customers refunded for those items. It makes no sense to me why they do this, I know it’s for this reason after seeing the thumbs down they left due to “missing items”. I’m at a 4.82 star rating now due to customers not being able to read the app correctly or just being negative for no reason and the app says “batch availability effected with a rating below 4.7 stars. I’m worried I’ll be there soon due to customers being ignorant. I’m a diamond cart member already, like I said I just started delivering in February and have been doing it nonstop. Have had absolutely zero issues besides the rating system on the customers end. I should have 100% 5 stars all the way as I go above and beyond for everyone and never once did anything to make a single customer be upset. Please fix the rating systems and the outcomes of batch availability. It’s very unfair to us very hard workers..NeiwwnsksmdbdkdnsnsVersion: 8.62.0

Good but with big problemsI love using Instacart because I think it’s really convenient and there’s good value there because it saves time however they hide the fresh food from you. Instacart wants to push everything preservative off the shelf box jar buying fresh produce from Instacart is very very very difficult because it’s hard it will not come up in the search simple quarries you would think like jalapeño produce everything but fresh jalapeño jalapeño fresh or fresh jalapeño quarries do not lead what you would think they would leave fresh chicken fresh meat, raw chicken, raw meat these type of quarries that you would think would produce something in the meat department or produce department don’t yield anything or are buried. They often do not have pictures. If you search chicken it’s a great picture. I don’t even have a picture of the chicken they use search tomato they don’t have a picture of the tomato often so I love the service. I love the drivers. The you know you do get drivers that will just refund things without proposing a replacement or drivers that will you know it’s very hit or miss whether or not they will reply. Listen to your replacement replace it with something or they you know can’t find something or they’ll just cancel it and then they’ll say you at your prompted to to do something or whatever on your end but overall it is good. It’s just you know very difficult to buy healthy things..Cspot32Version: 8.92.1

Only Downside is Human ErrorThis is a fantastic service, especially for those of us with full schedules. There is an in-app messaging service that allows you to communicate with your shopper so you can make alterations to your list in real-time. The only problem I’ve had was because of one particular shopper... let’s call him John. John may have never been inside a grocery store before, because he couldn’t find a single one of the items on my list. But don’t worry! He replaced them with what he believed to be acceptable alternatives. No fresh strawberries? Get a bag of frozen ones! (It’s early summer, btw - strawberries are front and center in the store.) No chocolate chip Clif energy bars? Get chocolate chips! No 2% milk? Get 2% buttermilk! John refused to acknowledge my frantic messaging via the app, except to inform me that he was heading to check out with “my” order. Frantic phone calling to Instacart’s customer service line had me bounced from service rep to service rep, before someone called me (while I was on speaking with a completely different rep) to ask if I wanted to cancel my order. Umm... yes! Fortunately shoppers are usually stationed at individual stores while they wait for orders to come in, so I just changed my store from Grocery Store 1 to Grocery Store 2, which is a little further away. Fortunately I live in a very urban area, so this wasn’t a hardship. All in all I love this app, but I would suggest that shoppers are offered a little more training before being unleashed on unsuspecting app users!.Worried About JohnVersion: 6.35.0

Horrible customer serviceI recently used Instacart for the first time and it was the worst possible experience I’ve ever had with a food delivery service. Everything was going good up until I received my items. The food was penetrated with the smell of cigarette to the point that it gave me a headache. I immediately reported it on the app and got a response right away. I am pregnant and I have an infant, and my main concern was that we would be eating this food. I relayed that to the customer support and he said it was “unacceptable” and asked if I wanted a refund or credit for another delivery. I said a refund would be good since it was my first time using it and I probably wouldn’t use it again. Later that day I received an email from another customer service agent named Tina. The email said that there were irregularities with what I said, and that my account would be deactivated, and there would be no refund issued. She also said that if I wanted to appeal the deactivation that I would have to provide proof of my claim. I honestly do not know how I am supposed to provide proof for something that smells like cigarette. I then wrote back an email telling her just that. This morning I received a final for the deactivation of my account, and they said that it would remain deactivated. I have dealt with issues due to delivery a couple of times before on different apps, and the customer service for Instacart was by far the worst I have ever experienced in my life. They have absolutely no accountability. It is no surprise they have had lawsuits before. Don’t even waste your time. Doordash and Uber eats offer the same thing and sometimes the store has its own delivery service..LoquéVersion: 7.185.0

Unhappy CustomerI’ve used this app over 10 times and the last time i refused to use it again. The service has always been great, loved all the shoppers. The last time they showed me the prices of the individual items and i was okay with it, they also showed me the delivery charge, the tax, the tip, and the service charge. Everything added up and i was fine with it. Everything i put in my cart was picked up by the shopper, there were no replacements or refunds or item changes. When the order was done the item prices magically went up so my purchase was $10+ over what i was expecting. Its never done that before and i didnt order anything special. I tried to email them and asked them why the prices mysteriously went up and they said it was service charge and i tried to tell them the service charge was already added in when i agreed on the prices. Email after email was the same reply, it was a service charge. They already add some service charges into the price if the item, thats why they’re higher online than in store then they add another service charge at the end. Which again i was fine with paying but then they charged me extra when they shouldn’t have and all i was getting was robot responses saying it was a service charge. I understand there might be some higher prices in the store but that doesn’t make every item price go up $1-$2 after you agreed to pay the price they told you..Sharpie9815Version: 6.32.0

Almost perfectThis is such a great concept. I love that it gives you all the nearby supermarkets that work with Instacart so it’s easy to compare prices. I will not give it 5 starts due to 2 things. 1. Once you’ve placed your order, you have a few minutes to add any items you forgot, as long as you do it before the person begins shopping, the problem is, there is some kind of glitch with the app because 8/10 times it will not let me add anything; I’ve only successfully been able to do it maybe once, but most times, it just wont give me the option, even if the person hasn’t started shopping. 2. There is an extra $20 that is added to your overall total in case there needs to be a replacement for a more expensive item or in case you add something else in general, if none of your items were substituted or if you didnt add any items, your bank account will reflect the actual total that was given to you at checkout. My only pet peeve about this is, they tell you about the extra $20 in super tiny letters at the very bottom of the page, it just looks like general policy writing so imagine the surprise when you sign into your bank account and see an extra $20 dollars than the one you saw at checkout. I didnt catch this at all at first so be aware, whatever your balance is, add $20; but dont let this scare you, you will most likely not need those $20 so it will be back in your bank within a few days.Janny931104Version: 6.20.0

Like Instacart services - but not the disconnect from IOSMy little town has recently been added as an Instacart delivery destination. For this, I’m immensely grateful. I’ve found the app easy to use, costs reasonable and shopping/delivery services wonderful. However, I am using Apple to sign in - which causes a lot of glitches (e.g. I can’t access any support or assistance without using Google, Facebook or my personal phone number). I am no longer willing to share these directly with any vendor, nor with Instacart. Related to this, though I’m totally open to signing up for a year of Instacart membership, I’m not willing to do this unless I can manage this subscription from within IOS subscription services. I no longer grant *anyone* the ability to charge my credit cards on a recurring basis. If I can’t manage it within IOS settings, I won’t sign up. It’s very unclear how Instacart plans to let me access and control my membership, so I signed up for a trial to find out. Since I see nothing related to Instacart in my IOS subscriptions, I have to assume the expectation is that they’ll plan to hit my credit card or method of payment when I order a delivery (ApplePay). I wish this were otherwise, as I do love Instacart as an important and much-needed service in my life..WhereverigogoVersion: 7.119.1

Terrible customer service. First experience FAIL!I had a TERRIBLE time dealing with instacart. My very first order said within 5 hours and my person picked it up within two, I was very pleased! But then he started swapping after I said not to or even when I requested specific things he didn’t even listen! Once check out was complete at around 2ish I DIDNT HEAR FROM MY PERSON FOR AN HOUR! I had icecream and milk. Once I messaged him about 50 minutes later, no response. Just finally got the notification for that he was on the way. So my driver had my milk and icecream out for over an hour! Of course it was completely melted. My milk was warm and I had some wrong items! The driver didn’t listen to put at the bottom step so all my eggs cracked! I’ve tried reaching out to customer service for over 3 weeks now. I sent them screenshots of mine and the persons conversation. Explained everything I could. NO RESPONSE! It’s now almost been a month and I have no response. No refund. Nothing. I email them about once every 5-7 days but still nothing besides an automated email saying they’re busy! I tried instacart because I was sick and have no transportation. I am so scared to even try it again. After this I don’t want to waste my money in melted, wrong, and cracked items!.Liladuck99Version: 7.25.1

Needs more environment awarenessI like the shopping convenience - no objection there. There’s the occasional wrong item being bought (just due to overloooking) which is understandable. What I am most upset about and have almost stopped using the app due to this is the massive plastic wrapping that most shoppers do. They do it out of good intentions I understand - sadly a lot of people like their produce wrapped in plastic. But there are a lot of us who try to reduce their blood plastic footprint. And big shopping “revolutions” like Instacart should absolutely always encourage using less plastic during shopping. I would really really like to see a default checkbox for “no plastic wrapping” or at the very least “reduced plastic wrapping”. I already only order from stores that only have paper bags, however they still have plastic in their produce section and sometimes shoppers use it excessively. My biggest jaw-drop moment was when I received a single mango wrapped in plastic (why, just why), and cabbage (which came by default wrapped in Saran wrap) which was wrapped AND tied in 2 plastic bags. Based on this I have limited myself to only order things that come in a container like milk, flour, eggs, etc. I’ve stopped ordering produce of any kind because I’m tired of dealing with tons of plastic bags that are honestly completely unnecessary for most cases. Even if they aren’t I have so many at home that I can always use my own for longer produce storage..Keic fbeuwondbekVersion: 7.50.0

Poor Customer Service and Performance RecentlyI used Instacart frequently during COVID. I consider this a luxury service. The past few months, I have been in situations without a car and I have decided to use this service again (now, however, I do not pay for the membership and therefore I wonder if this is why I’m seeing such a drop in quality) and I have been a palled at the poor quality. I have had two experiences where my order was canceled because the shopper was unable to complete the order at the grocery store due to poor connection. Then I had a situation where my shopper was not who they said they were, and they were obviously new to Instacart, and could not perform substitutions when an item was out and then my order was delayed significantly and I ended up needing to cancel. I am now on my third try it this with a Costco order and I chose to do a delay delivery because I was not in a rush and I just received a text saying that it’s going to be delayed two hours and they apologize for the inconvenience. I am just really wondering what is going on with this service and so disappointed that I don’t want to use it and I think after this third poor experience, I am going to delete it and never use it again..PTSKIERVersion: 7.194.0

Needs Ability to REMOVE Loyalty CardsI'm editing my previous review. I finally got my account working by calling into phone support again. I still can't REMOVE my old Sam's Club membership loyalty card that's canceled. Please add an option to REMOVE loyalty cards in the app. I’m having multiple issues with my Instacart account. 1. I’ve tried multiple attempts to reset my password, all have failed. 2. I can’t perform the account verification with a credit card since I didn’t have a method of payment on file, only had it set to Apple Pay before my account screwed up. 3. I have a leftover Sam’s Club loyalty card that will need to be removed from my account that I couldn’t remove before my account screwed up. I tried chat support. They never connected me to a rep, just the survey. I tried phone support, the call dropped while speaking with the rep. He never called back. I tried email support, they kept sending me pre canned messages instead of READING what I was asking them to do and trying to actually resolve my issues. As dumb as Siri and Alexa can be at times, Instacart’s support team is more incompetent. They might as well fire them all since a computer can perform better support than they can. I’m done with trying to resolve my issues. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY! I can drive to the store and get what I need faster than I can even try to login to their app..Nathan ParkerVersion: 7.173.0

Customers are not valued and they don’t process credits for days!I have used Instacart on and off since 2019. However since Covid I got use to using it for most all my shopping needs. Most recently they have become greedy with tiers of fees depending on how fast you want your order. The fees are not small but I guess vary depending on how much you spend. I continued using them with the fees until it came to returning an item. I obtained the appropriate information from Instacart was told it would go back on my account in 24 to 48 hours since it was a debit. After 3 days no money in my account I chat with an agent who tells me they will credit my account only to tell me they can’t and someone will contact me… no one did. The next day I reached out to Instacart only to get the same runaround but they will help credit to my account or bank. Then they come back to tell me they can’t but with push back they come back with a form for me to fill out for a credit. I end the chat and call because I had already provided the return receipt and they still were not issuing a credit. They also wanted me to fill out a form for my money when I should have it already without delay. Speaking to another person who eventually turned me over to a supervisor informed me the credit was not processed on their end! Instacart had not processed the credit… you are hearing me correctly they were the hold up! Finally after another hour I got the credit with a token 20$ thank you which is nothing compared to the hassle, them holding up my funds and the amount I spend yearly! I will never do business with Instacart again when there are services that treat you much better when it comes to your time and money!.VVIraavVersion: 8.57.0

InstaCart ServiceI must say that overall I really enjoy the convenience of having an app that shops and delivers. I believe that Aldi has so far been the very best vendor. I have used Kroger. Meijer I don’t think I will use again because of their lack of following instructions. Barb A from there did not follow instructions. It seemed that she was afraid.I use this app because of the convenience to me. I use this app to shop for my elderly sister and her hubby. Neither drive a car. I asked for her to put the items inside of the apartment down the 6 or 7 steps down into their place. The couple is old and don’t do stairs well. The apartment that my sister lives in is not dangerous. My sister and her hubby are ages 71 and 75. If you cannot execute your job fully then you should choose another place to work. The whole point of using a service like this is for the convenience of it. If my sister or her hubby had fallen down the stairs from her ...(Barb A. )negligence I would be communicating differently to you. Fear cannot be the focus of performing your job thoroughly. I am upset about this. Jamone ended up shopping AGAIN and delivering the items without incidence. My sister said he brought the items INTO THE KITCHEN!!! Wow. What awesome service!! Erica Cade Member since 2017.1Rich Girl$Version: 7.9.0

AwfulNo items, three day wait, couldn’t figure out how to use the intercom in my building. Had to go down and get groceries. Defeats the purpose..MeloncollinsVersion: 7.19.0

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Instacart: Groceries & Food Negative Reviews

Ubereats ruins this appThis is probably the worse collaboration. I have no issue with instacart, whenever there is an issue it gets resolved quick meanwhile if your order food and it somehow gets delivered to a different location and you contact support it’ll take you with ubereats and they are the worse. I placed an order that I never received which I immediately made a complaint but I was unable to receive a refund due to lack of information even tho there’s a clear photo of where the food was dropped off plus I have cameras on my property and not once did someone go to deliver. Told I would be contacted within 7-10 days regarding the issue plus a refund but I never did get either or. I once again tried contacting support about it which they responding with “ I'm sorry to hear that your order from Sunny & Fine's Breakfast Burritos was delivered to the wrong location. I understand how frustrating this must be, especially since you reached out to us immediately after the issue occurred. We're sorry to hear there was an issue with your order. Unfortunately, because you contacted us more than 48 hours after placing your order, it cannot be adjusted. “ like seriously… not even after I sent proof of where it had been delivered plus the emails i received from Uber eats to continue the issue which led for it to say it no longer can receive emails?? It’s all just a scam. I waited days when I was told they would reach out and all for them to say they cannot help..PobrelobaVersion: 8.80.0

Pay Attention!!!!!!!When placing your order, you are given a total with everything, including tip. In the grey fine print you are giving the total that will be held. I understand the prices are higher because I’m using the service. No problem. However, I expect the final amount that clears to be close to the amount I agree to when I place the order. The total amount shown on Instacart with tax, tip etc was $165. Amount in fine print said $191 would be held and adjusted after delivery. However, $210 was held and final was $200. I called. I was told by the rep and the manager that it was because the store prices were higher than what is shown through Instacart. Therefore, I would not be issued a credit. I went to the store app and placed the order directly through them and the total with tip was $140. So, what they said is untrue. I decided to keep digging. Every one of my orders is between $20-$40 over what I agree to when I place the order. I have read the fine grey print. Customer service was unable to explain why my actual final charge was $35 more than it said in the fine print. I noticed on other orders that I was charged $8.99 for several items that were only $3.99 at the store. Additionally, I was paying $9.99 monthly to not have a delivery fee, only to still be charged $6.25 service fee. I have wasted hundreds of dollars by not paying attention. Instacart lack integrity and accountability. Learn from me to not use them or pay very close attention to every single charge..Kmb0228Version: 8.16.2

Only use if you absolutely have to otherwise try doordashI only use this app because I don’t have a car and sometimes i need things that I can’t myself the day of. EVERY SINGLE TIME there is an issue with my order ie. shopper never comes, poor replacements/substitutes that are not equivalent substitutes, order comes with everything but the item I need and is just the extras. The app should have the option for customers to purchase items directly from the store first to mitigate any wasted time and money purchasing items only to find out they’re out of stock at that particular store, and shoppers should be educated on what proper substitutes are/items should not be substituted if there are no substitutes given. I purchased a hair color remover for semi permanent hair color and woke up to find *permanent hair color remover on my porch which I cannot use. So now I’m out $25 and have to go out of my way to make a return at a store I don’t frequent. This app is only useful for grocery shopping every other non grocery item I have purchased has been a terrible experience of back and forth between out of stock items and wrong substitutes which is a waste of time and money when you need something fast. Additionally they like to take on $5+ to your order without telling you, and you’ll only notice if you check your bank statements how much they are really charging you. Doordash is at least better with customer service.Leenata005Version: 7.203.1

(My poor Instacarter)I have use the app multiple times and had had many many many reasons to delete it and reasons to never put my information on this app ever again I advise is because the prices are over shot and the service is out of hand. I had tried to order a big order and my Instacart person had took in my order, natile Milan they had still charge me for it, then I charge me extra for weather conditions, extra Fee for service charge, tell a year after I have yet to hear from the incident, Support did not support anything, and work that one of the stores they had delivered from they had said my order was purchased and I will not be able to get any refund from them either, I had also purchased a $300 gift card as a present and a gift it had never been received, They told me to order it again I felt insulted, I use all my information and my Insta Carter contacted me for any notice from Support, and I had to change my number three times because of it. These were just some of my 50 orders that I have please using this app and forgiving the times that are it has wronged me but it still happens and I’ve learned to just not use the app no more. I had also had many encounters with discriminatory situations dealing with random Instacart people coming to my place of business and really acting in a way that I cannot even describe many on drugs or many just really in responsible. Lost customers because of a permanently. Never having them in my location again.Corporate thoughVersion: 7.115.0

Never againI don’t understand how when you go to a grocery store the night before and they have various items that you need but you don’t have time to grab them because you’re a sick kid in the car so you decide to call Instacart. But then they cannot find any Ramen noodles in the whole store even though there is a whole aisle dedicated to that. Every time I order from Instacart I think it’s going to be different. The shoppers don’t even try and then when you say I’m gonna chip you $10 because my order was $50 they get mad when you change it to two dollars because there’s literally only actually two items that they shopped for in a bag on my step. If they actually did their job and shopped for the stuff that you want and then I would not have a problem in the world and I understand things become unavailable. So before I wrote this review I called giant and ask them about said items and they wait and walked in the aisle and said yes we actually have about 50 units of the one item had about 30 units of another item and quite a few other items they actually did have in stock but they didn’t bother to actually shop for them. And then the worst part is is when you try the trial free delivery and then you cancel it a day before the end of the trial period. But then two weeks later you look on your bank account and they charged $100 for an Insta cart membership I think we should definitely boycott Instacart people have no work ethic anymore!!!!!!.PissedoffffladyVersion: 7.114.2

I liked this app until…**I’d first like to note that this is my second review - the first was deleted by the company within 2 minutes of posting.** I joined Instacart+ yesterday after realizing it would be the most convenient way for me to get groceries in this area. I had used it 2 days ago and also yesterday and yesterday a banner popped up on my app offering me $30 off two $50+ orders. I clicked the banner and it immediately disappeared, but a confirmation came up showing it had been applied to my account. No expiration was showing at this time. My order yesterday arrived late, but besides that, no other issues. I checked my account today and the promotion was not applied. I messaged support asking what happened and they told me that they could not reapply the promotion to my account because it expired June 4 at midnight. It was applied to my account on June 3 at 8:53pm. The service rep told me I only had 3 hrs and 7 minutes to use it. This is really crappy. I would rather you had not offered me a discount at all then dangle it in front of me, not post an expiration, and then remove it from my account. This is a great example of a company wanting to make customers feel like they value them, but making the terms so unclear and misleading so that they can avoid actually paying out on the order. This makes me want to cancel my membership when this month is up (if I cancel sooner I paid $9.99 for nothing because they take it away right away!), and never use this service again. Do better..Ann14662Version: 7.176.1

The worst customer service ever!I made an order from Walmart and the delivery option it showed to me was the next morning. Next morning I received an update that my order will be arriving till 2:30. Later I received a message with apology and updated time was 4:30. Later I saw my time changed to 5:30, I wrote in a chat to a representative, few times he assured me that I’ll be receiving my delivery before 5:30. 30 minutes after the time changed to 6pm. Then to 6:30. I started a new chat asking what’s happening. Because if I knew it would take the whole day, I would be never ordering that. The other one assured me that till 7pm (!) I’ll be receiving it. During the chat the time already has changed to 7:45, while he was telling me about 7:15. I asked for them to make sure and to check when the shopper will be assigned to my order, they were repeating the same sentences telling we are apologizing and giving me $5 credit, when I already saw that the delivery time changed to 9pm I asked the supervisor to call me back, I was assured that there will be a supervisor calling me in 30 min. Should I say that no one called? I spent hours on all those conversations and they were giving me $10 credit for future purchases??? Why should I do future purchases if I can’t receive this purchase? At the end I just had to cancel the order and go to buy all I needed by myself. Will never use this service again and also will not be suggesting to anyone to use it!.Marina.newyorkcityVersion: 7.105.1

Instafrustration/hit or missMy experiences are that initially using this for groceries, it can take hour+ to organize a full cart, and still if your shopper isn’t very good at communicating, you’ll end up highly disappointed. I just signed up for delivery and available times Changes from 1-2 hours to 2-3 hours, but it said 5-:6p and it was only 12pm. Don’t sent expectations and you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you don’t have to call customer service and speak to someone in the phillipines who could honestly care less how satisfied you are. If this was like last time, when they lured me in with a “coupon” only to change it/bait and switch and then I notice the price hikes or lack of loyalty program accommodations, I would never use it again. They promised me after an hour or more and being disconnected four times in a row that I had $20 free for next purchase, which was not there this time, of course..so basically I have to call again and escalate until someone, who still patronizes and leaves you feeling as customer service died and will never return with millennials, actually offers compensation for wasting my day once again by offering good faith their infrastructure just cannot provide. Like I said, no expectations s at you MAY be pleased. Frankly I like cutting coupons and shopping myself for less stress that accompanies this app, but for some it. May be just right. I gave it two stars, because compared to comcast or att, the CS agents seem like saints. Thanks for not much, IC..JrodbellatlVersion: 7.18.0

Poor app record keeping quality of the selected produceFor some reason the Aldi closest to my home does not appear, so I picked up at a not very convenient location. My shopper was super nice throughout the process but I’m disappointed with her produce selection. When I got the bags out of the car one smelled really bad. When I checked I saw that it was due the bag of apples having a rotten apple. One of the sides of the cucumber was sinking inwards. I understand that the cauliflower and bananas were not in the best condition as sometimes that’s the only thing available at Aldi. Nevertheless, I would have appreciated a heads up so I could tell her to remove those items. I don’t understand the condition of the apple and the cucumber. I wish I could upload a pictures. This was my first time using the service which was recommended by a friend. It is a good service to keep in mind for certain situations but not something I’d rely on. My other complaint is that the email from the system doesn’t show more than a few of the items I bought and when selecting the link the other items, they are not available so basically I don’t know how much I ended paying paid for some things (eg. the Parmesan cheese is not the exact one I selected but a very similar one, which is fine). Also I didn’t receive eggs though I remember selecting them. I have no way to double check if this was some type of issue related to the app. I’d expect to be able to see what I initially selected as well as the whole receipt..Elea.esVersion: 7.9.0

Not for prompt deliveries, beware membership chargesI ordered food because I had a dinner party that night and was not going to have time to shop for last minute items. This would be great in theory, saving me valuable time to prep and decorate. I picked everything out that morning and it was all to arrive several hours before the party and was coming from 2 stores with 2 different delivery people. The first delivery went well, aside from the person picking slightly stale bread. They were prompt. The second person, however, was somehow allowed to delay delivery for more than 4 hours. They showed up DURING my dinner. I am grateful I was able to make substitutions and skip some things but the food wasn’t usable for the purpose for which it was ordered and it was awkward to open the door during a party to... groceries. The app didnt allow me to submit feedback or change too for just the order from the second store without affecting the first person who was on time. To rub salt in the wound, I just got an email that i was signed up for a membership that I never signed up for? I am 100% confident I did not opt into a membership but they sent me a $99 charge. Refund has been requested and I’ve removed all of my payment information. I can see how it might be great for those with mobility issues who need help shopping and aren’t depending on promptness (though those people should be careful about the sketchy “membership fees”), but for those who are hoping to save time, this isn’t a reliable service. I’m done with this app for good. ✌️.SarahjaneellenVersion: 7.15.0

So much more expensive-always upcharged per itemThe service fees I mean if those service fees went to shoppers ok give the shoppers entire service fees and plus a smaller tip ok but I’ve been taxed from the store then taxed from Instacart again both based on the total. The items you see are majority upcharged at least $ .99 each item smaller up-charge for cheaper items more for more expensive items unless Instacart specifies “in store prices” then realize your paying more for every single item you purchase through Instacart not to mention I already pay $100 a year for membership why am I being charged and extra $24 on an order (not including tip) i tipped $10 wanted to modify to a $15 total tip (assuming shopper receives at least some of the $24 service fee)ended up charging for a $25 tip like what the heck confusing $50 more than a purchase of $70 which I’m sure isn’t true to in store pricing YOU NEVER GET ANY STORE SALE PRICES EVER EITHER shop directly from the stores website or stores direct app and pay their membership you get way more coupons deals sales discounts like Vons Albertsons stater bros or food4less way cheaper than ordering the same exact order from Instacart try it out you will see btw cvs pay $5 a month or like $48 a year they give you $10 to spend every month either online or in store and the best part yes in store prices sale coupons discounts and 100% legit true free delivery no option to add additional tip tho no extra service fee at all just $5 a month CVS!!.Woohooo lenmeVersion: 8.34.0

Very disappointed, can’t recommendMy boyfriend and I have been using Instacart since the pandemic began. In the beginning, it was really convenient particularly because my boyfriend is permanently disabled and it was hard for me to carry all of our groceries upstairs to our apartment on my own. Unfortunately since then, the cons have begun to outweigh the pros. It’s true that Instacart does their own prices plus a service charge, so the cost adds up. We were spending around $110 a week which is too much for just 2 people imo. In the past, we’ve also had delivery people give us someone else’s order and leave our groceries at the wrong address. The app itself can be very unreliable too. The last time we ordered, the delivery came outside the scheduled delivery window. We received a new delivery time (via the app) that was for an hour later, but ten minutes later the delivery person arrived. We’d barely gotten any notice beforehand, and my boyfriend had to bring in the food because I was unavailable (due to the delivery time change). More disappointingly, our refrigerated and frozen items were room temperature when they arrived. I tried to report this to Instacart, but their app wouldn’t let me report a second issue because I had already reported that an item was missing from the order. The app seems purposely designed to discourage you from contacting support. There are other grocery delivery options and plenty of meal delivery options, so we’ll be exploring those to try and find something more reliable and cost effective. I suggest you do the same..Cindi MayweatherVersion: 7.71.0

Instacart really let my family down…I’ve had Instacart for years now and never had any major issues. I notice service has gotten slower as times goes by. Yesterday I scheduled a dinner pickup for my family while I was at work after discovering that I would be working later than usual. I ordered the simple one item order at 3:20 pm. I paid for express delivery for an extra fee as well as a 20 percent tip on one item… The app says it confirmed my order and someone would deliver our dinner by 6. Cool! Come 5:45 a shopper gets assigned to my order. 6:15 comes and the shopper gets to the store. I tried to cancel the order at this point because it was too late but, Instacarts AI chat bot didn’t let me because the shopper arrived at the store. The shopper then tells me they are out of the one item I wanted. I already put in the order to refund my order back if they were out. Instead… he proceeded to buy a dinner we couldn’t eat because of my child’s food restrictions… I told him to stop the order and I didn’t want the item he was getting. He ignored me and continued shopping. So… I had to PAY $15 to cancel an order that I didn’t order and was hours late… the Instacart Chatbot was no help so I called customer service. A live person was no help either. She danced around the situation. All I wanted was to get my money back from an order I placed hours ago and never got… I still never received follow up help or my refund back. I will not be using Instacart again after this huge let down and experience!.Raypecpanther13Version: 8.83.0

Express Delivery is a Scam, Item Quality SuffersI had a Instacart for two years and saw the quality of my ordered products quickly decline. I was getting produce and dairy products that were rotten or expired despite leaving a note for my shoppers to get better quality products. It honestly didn’t even seem like they were trying. There was more than one occasion where I ordered using express delivery, and my order would be delivered late. The last straw was my final express order where my shopper hadn’t even begun shopping until my delivery time frame was about to be surpassed. When I reached out to customer support to cancel the order, they told me that there would be a $15 cancellation fee, but they would waive it. Though I appreciate them waving my cancellation fee, I find it ridiculous that you would offer a service like express delivery at an extra cost, not actually provide that service, and then tell the customer that they would be charged a cancellation fee otherwise. The customer support representative told me that there was a high demand and multiple orders that my shopper had to complete which is why there was a delay. I understand high demand, but perhaps you should not offer express delivery if that’s going to be the case. You’re essentially tricking your customers into paying extra for something you’re not going to do. Ultimately the poor quality of my items and the false advertising contributed to my decision to cancel my subscription..JemagemaVersion: 7.146.1

Spam notifications and deleted settingsInstacart used to be beautiful. Now they’e started spamming my lockscreen with “new notifications” that aren’t notifications at all, but just spam tricking you into opening the app for no reason. That’s the last straw, Instacart. I’m lucky I have healed enough to do my own shopping, again, pandemic or no pandemic. The app is becoming more and more useless and resulting in more and more problems that I have to correct, every time, without fail. After months of receiving the wrong stuff, I came to discover that all of my instructions had been magically deleted from the app (things like instructing the shopper to not buy rotten vegetables, which they will do if I don’t tell them not to). It took me about an hour to re-enter them all, because I have to enter detailed instructions for every single item, one three-page process for each item, otherwise your shopper will just buy any old crap (I once ordered Hershey‘s cocoa powder for cooking, and they brought me Nestlé Quick instant chocolate drink). I give my shoppers the benefit of the doubt that they either couldn’t or didn’t read my instructions OR my personal messages. One guy bought me the exact thing I specifically told him not to buy! Based on reports and my personal experience, I’m betting it’s the app, and not a sudden crisis in illiteracy. I guess Instacart has become one of those companies that are now too big for beauty. I DELETED THIS APP WHEN IT STARTED SPAMMING ME!!!.UrdgtwdgyrdVersion: 7.43.0

Save yourself Get shipt insteadI have had nothing but bad experiences with this app. You can’t request shoppers and have gotten groceries delivered by smokers that have smoked with my food in the car I’ve watched them stomp out a cigarette as they opened the door. I’ve also gotten hot boxed groceries that even after sitting out in the cold for 15 min have still reeked of weed. As if all this wasn’t bad enough the app gives shoppers permission to just substitute your items without approval. I’ve used this app for the last 6 ish months so I’ve definitely given it a fair shot. Only a few times have I gotten the items I ordered. One shopper openly admitted they didn’t know the difference between organic/ non organic produce and just grabbed. I’ve gotten moldy produce etc it’s been an absolute nightmare. This last straw was my order kept getting pushed back 24+ hrs on a 2 hr delivery. Then the shopper I finally get kept trying to replace my items so I was messaging telling them where they were located in the store. After half my order was found he hurried up and selected all the rest and checked out left the chat so I couldn’t request a change or comment. So if you want the groceries you select especially for food allergies not wanting unapproved replacements I would use a different service like ship t. Giving it a couple stars only because customer service for complaints is ok they will at least refund mess ups but apparently have no plans to help keep them from happening in the future. Grrrrrrr.AlyahseipleVersion: 7.58.0

Horrible Customer TreatmentFirst, scroll down and look at all of the data linked to you and used to track you—that you cannot turn off!!! On to my issue. I have an Instacart annual membership. I’ve used it many times and it’s gone smooth about half the time (shoppers not getting items saying they’re out of stock, get finding them that same day at the exact store; getting conventional instead of organic, etc). Whatever, fine. It saved me time and didn’t cause issues. Until today. I paid extra money for priority delivery, from about 9:50-10:20am. I submit my order, keep checking it, and the delivery time keeps getting pushed back. *The shopper isn’t even at the store yet* (this is important). It’s now almost 10:00am. I had to leave at 11:15, so with a delivery estimate now at 10:55 and the shopper not even at the store, I try to cancel my order because I can’t risk it showing up after I’ve left and just sitting outside. What am I met with?? A FIFTEEN DOLLAR cancellation fee!!! Because “the shopper was already working on my order” (this is a lie). I’m not kidding. So I had to push the delivery way back to 3:00pm-5:00pm (it showed up about 4:40pm, and I start cooking dinner between 3:30-4:00pm). I tried to cancel again about 11:30am because I could just go to the store myself before the new delivery window—which is HOURS away—and I got the same $15 cancellation fee and BS reason. So they hijack your money no matter what the situation is. I cancelled my membership and will never use them again..Rachel Elizabeth 33Version: 9.0.0

Ughhh, time consuming, unsatisfying, tricky, demanding appI was without a car for a couple of days and decided to get this app since it was anyway JUST BLASTING ADS everywhere I looked on a screen. If you’re tired and Don pay attention there are a LOT of hidden fees. Innacurate time estimates. ALSO! The most shocking part was that the person who’s doing your order can change your purchase however they like (for example if they are too lazy to carry 24 bottles they just get less) Or instead of 1 lb of bell peppers they get just one. You can text them while they are shopping and ask them why and how about the change and give them an alternative but they are probably payed so little they will ignore you and eventually they pass check-out and say they didn’t see your message. I ended up paying probably 3 times more for a grocery shopping list that should have been 50$. Got about half of what I ordered. When I wanted to complain to the deliverer when they arrived I realized it was a poorer older lady that I have noticed before in town. She was doing this whole stupid order to get maximum 8$ out of it…that much also because I had to give a mandatory tip of minimum 5$. I would have felt really dumb to unload my frustration on her, she probably wouldn’t even been able to carry those 25 bottles.. A couple of days later this d*mn app took 99$ off of my account and now I’m stuck with a year’s subscription/membership I didn’t realize I signed up for, for an unsatisfying, overpriced yuppie service app. So dumb….RhinoReviewsVersion: 7.197.1

Not worth the troubleScrewed up my order twice. Then substituted with something no where near what I wanted. Worst of all, paid for two (5) multipack of noodles and got two singles. Paid price for 10 but got 2. What a scam..KakmanduVersion: 6.1.1

ScamThey’ll secretly charge you extra fees. I ended up more than double paying for my groceries and almost didn’t notice. Support takes forever to get in contact with. They ended up refusing to give me money. Would not recommend.WhitepurtydirtyVersion: 7.19.0

Scam!Massively inflated base prices and then an extra charge for delivery! Just go to the store’s website to compare how much they’re gouging you. What a joke. We’re not idiots..🏎Version: 6.13.0

Diabolical payment structureThey use customer tips to subsidize their own labour costs. Deliverers don’t get their tips, instead they are used to fulfill the minimum amount per delivery cost. It’s absolutely unethical and I’m not even sure how the upper management was ok with cheating the people who pretty much are the cornerstone of their business model. Very disappointed with these practices..ArunrawlaniVersion: 6.21.0

Terrible for customers and shoppersFor people trying to shop using this app: don’t. The service isn’t great, support isn’t helpful, and while some of the shoppers may be bad, some like me actually cared. But this happened: The first time I tried to shop for someone, the provided credit card didn’t work, so I had to pay for them myself. The support took forever to answer, and was not very helpful. I tried to do the reimbursement process, but the app keeps crashing. I’ve currently submitted a claim and there’s no response for almost a week now. I wouldn’t recommend anyone use this service to make money or get their groceries because they charge so much yet the app is broken (current version) and there’s so many points where things could go wrong. Oh, and your number isn’t even in service, but you list that as an official help line. So yeah, it sucks for everyone. I don’t know how they turn a profit. Uber is a more customer AND contractor friendly business..ThesilentweaselVersion: 7.21.0

TerribleWrong orders. Cancelled orders. Their 24/7 customer support has been unavailable for days. Trash service. Do not use.Morpheus2774Version: 7.21.0

Delivery Is a dreamOrdered my quarantined parents groceries. Delivery scheduled for Sunday 6-7 pm. Shopper arrived at the store at 7:55 pm and didn’t know the store closed at 8! Kicked her out. Said she finish in the morning. Next available time was 3 days later. My parents were in quarantine!!! Called and waited on hold for 3 1/2 hrs only to have the wait time increase. Called again the next morning when csr read from a script and said reschedule which I had - 3 days later. My senior parents were in quarantine and I am 3 hours away- didn’t matter. My issue was escalated a manager last Thursday- today is 11:31pm on Sunday. No call. I finally found a friend to drop food to my parents. Don’t bother. Skip this service. Give your money without the middle man. I can text a list to a stranger with greater confidence..Seniors starveVersion: 7.21.0

DONT USEI used this app to get myself pain reliever and personal items the total was $15 and was charged $35 and when my postal code SUDDENLY CHANGED (yes, I did double check my address before confirming) I waited for more then 4 HOURS to even receive call back from a customer service rep, my money wasn’t refunded completely a scam.1233niaVersion: 7.19.0

Nobody is shipping anything to you.Please just change to other local no touch delivery services as nobody’s gonna take the risk and go to the grocery store for you. Also if your shopper brought another cheaper replacement for you, they are gonna keep the amount of price difference. Nobody could guarantee you get the right item..Rvrv123458Version: 7.21.0

Terrible experienceMy order was cancelled and my credit card was charged..ODrama2011Version: 7.21.0

Terrible serviceOrdered yesterday at noon for delivery at 6-7pm. Nothing showed up and no contact at all. Call volumes 1 hour wait and still no groceries. Yet they charged my credit card. Fuming mad..Kaitlyn35892Version: 7.19.0

Scam absolute scam !!please read!!Continuous amounts of terrible orders that needed refunds. Instead of giving a refund they turn it to credit instead which added up to almost $100 for me when I clearly stated I wanted a refund. Customer service said they’ll change it to a full refund (typical 3-7 days to refund), next day when I checked my refund it was only $45 dollars refunded!!! This app is taking advantage of this pandemic to scam us and our needs of convenience!! Also their available products in the apps sucks now. Like Walmart’s only have plastic spoons and granola bars for breakfast items now?? Can’t even request items and search results are basically zero. Might as well just not get the app and do things yourself. Garbage app.Craving burgersVersion: 7.47.0

GarbageTrash service. Prices are always incorrect and you end up paying more (sometimes much more) per item. Have ordered with them multiple times and have never had a good experience, so I am terminating my account. If something is wrong, don’t count on customer service, either they have bots emailing you back or the people there are just really dumb. Don’t waste your time and money..Ryan TdotVersion: 6.20.1

Not happy. Supposed to get free delivery!Will follow-up..Janusa1Version: 7.48.0

Bad service experienceIt used to be good and convenient but not right now. The selected food are terrible and the shoppers are not as professional as they advertised. Almost any random person can be a shopper. And the price on the app is at least 15% higher than the price in store. And it tends to be higher recently! This is ridiculous! I don’t use it anymore..Bettina_zhang0043Version: 7.32.0

RobbedAfter placing an order with about $250 worth of items off this services website it debited my account for $280 immediately. Within 2 days I was informed that many of my items were not available and gave me the option to cancel. I did cancel the order this was 10 days ago, I have NOT received a refund. The money is GONE! There is no way to contact customer service they have shut line down. A recording tells you install the app which I did and the app is only available to residents in the USA at this time and couldn’t even find my address. 😂 so congrats APOORVA METHA you’ve successfully profited off the back of the corona crisis better than any entrepreneur around. Refund me!.Jules hannaVersion: 7.21.0

Took money out of my accountI was just looking into an app while all the madness is happening tried to use it once it didn’t work and now they’ve taken money out of my account unauthorized....I love how this app has essentially taken advantage of people in a crappy time and hope they will refund the money they took without my knowledge. It’s really not a time to be ripping people off money that is essential to people with little to nothing 😞 have emailed twice no response thank you for taking food out of my family’s mouth by taking money out of my account in a time where families are struggling and losing their jobs real class act company!!!! I’m waiting for you to return my money like any ethical company would 😞.Luss1973Version: 7.21.0

Crooks!!!!! Stay awayMy last order of 100$ + was never delivered. It showed it was but I never received a single item and I have tried to get a hold of customer service through chat email and calling and have had no response for over 72hours. How is this legal they basically stole $100+ dollars from me..Joseph 6994Version: 7.19.0

Waste of time & money!They were a few things missing from groceries that I already paid for I reported it , I thought they were going to give me a refund. However, they put it on my credit in my account for future purchases I ordered more groceries today but there was no credit added on my account. I kept emailing them but they kept emailing me none sense, they didn’t give me any refund or credit they just apologized. Complete waste of time & energy..LOVELYSARAHMVersion: 6.20.1

Items way overpriced!!Using the app is very convenient. It’s great to have so many options to pick replacements, give instructions on produce selection, etc. Having a great shopper means you get exactly the groceries you want, delivered right to your door. I had my groceries within 2 hours of placing my order which was a lifesaver. I would definitely not make a habit of shopping on this app though because the items are extremely over priced! Awesome when needed in a pinch but with the service fees, delivery fees, subscription fee, tip, and grocery price inflation, it is a huge hit to the wallet..KailarcVersion: 7.48.0

Unfair crazy marked up pricesBefore you use this app make sure you understand how much the prices are marked up. They are charging you for the service in some cases for delivery and they are marking up prices insanely on all products. Order online and go pick it up.BeeriyanVersion: 7.46.0

OverchargeI bought $190 in groceries. My card was charged $270. I signed up for the express. Should have gotten $10.00 back as promised. But instead another $11.00 went on my card. $20 for tip, fair and worth paying. But where did the rest go?.DeklanSDVersion: 7.21.0

Charges you without your consentI enrolled in the 14-day Instacart Express trial, and cancelled the trial well before the end of my two week period. But guess what? They still charged me for the annual subscription. Cherry on top is that my account shows very clearly that I am NOT an Instacart Express member since I cancelled the free trial but I’ve still been charged. Absolutely ridiculous..CabbagesqueVersion: 7.19.0

Customer service is poorTook 3 hours to learn that “we’ll fix your account as soon as we can” actually means “maybe up to a couple days.” Obviously haven’t trained properly if they are unaware of the importance of establishing expectations. I’m done with Instacart..RyandrjVersion: 7.18.0

Hidden feesI was planning to switch from Saveon delivery $4.99 each week to Instacart as it advertises only a yearly subscription which was about half the cost of saveon’s delivery fee. However, during the trial, I find out about the driver “tip” which is not allowed at saveon and the “service fees” which added to the subscription mean this will cost more on a weekly basis. Back to save on we go!.Lisapisa824Version: 7.17.0

ScamAdvertised free delivery then added $30 to the bill calling it a “service fee”. Driver couldn’t find the address so cancelled the order after txting me to say it was enroute. Stupid company do not use..NeddledickVersion: 7.31.1

App is okay but horrible customer service if something goes wrongThe app works well for the most part. Unfortunately, there’s no way to cancel an order if the shopper just stops shopping and abandons your order. It’s also hard to get ahold of customer service through the app when issues arise. The way to get to the chat with your shopper is harder than it should be and whenever you open a new ‘window’ in the app, they just stack up and you have to delete a lot of them in order to get back to the main page. Would not recommend unless you’re desperate and have lots of time to deal with getting jerked around by inept customer service agents..KarmineVersion: 7.19.0

Terrible costumer supportSlow reposes and unproductive.Xuanbai ZhuVersion: 7.31.1

Canadian passport not a valid IDTheir policy doesn’t consider passport to be a valid ID. I checked the laws to verify that this is indeed a totally made up policy. Tried to speak to customer service and my shopper was threatened to have his account blocked. Seriously terrible on both fronts..NiskanderVersion: 7.47.0

Free Delivery isn’t what it’s chalked up to beLooked at using the app but quickly noticed that products were marked up 7 to 15 percent from what they are in store. Basically delivery is baked in the prices..BakedinPricingVersion: 6.20.0

ScamSupposed to charge me 27 charged me 50 instead.Momasri200018Version: 7.18.0

Gone way down hillUsed to be a great app. Now shoppers are always late while doing “multiple orders”. Just terrible.NajjznsvegfjVersion: 8.35.0

GarbageI renewed my membership during checkout thinking it would be for the same monthly plan I was on before (my monthly plan expired 2 days ago). To my surprise I was renewed on the annual plan! The small popup during checkout didn’t make that clear at all. Very shady behaviour IMHO 🤮.MrMoerbyVersion: 8.35.0

Instacart is not worth the troubleThe app is not fast and has frequent crashes. I have had multiple orders that were wrong, missing grocery items and replacement items that were 2 times the amount of the original item price and not what I wanted. The shoppers do not even check if the replacement is what I wanted in the chat. And unless you can check your phone for 2 to 3 hours for order updates while they are shopping you are stuck paying for poor replacements and bad items. I contacted customer service but they did not help me with anything, just wasted my time and money..Frustratedconsumer33Version: 8.35.0

Hidden fees.I got the receipt from the store total $162.78 and the item subtotal on my 25 item order was $189.90... that’s a difference of $27.12 that’s more then $1.00 per item mark up... THEN I STILL TIPPED(5%=$9.50)delivery fee$3.99 AND HAD THE SERVICE FEE $9.50 AND then the taxes $1.32 and some SERVICE GST $.68 BRINGING MY TOTAL TO $214.89 on an order that was a total of $162.78 so I don’t mind the tip and the charge for usage I’m MAD about the hidden fees of $27.12 INSANE!.KelijulienVersion: 7.57.0

NOT FOR CANADIANSI don’t know why apple let you put the app in the Canadian App Store if you don’t deliver to Canada..MadamshyloVersion: 7.47.0

Very bad serviceA lot of my ‘fresh’ produce was soft or rotten. Terrible. Never again trust them..51lindylouVersion: 7.47.0

SCAM I CAN PROOF IT!!!First of all, all product prices are doubled. On top of that they change you extra unknown fees. They will charge your account without your authorization which they don’t take responsibility for and won’t refund. This platform need to be shut down immediately. Leave one star and provide your feedback warning others. Together we can bring this platform down!!.Calm like riverVersion: 7.102.1

Hidden costs, bewareInstacart does not tell you this up front but many of the retailers set the prices higher on the app than they do in store. When I got my order delivered today from Loblaws, the paper receipt was included when usually it is not. My grocery bill on the app was $40 extra than on the paper receipt. Very confused, I messaged customer service to ask what the discrepancy was and was told to review the pricing policy of Loblaws. I found out that the prices listed on the app are far more than in store. Beware! If I had known this, I would not have been using this service. I have lost hundreds of dollars over the past few months this way..AngryBeacherVersion: 7.61.0

Absolute garbageAfter trying 2 times to order groceries for delivery using my own and my husbands email both transactions were cancelled immediately and locked out of our profiles. Don’t waste your time with this. After spending the time to add all my items to my cart twice and then having it fail, it’s not a one off. The app and online Instacart are both garbage. Huge inconvenience. It also says it’s only 3.99 for delivery but when you actually go through all the steps there’s an additional ‘service fee’ of $6 and then tip for the driver on top of that. All and all waste of time..Namsnik8Version: 7.17.0

NOT WORTH ITUgh where to start... first of all, hidden fees. You think you are paying $3.99 for the service and it ends up coming out closer to $25 between service, delivery and tip. Once the shopper got to the store, I started noticing a bunch of items being “refunded” (things like avocado, green onion, etc; all basic items) which pretty much defeated the point of the service since I just needed to go grocery shopping myself for the missing items. SAVE YOUR MONEY, HEADACHE AND TIME!! Don’t use!!.BinkyghgfrrVersion: 6.21.0

Confusing layoutThis app is very confusing, wAs charged 92$ for asparagus.Nadia Ghafoor HassanVersion: 6.21.0

Not worth it!Over half my items were “substituted “, bananas were black - not impressed - will NOT be ordering again.Mira6811Version: 6.20.1

TOTAL SCAM DON’T DO IT!My order summed up 150.33 CAD on the app. The receipt from Super Store says 127.96 CAD. Meaning, your app asked for extra 22.37 CAD. I called you on Sunday to explain the situation and the answer was, "give us at least 24 hours". Just received an email saying the subtotal is the one on the app, and the receipt is not valid. That's not everything: Half of the products I ordered were not available and the delivery arrived 5 hours later. IT’S A SCAM!.Isolda89Version: 6.20.1

Not worth the troubleTried for several HOURS to get my order to work. Company doesn’t accept Canadian payment methods. IT support is useless and told me to google the answers. Couldn’t get my order placed. I’ll never use this app or service and will tell everyone I know to avoid it. Awful experience..DeeJay MacVersion: 6.20.1

The worst customer service.I made an order a week ago and was charged twice. Whatever, it happens. Sent an email letting them know, they said yeah no problem we'll fix it asap, just send a screenshot of your banking app. So I did. And then I heard nothing else. So I sent another email. Then another. Then I called and they said to send the screenshot one more time. Then I heard nothing. So I called again only to be told "I know YOU think you've been charged twice but there's nothing on our end". She asked me send a screenshot AGAIN. Once again I didn't get a response. I've sent one last email with ANOTHER SCREENSHOT ATTACHED and still nothing. Absolute trash..BuhleahtoVersion: 6.20.0

Awful serviceComplete waste of money and time. They use the closest store to your home so you end up getting groceries from the mini Loblaws that has basically no produce, no butcher, etc. I’d rather use click and collect and pay $3 and go to the super sized Loblaws. Rather than $14 delivery to get half of what I ordered..Brian007007007007Version: 6.19.2

Poorly responsive customer serviceWe were charged 100 dollars for the subscription service without explicitly being informed of this in our initial order. I attempted to call weekly for nearly two months before we could get through to the call centre, only to be informed that the membership fee could only be refunded on a prorated basis. The service itself was reasonably easy to use and the actual reps were pleasant and professional when we could reach them, however it would be nice if the buyers were paid a reasonable wage. Overall the membership fee signup seems like a blatant ripoff and appears as if they are hoping customers won’t be bothered to call in and deal with multiple excruciating wait times. There are many national and local alternatives to this service, and I would recommend that this company firmly revisit their business practices if they hope to maintain a loyal following..$odaliciou$Version: 6.19.0

Don’t deliver and take your groceriesTerrible experience, never trusting this app again, the dude that shopped for me stole my items, never delivered and I’ve been trying to call through customer service for 8 hours now with 16 attempts. Such a rip off and waste of time.ReadingismyfavouriteVersion: 7.21.0

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