InstacartReviews 2,490

ETHICS & hidden markups do not get along... I had the same from the video while I was sick and out of work do to Covid. This app is not convenient at all. Hidden markups and the food selection is not the best... And Instacart does not even want to show the face & talk about it. I rather order directly from the retailers.

https://youtu.be/U5NyL_QOFJY

I placed an order with Kroger on 01/14/2022, they charged me $173, but when I received it, I checked every single item and we received $45 less in products that we ordered; no reimbursement after a week

The pay is $7 per delivery a customer can order 100 items and only pay 7 dollars! This is terrible. The customers can also take their tip after you have walked through the store in search of their things and putting them in your car. Then hauling all this $#*! to an apartment or front door. It's time consuming and there should be a specific pay per item plus mileage not just mileage. This company sucks $#*!! They have no set standards for customers. A certain amount of items no matter what should have to require a tip. Not you shop 40 items and get paid 7 dollars that's $#*!ed up! This company sucks a whole $#*!!

Instacart is stealing customer tips and using them to get other orders delivered. Instacart is batching non tipping customers with those who leave high tips. Since high tippers are lumped with non-tippers into one batch, it delays the delivery time and the customer who leaves the tip isn't identifiable from those who leave zero tip. Their entire tip is allocated over 2-3 deliveries, not just their own- effectively stealing the tip left to ensure your own service- not someone else's.

Instacart (IC) does not pay it's independent contractors the correct and proper pay when they group orders like this either. When IC takes the 2-3 orders & lumps them together. IC charges the same minimal price ($7) per batch- Even when it's 3 deliveries. The shopper should be getting paid $21 ($7 for EACH order) and since many times, customers do not tip at all- again one customer's tip covers all 3 orders.

It seems Instacart finds new ways to cheat their customers and workers, instead of supporting the people who are working hard, spending money, time and gas to make them millions.

Shopper blatantly disregarded my request for replacement items, even though I texted her within 30 seconds of her texting me to say my item wasn't in stock and asking me if I wanted a replacement item. Called Instacart and asked for a manager since the agent wouldn't help me get my items and his only solution was to cancel my entire order when I had lunch guests on their way to my house to eat the items that were missing from my order. I was placed on hold for over 30 minutes before I just hung up. Also, several of the items I did get were messed up. For instance, strawberries and lettuce had mold.

Spent 1hr and 40 min picking out items, scanning, weighing, waiting for meat to be sliced and messaging about replacement items for unavailable items for 2 diff customers - took 2 hrs total with delivery time. Got 19 dollars TOTAL including tips- and did I mention IT WAS SNOWING. Do not deliver for this company

As someone who understands how impactful a negative review can be- I don't normally leave bad reviews but this is more of a warning. In this case my priority order (extra fee) with a membership (extra fee) was pushed back 3 HOURS. I called customer service and after a 40 minute call they told me that they couldn't guarantee a delivery time or assign a shopper. All they could do was either reschedule for the next day or refund my order. At this point since they took my grocery budget (they had already charged my account) and it would take 3-5 business days to refund that means I would be anywhere from 1-5 business days without food or the money I needed for it because of them. After a guaranteed delivery time the previous day. The only accommodation they could offer was a CREDIT ON MY NEXT ORDER. With a company that I no longer want to use. They were not willing to expedite anything…. After a 3 hour delay. This was in no way a customer service experience at all. Plan on having double your grocery budget saved if you plan on using Instacart.

The order number that I had to cancel. (I decided not to display on this review but I informed them of already). This issue has happened to me more than once. For my Kroger preference store. I have something different from where you send a shopper too. The store that the shopper goes for my grocery items NEVER has items on their shelves that I need.

That's why I have my preferences shopping store is; the one on Glenway Avenue in Western Hills. But, because of how Instacart is set up, whatever store that's close to me, you all direct the shopper to go to that nearest one. Instead of the customer's preferred store.

If you all can consider when the customer is about to choose a payment method to also give a choice to the nearest stores of their choice that's within range of at least 3-5 miles radius.

It should not be up to Instacart to make that decision on behalf of the customer that has their preferences selected. I understand that it is the convenience of the shopper. But, keep in mind that the customer is also forced to pay them a tipping fee.

I had to cancel my order due to the fact that the Kroger that the shopper was at did not and never had my selected items. I have not seen in the Instacart agreement that it outlines that it will choose the nearest store for the customer to complete an order.

If things do not change or get better. I will NEVER use this service again!
And, the honesty of the call rep informed me that this happens all the time. Something needs to be done about it. Stop taking control of the customer's selections of store(s) options and allow them to select within a radius of their homes.

If I could get Zero star I would. Instacart stole money from my account with no order attached to it 130$. After them telling me I would have a refund I did not get the money back for a week. When I called back the rep had me on the phone for over 30 minutes.
The People who do your shopping are very unprofessional, in what they pick and deliver to your door. When insta cart started we got regular people and as time when on it just got worse and worse.
After the bad service and money impossible to get back I am super disappointed this company still has a APP or service, and ways to scam more people.

So I've been getting $20 off $50 from instacart for ages. So tonight I decided to order some things from stop and shop. I was having a terrible time navigating the site. I've actually put my info in a while ago, but never ordered. So when I ordered tonight, I had a hard time changing my debit info. I also couldn't understand why they would put a hold on my card for 3-5 days AFTER my delivery.
I did a webchat with someone, but I think he/she just give a flip because they asked me to do a few things to remedy the debit info, and while I was doing that they ended the chat...
So I called. 'Michelle" was rude, impatient, and snippy. Ex. There's a page on the app with card info. I fixed that. Then there's another place to put in your name email addy and phone#. It was already there, but she continued to tell me that it wasn't. I asked her if she was insinuating that I was a liar. She rudely said no. I was about to take a screenshot, but suddenly she could see it. Without me doing anything.
Finally, there's a spot to add a tip. I dont like to do that. I prefer to tip in cash so I put in 0.00 for the tip. Wouldn't ya know it, it changed itself and made a tip.
Lastly. They put a hold for some amount of money until 3-5 days after delivery. Really? I will never order from them again. I'd rather walk barefoot in the snow. Uphill. Both ways to the market.

Months of delivering unusably damaged items (eg, smashed fruits), and otherwise messing up order delivery, on top of an ordering interface with ever escalating glitches and problematic search functionality. For example, some items [that are in stock, mind] will come up via the Replacements selection but not a normal grocery search; However, selected replacements are no longer visible to Shoppers, making the whole thing rather absurd.

Further, Instacart repeatedly failed to honor promotions, removing them after check-out and similar, and refusing to honor them through support. Finally, after contacting support over the last batch of promotion issues, my account was banned from any kind of support "care", including refunds, replacements, or reorders; A massive issue when you're using a service that intentionally provides damaged items or fails to deliver items or fails to deliver entire orders. Flat-out, it's a scam.

And to top that off, Instacart refuses any kind of cancellation/refund on the remainder of my yearly membership. In short, once they got you hooked for it, they don't mind taking the money and running.

Add in the toxic nature of Support (when they reply at all, you don't feel any sincerity in them caring about your issues and, instead, feel like they're blaming you for wasting their time on, y'know, asking for literally just what you paid for) and. Well, to sum up: This is a scam. It has all the consumer fraud defined characteristics of a scam, and it's presented as a scam from start to finish, and they don't even try and charm you out of recognizing it as a scam.

Whatever you do, do not use this service. Ever.

BEWARE. I was charged a $99.00 year subscription fee but never applied for one, or even used Instacart in 5 years because they were so horrible back then. I didn't know about the fraudulent subscription until they charged my bank after the trial period ended. I called them but they would not refund my money because the trial period ended. I had to dispute it with my bank to get my money back. I used them ONCE back in 2018 and they still haunt me. I wouldn't even get involved in this low rated organization.

Costco without Instacart, 4.5 stars. Instacart? Is there a minus stars? 0? Instacart deserves sub-zero! Providing inferior substitutions. Allowing ridiculously minimal time in which to decline substitutions. Returning the inferior product, driving 20 miles and wasting more in gas than product cost =total loss. Robot answers that are completely erroneous in their assumption of issue provide greater cause for frustration. Missing items, in this instance, dinner for an ill covid patient, was yet another way in which Instacart, and by association Costco, completely failed both customer and the exemplary service they both promise to provide. Failing to deliver my $5+ roasted chicken, provides NO SERVICE, nor the satisfaction guarantee they tout. Firstly, my generous refund for a chicken I did not receive=NOTHING! I must wait 5-10 days for said refund to return to my account. However, too sick, and contagious to go out, my choice is to incur additional costs for instacarts error. For a new delivery I will need to pay an additional$2.65 handling fee, another $7+ approx for delivery and lets not forget that mandatory tip ( In my case nearly $11 for horrible service.) Oh, and now, I must also purchase another dinner item so my original $5+ rotisserie chicken will likely run me $35 to $40 minimum. But hey,
Instacart with their 100% satisfaction is going to let me wait for my $5+ refund. Do I seem satisfied to you? You shouldn't be either. And, Costco for allowing this inferior service become culpable and guilty by failing to salvage their otherwise stellar customer service reputation. Forego the frustration, disappointment and total lack of service. Save yourself both money and irritation. Pop a can of soup and take and much needed nap! Instacart+Costco=EPIC FAIL

I ordered groceries. They were delivered. When i looked at the receipt I was charged for a Reese's pb cup, Ben and Jerrys ice cream,, beef jerky and gelato. Was not mine. Did not order that but apparently my shopped had munchies

My issue is simple: I have 3 gift cards for $50 each. Instacart only allowed me to redeem one, so there's $100 missing. Easy, right?

I have now spent the last 15 days writing at least 30-40 emails and have called in twice, 45 mins on the phone each time, and I still have no resolution. They've literally stolen money from the person who bought the apparently un-redeemable gift cards.

The customer support I have gotten for this issue is APPALLING. I get a reply to each email I send with a canned response that doesn't at all address my issue. When I reply and explain the issue again and ask the new person who picked up my ticket to actually read what's already happened, I get another person replying with another canned reply that again does not answer my question.

I'm about ready to give up. If I didn't have $100 owed to me, I would NEVER use this service. This is truly the worst experience I have ever had trying to resolve a technical issue with any company, period.

Bottom line: stay away from this company.

I have used Instacart for years whenever I'm unable to make it to the market. The last couple times I gave ordered I was overcharged and customer service claims there is nothing they can do and there is no manager available to talk to. They also take half of the shoppers tip once the delivery is done.

Don't use this service. I purchased $45.00 worth of frozen entries. All is fine and I expected to pay the $3.50-$4.00 delivery fee. I go to check out and three of the items I buy are "Unavailable" so I chose three replacements. After the correction a new bill is calculated reflecting an increased "service fee." of $6.78. I complete the check out and the total has now jumped to $20.46 service fee, delivery fee and separate tax on the delivery fee. $45.00 of groceries turned to $67.56. NEVER AGAIN.

Instacart combines batches in order for Company to make more money and give less to the shoppers. Instacart customers do not get a receipt because many times Instacart's prices are higher than the store's. Instacart will fire if the shopper ask customer service for the money you are entitled to you. Heavy delivery is often not included on a batch because that means more money for them and less for the shopper. Once the shopper realizes that the order follows the suggested requirements for heavy delivery, the shopper can text customer service to weigh the items for the heavy delivery "bump". Instacart will fire you when you ask customer service for the heavy delivery "bump" that is entitled to you. Once fired, they will send generic emails telling you that they "looked into the matter" when they clearly do not.