Instacart
Reviews and Complaints

Copy of message sent to instacart:

This order was never received. I was promised by customer service that the money you took from my account would be automatically refunded. Instantly. It was not! I will have to escalate this issue. I demand you refund my money after all the suffering and back and forth I experienced yesterday. You are now playing with my hard earned money.

Then you promised it would ve refunded in 72 hours. It was not! All this for a horrible all day experience with a service never furnished and a company apparently held by the seems.

My user review in 12 websites will read: "Hands down the worse experience I have ever had with an online service provider. Customer service was not even the problem. The problem is Instacart. The application glitches (according to one of the CS) and I was linked to 9 shoppers but none of them needed up taking my order. AN ORDER THAT WAS CHARGED BY THIS COMPANY AND WAS NEVER REFUNDED!

You people have some nerve! Not only did you fail completely to furnish something as basic as an order (I even gave 4 hours more to deliver it!) but you also took an inflated amount of money and promised to return it immediately. That was 6 days ago.

This information is also being forwarded to the BBB and the third party financial institution that oversees illicit behavior. R

A copy of a request by instacart for more information.

Dear Miss,

Here is a list, yes a list, of what went wrong:

1. Order due to be delivered according to your contact at 10:55. At 11:15 checked the tracker to watch the already late delivery go from 17 minutes arrival time estimated to over a hour till estimated delivery time.

2. Called the help line to see what the issue was regarding the order going away from the delivery address. The gentleman answering the call was unable to access my account by the phone number he requested. Each time the phone number was communicated he would mix up the numbers in a extreme manner. I had to say each number one at a time and keep correcting him until he got it correct before being able to move onto the next number. My job is dealing with barely speaking and non-English speaking patients to give them proper medical care. Your team member's lack of communication skills was unacceptable.

3. Requested a manger who then put the call on hold. Before doing so stated he would be right back. After more than 12 minutes on hold the call was terminated.

4. Once I informed the third person I attempted to clear up the issue with I would be calling the local police department the delivery arrived five minutes later.

5. We were told the reason for the turn around was due to GPS issues. The driver and no representative from Instacart communicated the GPS issue in any form. No call, text, or email. We watched as the estimated delivery time increased for 17 minutes to over a hour away.

I would like to terminate the agreement due to your company not fulfilling their part of the contract with this incident and other incidents. These include items paid for and not delivered from previous orders.

Good day,
Mrs. Cappuccino

Sent from my iPhone

Greetings I am a cashier with Kroger and I am noticing a drop in customer service from your instacart shoppers. I've never before had such disrespect from your instacart shoppers. Most of them are worse than my worst customer of the day. They're getting nippy, rude, arrogant, stuck up and insulting tell you how to process the order your cashiering in a rude manner. Most of them lack professionalism to do the job properly or poorly communicate. It is getting very disrespectful to deal with these people. How do I complain about your shoppers from a cashier point of view? How do I rate them as this is getting inhumanly old.

I generally don't complain but you'll be getting a call or email detailing more. In the past two days Ive had extreme disrespect and it's getting old. This seems to be an ongoing issue and it's making me loose respect for your company. As a cashier at a high grossing store I will NOT be recommending your company to customers any more until you improve the customer service of your reps to the middle man. Do you realize how much this could affect your business? I have zero respect for your instacart shoppers due to the extreme disrespect they are giving the cashiers. We're the ones allowing them to have a job and they're heavily disrespecting the cashier and courtesy clerk. Good bye.

Ordered items from InstaCart; I understand that they have to show approximate cost on some items when item is sold by the pound. Their estimated price for an item through Costco showed $36.38 for 2 lbs at $18.19/lb.
The actual cost of the item was $16.83 for 1.13 lbs at $14.89/lb.
Instacart sent me a receipt, which showed $36.38. I contacted them and was sent some canned reply, which I kept should you need to see it.
I sent another message, and another and another this morning and got some assinine canned reply about not offering the same in store discounts, etc. I sent them photos of the receipt and the actual item but no reply.
I then sent another message asking a manager to contact me (hoping that person has a full functioning brain that can comprehend the problem) and stated that if I did not hear from them, I would pursue this further. Crickets.
They owe me $19.55. There is no way they can justify this- I wonder how many other times they have done this and the trusting consumer did not check the actual cost of the item against the final receipt.
I will be alerting Costco of this practice, which I am assuming must be their norm if they are ignoring my requests for the refund. Maybe it is a misunderstanding on their part but they are being unresponsive,
I am totally stressed out about this and am losing sleep over it.
Please help! I have been dealing with this since June 6.

Darlene Harris

This usually doesn't happen, but I had to wait close to four hours to get my food delivered to me from the Star Market--up in Swampscott, on the North Shore, instead of the Star Market in Somerville's Twin City Plaza, on McGrath Highway. Why you didn't tell your drivers to go to the Somerville Star Market in Somerville's Twin City Plaza which is a hell of a lot closer to me practically defies belief. What hell's wrong with you people? You keep on pulling this s**t, and you may well lose customers as well as drivers. That being said, in the future, PLEASE--don't screw up like this again, or I'll be super-pissed off, which won't be good for either of us.

I don't usually have to wait this long, and they get me the food from the markets close to where I live, so I don't have to wait this long. This is inexcusable, and I hope it doesn't happen again.

Sincerely,

Miki, Somerville, MA

I had a one on one interview with the Instacart Shopper interview staff at the Publix store on Rinehart Rd Sanford Florida. First of all I had to wait for the girl approx 10 min. and the proceeded to go in the back of the store for an interview. She proceeded to ask me a number of questions, one of which I was alittle confused on. Wrong she said and she didn't think that I would work out, she extended her hand and then said "I will walk you out" Man what an insult! One question and I'm out if that is how it is to be a Instacart Shopper, then I won't waste my time even shopping at the store! It is unbelievable to me how the younger generation are allowed to perform their duties, believe me I could run circles around her any day. To bad for Publix and to bad for Instacart. Very disappointing experience. to say the least.

Ordered groceries to be delivered to my daughter at the University of Washington campus. A map on their app confirmed (correctly) where the groceries would be delivered. Instead, they delivered the groceries to my home address at 3 or 4 pm. I was at an evening workshop only to arrive home @ 11pm to discover items strewn around my yard and ripped into by the neighborhood stray dog. Not only did my daughter not get her groceries, I had a huge mess to clean up which included melted ice cream and a carton of milk which had been bitten open and leaked all over the porch. These people still have not refunded my money. WORST COMPANY EVER!

They advertise a FREE (WHICH IS BOGUS!) try-out for a week, delivering groceries from Fortinos. The process was a nightmare...not everything you want is available - you don't find that out until the last minute when it's too late to revise meal planning. Very disorganised...and of course you end up settling for sub-par substitutions.

Then, along with the total of Groceries...a charge is sneakily added on for the delivery service. Then, even when you indicate you will NOT be ordering from them again...they sneak on your credit card a Subscription fee of $111.87! Which, when I phoned them I was given a refund of $105.88...and was told that the missing $6 BUCKs was a Service Charge. SO. IT'S. NOT. FREE.

I told them this is not how we operate in Canada!

The items I need most are always out of stock but they are listed on the website for sale, which is ok if I can replace it when the shopper notify me about it. However, the shopper notifys me at a time when I can't get access to the notification.
For example, I placed an order yesterday for delivery around 11am to noon today. The shopper texted me at 9:45am in the morning today saying the items are out of stock. I did not see the text until 10:20am when he had already left the store and on his way. What's worse, the items that are out of stock are very immportant and I can't cook anything without them.
I contacted the costomer service and all I got was 5 bucks coupon for next delivery, but they only arrange delivery 1 day ahead, which means I have nothing to eat today and have to wait till tomorrow to get my delivery again. I asked them what if the other stores are out of stock too but I got no answer back from that. All I got is 5 bucks coupon to re-order it along with something else I don't really need.
The few items that I really need are under 35 dollars and the delivery fee are much higher if I only order them.
Does any1 knows any other grocery shopping websites as I kinda fed up with this one.

I have been using Instacart/Price Chopper for a short while and I thought it was wonderful. But the last time, about a week ago, shopper delivered bananas that were close to being over ripe, grapes that had old stems and avocados that were not especially good, and a head of cabbage that was very, very large. Allright, I lived with that. My husband is in his 90's and ill and bedridden and the weather today was snowy and very cold. I placed an order early this morning (1/29) and ordered about 22 items. About 11:00 AM shopper showed up with two bottles of milk and a package of Depends. I asked her where the other things were and she didn't know. I had been told that items would be delivered at about 2:00PM to 4:00PM. Waited all day...needed the food badly...went downstairs to dinner at 5:30PM left message at front desk (we live in a senior residence) and it is now 9:36PM and I found a message on my phone upstairs after dinner that the shopper couldn't find the building and that groceries would not be delivered and I would be charged $15.00 for not responding. I paid $99.00 for the year and have spent well over $100.00 many, many times, each time I ordered. I also tipped the shopper and I found out later that the tips are in the total charged the customer. I now have a sick husband and a food shortage in my apartment for breakfast and lunch, and I am very upset. Is there anything I can do to get my order to be delivered Wednesday (tomorrow) in a very fresh condition? I do appreciate the convenience when I need it but I'm beginning to think that it isn't worth it. Thank you fr any help you can give me.

I used instacart for tops on 9-13-2018. I am a senior citizen with a disability I was going to take a bus but my disability was so bad I could not even walk that day. So I unfortunately used you. When I got my order so many thing were replaced from my original order that I could not use. I spent $206.43 which I thought was high for what I got. I printed off my electronic receipt added it up and my subtotal was $195.08 and it should have been $173.69. After all the ridiculous fees my total was $206.43. Therefore I was overcharged $21.49. I contacted instacart customer service which was NO help at all and just replied with stupid answers that did not even address my problem how to get my money refunded. Not only is your service charge ridiculously high around $10 but you don't even pay your employees a decent salary. With your unrealistic service charge how can anyone give your poor employees a tip? I will never ever use your service again, I can take the senior citizen Lift and have an Uber take me home which is $3.00 less that your stupid service charge. You keep treating your customers this way and you will indeed lose many customers and go out of business.. Than an honest company will take over. I want my money back or I will go higher and report you the BBB and Attorney General. Shame on you and your company...

I have to say that I tried to reach the consumer service several times, but they justg do not care.
The first time I did not get an answer at all, the second time and 3rd time the person who replied me did not read my concerns and just answered a general email.
I made an order to be deliver between 3-4pm I HAVE NOT RECEIVE A CALL, A TEXT, A KNOCK ON THE DOOR, ANYTHING, and the order was canceled because "I was not home". However, I put in the instructions TO LEAVE THE BAGS ON THE DOOR and I was home (I work at home!) Worse than that, I got scammed and WAS CHARGED A CANCELATION FEE!
Since I have to feed people in my house, I made a complaint about the $15 (which I did not get any reply) and reordered the same things. I only tried again because I had a $20 coupon discount since it was my first time ordering on instacart. The coupon reflected on my amount to be charged. However, for my surprise, instacart AFTER I accepted the payment took the coupon off!

I've sent several emails, at least two more detailed emails, to your HELP or Customer Service on the InstaCart menu. At first 3 different reps sent me replies partially responding and addressing my issues. The last two detailed emails have gone unanswered. Allow me to publish below the last one sent on 8/31 and also a copy sent to the individual reps. I am still awaiting a reply. To say this 'service' has been unpleasant and aggravating is at the least. Initially, I gave the suggested tip to the shopper but when I first found the issues, I mistakenly believed it was all the shopper's fault and withdrew the tip. Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and I came to realize it is all on the company for the issues I seek remediation and reimbursement. If I could correct this I would and provide "Michael" with his tip for services that day.

Now, I do expect not only the courtesy of a reply but in keeping with your reputation, a professional response addressing each of my issues.

Sent 8/31 to Customer Support and the 3 reps awaiting response:

"I sent you a HELP request in detail on 8/29. I have received three replies. One by Carlito C. who addressed my issue with the Service Fee and addressed the substitute item issue. Firstly, I had no issue with the replacement but the fact that I originally ordered 3 lbs of ribs. That particular rib type not being available was substituted by another, a little higher priced and that was all fine. My issue is that I wanted 3lbs but received ribs totaling slightly over 2lbs. Not acceptable.

The other item addressed was the Service Fee. His explanation was inadequate. Where in your website is the Service Fee explained up front? It is a consideration just like the delivery fee and tip as to whether a prospective customer will place and order...or not. Appropriate and legal posture is to make customers well aware of all charges associated with utilizing your service BEFORE they order. Your present standard procedure is very misleading. I understand that you are a relatively new business and there may be wrinkles still to be ironed out but this is a biggie. You really need to fix this immediately. And since this 'fee' was not offered as a consideration up front I believe I am owed a refund of $9.04.

Also on 8/29 I received a reply from John D. He only addressed the early delivery. That was not an issue for me. I only mentioned it as I received an email the day of delivery that delivery was going to be an hour late. So, imagine my surprise when I received delivery even before the promised time. It was welcome!

The 3rd and final reply is from James S. on 8/30. He reexplained the service fee being for services rendered and that it was recently reduced to 5% from 10% and yada yada. I still maintain your silence and not explaining upfront this charge is misleading and illegal.

He replied to my question of Food4Less no longer on your available stores menu. It is disappointing to me. And, I probably wont be utilizing your services in the future unless they are added back as it is the only retailer on the list I was interested in.

I think James missed my effort in attempting to point out the inconsistencies in pricing items I detailed and the charges to me on the receipt. He replied with what appears a scripted response on pricing. I think I thoroughly understand the pricing policies per store. My issue was that I was charged in the cases itemized, more than the package or more lbs than on the package adding up to more than I should have been charged. Please revisit my email of 8/29 to respond to those items."

Eugenie (Janie) Higgins

I am totally outraged by the lack of transparency in Instacart's pricing for vendors that do not offer in store prices. I personally did an audit of the prices for Costco in my area against what Instacart offered and was shocked. Without exception, EVERY SINGLE ITEM is marked up from $2.00 to $5.00. EVERYTHING! Milk, eggs, yogurt, coffee, laundry detergent, diapers, etc etc etc. On a $300 bill I was being overcharged by easily an addition $50. I will never use Instacart for delivery from stores that do not offer in store prices and encourage everyone to do the same. To add insult to injury, on TOP of the annual subscription fee I already pay, AND the outrageous product markups, they try to charge the service fee AND want me to pay a driver tip. Unbelievable. Pay close attention and DO NOT ORDER from any stores that do not explicitly state that they are offering IN STORE PRICES. If it says "View Pricing Policy" under the store name you can count on being COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF!

They've been going downhill for a while now, but we didn't have much of a choice. Due to disability, it can be hard to get to the store and do our own shopping so we rely on them.

The last few orders have been tough, but we still got them. About a month ago, though, they sent a driver who literally refused to do her job. She sat in her car and asked us to take the items - individually since she didn't have bags - and carry them upstairs ourselves. This was quite difficult as, again, we rely on them for assistance.

We complained, and they offered us $30 back. It was something, although not great. So we emailed and asked them to contact us from their management team. Two weeks went by with nothing.

We reported them to the BBB. Their solution? Cancel and close our account. WE HAVE YET TO ACTUALLY GET A CALL OR RESPONSE.

IT'S BEEN A MONTH.

IF YOU ARE DISABLED, INSTACART WANTS YOU TO CANCEL YOUR ACCOUNT RATHER THAN COMPLAIN. THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

I ordered some ensure for a sick friend that just got out of surgery. I paid over $100.00 for them to shop and deliver within an hour.
I included my friend's phone number and clear instructions for the delivery person. Over 4 hours later and nothing. I checked on line and it states delivered. I tried to chat with the delivery person and the system states they are shopping for the items but It was after midnight by then.
I tried to make a complaint and the site doesn't work.
When they do get back to me there's a run around about they will rush my order. My friend is weak from not eating from before the surgery and now about to pass out. Next they emailed, the order is on it's way and will arrive in minutes. Total *** I am thinking of taking them to court for this.
Never again! I will be sure to spread the word DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE!
Reason of review: Problem with delivery.
Monetary Loss: $105.

Their shoppers are zooming around stores without any care of running into anyone. I've had them come around corners and almost run me down yet offer no apology.

I personally don't think they make much of an effort to find an item you requested, but rather will just say its not in stock. And unless you have specified a replacement item, they'll just choose what seems like whatever they want which is at times more expensive

I live less than a mile from my local HEB and while most of my orders do come out of that store, I have had other orders that they fulfill at HEBs that are atleast 5 miles away. When I've questioned it, they've told they don't guarantee what store it'll be shopped at, so technically they could do it at a store 10-15 mi away and nothing you can do about it. Both of the orders they did this included ice creme and either it shows up soft, or possibly even almost completely melted. There are enough HEBs around where I live that they should have no problem shopping at the nearest location to where you live - I mean pizza joints are able to do it but apparently Instacart just does not care.

I've had them deliver orders to me that while include most of my items, also include someone elses while missing other items I ordered. When calling them to tell them this, they've told me to either just keep the items or throw them away. I've offered to swap items when they bring me the replacement item I didn't get, but they won't go for that. Last time this happened to me, the items that weren't mine were not anything I'd have eaten, atleast I found a friend that took it from me.

I understand that items are going to cost a little extra so that they can attempt to make a profit and pay their employees, but the fact that they charge you a separate 'service fee' is a joke. That to me says they are double dipping along with the high delivery fees. I've always understood that they pay their people like crap, so the extra item costs, the service fees and delivery fees, its all pure profit for them. Sadly the only other competitor nearby charges even more for an item and probably even a delivery fee. Amazon Prime Now is just not an option as you can't get the name brand labels you are able to get thru Instacart from HEB.

I like the general idea of a grocery shopping service but honestly I could see Instacart tanking in the next 5 years, especially if they keep doing business the way they are doing and paying their people like crap. Granted I know I'm probably wrong and they'll just keep doing the same thing and their executives will just keep swimming in the cash they are making. If I had a car, I certainly wouldn't be using them. I actually enjoy doing my own grocery shopping but when you can't easily just walk up and back home with milk, juice and other heavier items in a backpack, its pretty much left to using Instacart when you can't get a friend to help out (I don't do Uber or Lyft)

5/5/2018 Instacart/Foodlion/Concord, NC 28025

Been ordering for over a year, today I ordered and they tacked on an 18.00 "Service Charge" said it is for their employee background checks, etc. There is now no way to waive that charge, and if you don't pay, you don't get your groceries, even though I pay a yearly charge just for their delivery! Especially not right to do that to Seniors. Wrote to customer service and was told I had to pay the charge. This is not right, and they are just taking advantage of those of us who have to get groceries delivered.

ontract Issues
Problem:
I had a basic membership for a few months. I was offered to upgrade it to a premium membership category upon paying $50, which I did. As soon as I did and tried to place an order there were new fees which would apply to every subsequent purchase, which had not been disclosed at all during the upgrade process. I spent all day calling and trading messages with the business until I received an email saying I could cancel the upgrade and continue to enjoy the rights I had signed up for (waivable 10% fees with each purchase in addition to unwaivable tips). When I called back for the third time because I was unable to waive those feels, I was told they couldn't be waived because it was a new policy. Please help.