Instacart
Reviews and Complaints

After 3 yrs as an Instacart customer, they cancelled an order, for no reason, & required a 'scan' of my AMEX credit card, which has been used for this account since opening.

I contacted American Express to verify the status of my account. AMEX reported that Instacart had charged the account for the cancelled order that was cancelled.

We will not be providing 'scan' of our credit card - In fact, American Express recommended against doing so. Further, our computer would have no way to 'scan'. We have no idea whether this was a potential 'phishing' or scam. Hence, we called Instacart, spoke to an indvidual we could 'barely understand', and she simpily stated the account was 'Locked, but had no reason. Upon further investigation, we discovered not less than 3 separate email address for Instacart's "Security" division, further indicating it's a phishing scam.

A “dispute” is filed with American Express reversing charges. All of this was done by Instacart with no explanation on an account established 3+ years ago, and regularly used without incident.

Last night, I tried using Instacart.ca for the first time. I put some items in the cart and then started inputting my personal information for account set up. As soon as I pressed submitted, the account was logged. Afterwards, I received emails with buttons for verifying my email, etc. The buttons led to nothing that could let me verify. Meanwhile, my account, which now contained my phone number, credit card information and other personal details, remained locked. I emailed Instacart Support, and requested that I regain access to my account so that I could delete my personal information. At that point, I only wish to cancel the account. The Support desk had the nerve to ask me to upload my ID and credit card as proof of identity before I could access the account that I never even got to use.

After repeatedly insisting that I wanted to close my account and deleted my personal information, I got a reply claiming that my account has been deleted. To verify their claim, I went to the Instacart website and used my email address and the password that I initially used to set up the account to try logging in. It still said that my account has been locked. This means that the account has not been deleted and that my email address remains in their system as a blocked email address.

I am extremely infuriated by the way this company handles customer information and the dishonesty in claiming that my account is deleted when it actually is still active (and locked).

I placed an order from Walgreens in Kissimmee Florida. The order included bandages for a family member that is bed ridden. The family member has an open wound where the bandage needs to be changed twice a day.

I placed the order, the money was deducted from my debit card immediately.

Then suddenly, the order was cancelled. the account was locked.

I called customer service an explained how urgently I needed the bandages.

Some one by the name of Sine answered, She was very rude. I asked for a supervisor and she placed me on hold, then disconnected the phone.

I called again, got a different rep that told me that some one would give me a call. THEY NEVER CALLED!

The money was not refunded to my debit card. now I have to file a complaint with the bank in order to get a refund,

I have been a customer of Instacart for several years and this was the worst experience ever! I will stop using the service!

I am the property manager for an apartment complex. A tenant placed a grocery order via Instacart. This tenant lives in one of our duplexes. Tenants park in the parking lot and walk up the sidewalk to their respective duplex.

On March 17, 2022 at approximately 1:53 p.m., an Instacart driver backed their vehicle up the sidewalk to the tenant's duplex and unloaded the groceries. The driver then drove back down the sidewalk to the parking lot and left the apartment complex.

This driver damaged the apartment complex's property. Neither the tenant or the apartment complex are liable for the damages.

Thank You.

I found my account locked when I attempted to do some shopping and had no means to unlock it. I contacted instacart customer service for assistance and found; they could not help, stating they would pass my issue on to the security team. They also assured me someone would reach out within twenty-four hours, no one has, and it's been over forty-eight.

My wife placed an order through Instacart only to find out sometime later that the order was canceled by them because they want to maintain my account security and directing me over to a website which wants to scan the credit card I have been already using for over the past 2 years with them. I have no camera on my PC for good reason and I use a flip phone but they still insist I submit to the scan. I don't trust em, I have over an 800 credit score and I'm secure enough not to have been hacked.

Very inconvenient, very short sighted and now with one less custmer... fk em!

I hate the way you send coupons I got one sent clicked directed me to shopping page clicked deals no thing showed . I didn’t countine shopping. Because seems like everytime I do. It never takes it off then you want a screen shot that’s gone after I clicked. I was sent a coupon a week ago called and asked was it in the system no nothing on your account it show in deals. I asked twice and just asked now . I go to check out I did have $20 you need a better system once you click coupons gone.and then you guys don’t know how to check. Maybe send it through email so I have proof. I waited a week for a coupon that was there the whole time.

My account was wrongfully deactivated in 2021. Instacart will not provide a valid reason as to why my account can’t be reversed. No one is will to look into this issue.

I have emailed every day from Dec 2021-March 2022, with no help or clarification.

Instacart offers a referral bonus to every member who successfully refers another person to sign up with their service. I successfully referred 21 persons through the Instacart referral bonus system, who became a member of Instacart.

I received the referral bonus in my account, but my account was locked by some vague words of Instacart Terms of Service violation when I had tried to place an order with Instacart coupon from my email.

I'm been locked out of my account with $210 worth of bonus balance retained there. I can't access my account anymore.

I hope Instacart respects every member’s efforts.

I’m a shopper and with the new update I’m not seeing batches like others and it’s due to the fact that the zones are in my app still. The update is designed to automatically pull up zone you’re in . I know this to be tru because I don’t have Overland Park ks in my app and I went there and it pulls up and I see batches then when I leave it goes away. I sit for hours not seeing a thing in my area of choice and that’s because my app has the zone’s in it unlike others who are getting orders.

I looked on line before I decided to use your app. The store is Dave's Mercado on ridge road

Cleveland Ohio.

I was on line for almost 2 hours selecting what I wanted. When I went to check out your app said Dave's is not one of your stores yet it's on your app. I'm 68 and your irritating

03/02/2022 11:00 am I ordered several items from publix through your service 2 items were missing from my order I ordered 1 lb. Of publix havarti cheese and 1/2lb. Of publix cooked ham these were the items that were missing from the order. I called your customer support line and was told that the items were out of stock. I called publix and was told that the cooked ham was out of stock but that they had cooked ham low sodium, and that the havarti cheese was not out of stock. Your customer service rep. Simply told me you would refund my money back to the card that was charged. My problem here is I use your service as a convenience and now I will have to order those items that were missing again but not through instacart. In fact I am canceling any involvement with instacart going forward. I will use uber or some other service that handles complaints in a more customer-friendly. If items are out of stock you should contact the customer and offer substitutions this did not occur.

My account as a driver was deactivated due to identity issues. I sent several emails with proof of identity and they denied my claim. I sent photos, I sent ID cards, a credit card with my picture, and my social security card… as well as my insurance card and registration. I’m so upset and offended. I offended an explanation of my weight gain and they refuse to accept my proof and basically say that I’m not who I say I am. I’ve been told that with the information sentbmy account would be reactivated but then I received an email stating that they stand by their decision, that I’m not in fact myself. It honestly feels like discrimination and I will figure out a way to make this right, what they did and how they handled it was really wrong.

Put an order in on 2/23 around two pm...have a code from IC, 648460., never received the order, been 24 hours. Not charged

on my credit card. I am 96 years old and has to depend on grocery delivery.

On my last grocery order Instacart canceled because their delivery person could not find my apartment building (they have delivered to me for over 2 years). I reordered the exact same things and I was told they would not double charge my account which they did! I called and talked to a service representative who told me the money would be refunded in 5 to 7 days. I told her I could not pay my rent with that money outstanding. She apologized and said there is nothing she could do. I asked her if Instacart would like to pay my late charge for my rent. She of course had no answer. I did a written complaint on line and got back an automated answer that had nothing to do with the problem. It should be illegal for them to hold my money! They got the money instantly when they debited my account and should give it back instantly if there is a problem that they caused. If there was another delivery service I would change to it immediately. I have had the yearly membership at Instacart for over 2 years and have had many problems but since they are the only game in town I'm at their mercy! I could give many examples but you don't have enough room!

February 8 2022.

My bill does not natch what I was charged. I did not have all the fees in front of me to be able to add up the new total, 3 items were supposedly refunded. but there was no way the total was what I was charged once out of stock times were taken off. The total on my receipt in the bag was 95.14. I had two charges of 115.00 and 3.85. My fees before any items were refunded were 14.01. I added an item but the charge is still too high.

I have sent them 4 emails. I have talked to them once and had a pat the higher total is for fees. It does not add up. I was given money off for a watermelon that may or may not show up on my credit card.

This order was also late

I’ve been an instacart shopper for three years. This pasted week they hired quite a few new shoppers that have no idea what they are doing. I love my job and I love my customers. Instacart took all our batches away and are now giving priority batches to the new shoppers. I’m lucky if I see 3 batches a day when I used to see a lot all day. This is my only income. I have been a loyal shopper and now I feel so disrespected. I don’t understand why the new shoppers would get all of the good batches while the older shoppers see very few. I wish instacart would treat their employees better because I’m getting fed up and I’m about to find another job.

I will assume now that Instacart is not a company that I would want to work for considering what they have put me though the last month to get hired. Instacart has told me that the background company Sterling attempted to get more information from me, but had reached their maximum attempts so I would no longer be considered for employment. I have spoken to Sterling twice and they said I just needed to make sure I didn't have a typo on my application.  I attempted through the Instacart chat support (the only way to get help with instacart) and failed to get any assistance!  I asked on three separate occasions if I could please view my application to make sure I didn't have any typo's . The first time the chat support person told me my application  was viewable in the app... this was not true.  The second time I was told my issue would be escalated and I would get a response from a higher up department at instacart... that was not the case my application was just sent to Sterling yet again!  That is why it reached your maximum number of attempts, because your employee support chat group just kept sending the application through.  Sterling did contact me via email and I spoke to them immediately after. They stated that Instacart needed to let me check my application for a typo, and that I should reach out to them. Sterling also said they would reach out to Instacart.  Of course as of yesterday Sterling told me Instacart had not replied.  The second background check company Instacart uses called Chequer was used for a job I got the week I couldn't get a response from instacart. This shows incredibly poor employment practices on Instacart.   I will be contacting the better business bureau and the Washington State attorney general as Instacart is not practicing  fair and equitable employment practices. I will also be contacting the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and filing a report with them, and sharing my experience of being treated unfairly. I am also contacting the Washington State Human Rights commission as they enforce the Washington State Law against Discrimination.  I have been discriminated against during this entire process. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) all employers must follow the Adverse Action Notification process if they choose to not hire the qualified candidate after reviewing their background report!  In my case the  background check apparently was never ran.  I was told by Instacart that Sterling couldn't reach me, and then I was told by Sterling that they were waiting for more information from Instacart.  This shows that Instacart did not provide me a fair opportunity to gain employment. Instacart instead only provided a chat based support for candidates of employment.  This "support" was never working directly with someone in the human resource department or employment support.  It was simply someone assigned the task of telling potential employees that they would "escalate their situation".  One day later I received an email from "support" stating this: 

Hi Carson,

Thanks for reaching out about your background check status. Our background check vendor, Sterling, tried several times to verify your information.

Unfortunately, they reached the maximum attempts to contact you and the order has been closed due to a mismatch in the identifiers used. Therefore, we can no longer consider your application or activate your shopper account.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Thanks for applying to shop with Instacart.

Best,

Sam W.

Instacart, Trust & Safety

Of course the email was sent to me from a non-reply email.  Instacart is not practicing fair or equitable hiring practices I have been their latest victim!  I will pursue this until their is action so no-one else needs to go through this.

i

This is the email I received four days earlier from Sterling the background company after I filled out their support request:

Dear Carson,

Thank you for checking in with us!

Looks like we need to confirm a few information you have submitted in order to complete your background check. We have already requested assistance from Instacart regarding your report and we are just waiting to hear back from them.

To expedite the completion of your report, we highly suggest that you reach out to the Instacart Shopper Care Team by clicking on the "?" icon found at the upper right. From there, select “How to get help” – then click “Contact Instacart Care” (top right-hand corner).

Hope this helps!

Regards,

MaryAnne Soliva

Client & Candidate Care Representative

Sterling

Contact Number: [protected] | extn: 9001

[protected]@sterlingcheck.com

sterlingcheck.com

Thank you,

Carson J Russell

I placed Kroger grocery order to be delivered on 1/25. I saw the shopper leave everything by the door as instructed and then I immediately brought everything in and put it away. Not until later that night did I realize a loaf of Lewis Bake Shop Keto bread for $5.49 was missing. I looked at my online receipt and I was charged for it. I called Kroger and they said I had to talk to Instacart. I twice texted Caitlin, the girl who brought my groceries yesterday, and told her about the missing bread but no reply.

Customers are allowed to file claims of damaged and missing merchandise without having to substantiate their claim in any way, that I'm aware. Some customers demand that their orders be left on their doorstep then claim items missing. Others claim damage to grocery items without providing photos. Sometimes the only items available are less than perfect. The only way to address this is to stop, photograph the flaw and text it to the customer, which takes time and slows you down, which is a potential problem because we are timed and there is a delivery target. If the customer does not respond we take the chance of being down graded if we deliver less than perfect for not delivering the item ordered. Some orders are just too large for one person to handle alone effectively. Large orders increase the likelihood of damage or a mixup. Some shoppers make false claims simply to get discounts or refunds. We are told to pack our own orders, but grocers often don't like this. Some spacey teenager put the seedless grapes in the same bag as a mini watermelon and if I don't catch it I get blamed. The stores want the checkout lines to move quickly but to makes sure everything is packed right and handle the payment can be a serious challenge when the cashier is pushing the next customer's item down the counter into your order that t you're still repacking because the kid made bad choices.