Have you used the InstaCart grocery delivery service in your area?

AprilSun

AprilSun

Senior Member
Have you or anyone you know used the InstaCart grocery delivery service in your area? If I'm understanding it correctly, you order your groceries online at the grocery store of your choice that provides this service. Then within an hour or two, this service has a delivery person that will get the groceries and deliver them to your home. There is a delivery fee that is added to your grocery bill but I don't know how much. Have you tried it or know anyone that has? If so, how did you like it?
 
They have it at the local Kroger supermarket by me, but I've never tried it. Sounds like it's a good idea for those who can't get out or don't drive anymore, I guess that they would shop like me and pick the good looking produce and undamaged packages, etc.
 
It's been around for years in my area. The fee is 10.00 out of town and 5.00 in town, last I saw. The store employees themselves deliver not an outside service. It may have gone up since I last used it.

I have used it a few times and it was all good. They called me when they were out of something that was on sale and gave me the higher priced brand at no extra charge.

They will also just do the shopping and bagging for you, and you drive up where they load them into your trunk.
 
I haven't tried something called Instacart,but I do use a service from my local supermarket. Most of the time if you order a certain product (and they list dozens of them) there is no charge for the delivery. I have been doing it for over 3 yrs now and have never been disappointed with the service. It is so much easier than walking all through the store..
 
I used it twice for our local Sprouts store & once for Smiths (Kroger) when I wasn't driving for a short time $10 minimum order, about $10 delivery charge, I never order meat that way tho. The first time the produce which is Sprouts specialty looked like it could win prizes at the fair. Perfect. The driver was a chatty mature gent who told me he also did Uber, liked people & being busy. Second time the produce looked like somebody just ran by & grabbed it & didnt even look at it & the drivers looked like basketball players and appeared to understand but not speak English; probably students at local U.
Smiths trip experience was sort of halfway between Sprouts # 1 & #2.
It really helped at the time, spared my daughter from doing it & probably less than most caregivers charge, but if I can duo it at all would rather do it myself & use the $10 for a treat.
I do like Walmarts pickup service, especially for big bulky items, but again, don't do meat at all, & only easy produce like citrus or bananas.
 
It's available in this area in 3 stores. I just saw it and thought I would do my homework about it before I need it, if I do. I called the local Kroger and asked them if they deliver groceries. They told me they don't but Instacart does. She told me to google Instacart and it would pull up an 800 number for all of my questions. I found the number but I like to hear from people who have used the product or service. I hope I don't need it because I would rather do it myself. Thanks everyone!
 
It might be worthwhile to check with Instacart.

In this area, all of the major grocery chains are offering the service using Instacart and they have been offering promotions for $15.00 off of your first order of $35.00 or more.

I've been reluctant to try it because I prefer to select my own produce, meat, etc... but the discount on the first order is making me think it would be a great deal to stock up on some nonperishables.

Good luck!
 
Walmart has the same service for free, which I've been using, due to not walking yet....produce, frozen, breakable items, chips, bread, etc. will not be delivered tho....
Instacart is not available in my area yet....
 
PopsnTuff said:
Walmart has the same service for free, which I've been using, due to not walking yet....produce, frozen, breakable items, chips, bread, etc. will not be delivered tho....
Instacart is not available in my area yet....
Click to expand...

I use Walmart delivery all the time for cat food and litter. I started to order my groceries but, like you said, a lot of stuff they don't deliver so I didn't bother ordering. I wanted to try in case I'm ever sick and can't drive, but all those undeliverables won't help if I'm sick and need produce and bread and milk etc. Kroger does not yet deliver, don't know about Instacart, am going to look it up.
 
I haven't used Instacart, but our local HEB stores have delivery service. They have promotions all the time where the service is free, but the usual price is $4.95 so well worth it to me. (I do tip the driver as well.) I've been using the service for several months and only had a problem with one order... a couple of broken eggs. When I called the store to report the problem they just gave me credit for the entire dozen eggs. Meats and produce are always excellent.
 
PopsnTuff said:
Walmart has the same service for free, which I've been using, due to not walking yet....produce, frozen, breakable items, chips, bread, etc. will not be delivered tho....
Instacart is not available in my area yet....
Click to expand...

I tried searching for groceries at Walmart and for some of them, if they do deliver that item, you have to order in packs with some of them. They will not deliver just 1 of some of their items. For example, I noticed some of their mayonnaise had to be ordered in 3 to a pack. Some of the canned corn had to be ordered in 2-4 packs. That would be 8 cans of corn. Now this might work with some items but not all. That would make me not order these items from anyone that is doing this.
 
My niece uses these types of services and says she says money doing so as it cuts down on impulse buying. I guess it depends on what type of shopper you are.
 
I have been using it for several months now, like it allot. Usually on time, [within the hour chosen] , on occasion there may be a substitution , but it is rare.

Our local fee is $10.00, but hey that's the price of convenience I suppose ? And the idea of walking around a huge store is just out of the question anymore.

The "shoppers" so far have been very courteous / polite , they bring the groceries right in, set them on the table.
 
rgp said:
I have been using it for several months now, like it allot. Usually on time, [within the hour chosen] , on occasion there may be a substitution , but it is rare.

Our local fee is $10.00, but hey that's the price of convenience I suppose ? And the idea of walking around a huge store is just out of the question anymore.

The "shoppers" so far have been very courteous / polite , they bring the groceries right in, set them on the table.
Click to expand...
I have my heavy cat litter and cat food delivered by Walmart, but haven't used the food delivery yet. Do you have to have text available for the service? I read they let you know when they're on the way so that you can open the door for them. I don't have a cell phone yet, will get one sometime. They also charge $10 here.
 
Catlady said:
I have my heavy cat litter and cat food delivered by Walmart, but haven't used the food delivery yet. Do you have to have text available for the service? I read they let you know when they're on the way so that you can open the door for them. I don't have a cell phone yet, will get one sometime. They also charge $10 here.
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No , I just use my laptop, bring up the Kroger site, select, select delivery time....done.

I use a debit card for payment.

Once you learn to navigate the site, it's easy.
 
I have used Krogers and Heb pickup service. Krogers is 4.95 but during the Holidays they were free with a $35.00 purchase. You can decide if you will accept subs or not. I can ask for small bananas with just a little green and I get them. Most of the time I order 4 small green bananas, bacon, milk, lean cuisines. I specify how many and expiration dates for the milk, sour cream, etc. So far it has worked out great. You can include the tip for the person who brings out and loads your car. I have a credit card on file but can use cash or a gift card. There is also a customer service survey and I always fill it out with my thoughts about their service and the products. Some things I will allow subs on and some I will not. So far it has been great.
 
terry123 said:
I have used Krogers and Heb pickup service. Krogers is 4.95 but during the Holidays they were free with a $35.00 purchase. You can decide if you will accept subs or not. I can ask for small bananas with just a little green and I get them. Most of the time I order 4 small green bananas, bacon, milk, lean cuisines. I specify how many and expiration dates for the milk, sour cream, etc. So far it has worked out great. You can include the tip for the person who brings out and loads your car. I have a credit card on file but can use cash or a gift card. There is also a customer service survey and I always fill it out with my thoughts about their service and the products. Some things I will allow subs on and some I will not. So far it has been great.
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Oh, you do pickup, not home delivery? I'm okay now and don't mind doing the shopping most of the time, but in 3 years when I turn 80 and have to renew my license, I will not renew and then will have to use other options for shopping and errands etc.
 
I live in the sticks. The grocery stores deliver, but only in a five mile radius. Of course, I don't live within that radius. Everything here is about 45 minutes away by car. When I moved here 30 years ago, it never dawned on me what would happen if I couldn't drive. When I first came out of the home, I wasn't driving, so spending $60-80 for cabs to go grocery shopping really hurt.
 
How many times have you gone to a grocery store with a list but buy other items not on the list? I do it every time. So is it not cheaper to make the list and order off it avoiding spontaneous buying? Add the cost of fuel for the drive to and from the store.
 
No I haven't. One reason is because it's an easy walk to the supermarket. The other is that I'd have to spend $50 in groceries at one clip and I never do that there. I get most of my groceries from Costco and some at Walmart. I usually pick up items that are on sale at the supermarket. Every week they have great sales on at least one or two items I need. The most I've ever spent there in one trip was $26 and change. Shoprite, a larger supermarket in the next town over probably participates but again, probably couldn't spend $50. I remember seeing a cart with groceries to be delivered at a different Shoprite. Right out in the open was the customer's name and address. I did not like that.
 
ive been shopping for my grocerys online for 10yrs here now.....
I like it....🙂...you have a 2hr delivery slot, then they keep you updated by txts, until they deliver.....
 
I use Instacart every week to get Aldi's delivered. Their shoppers are good bringing me good produce, products and meat and chicken. They charge 7.99 del. charge if you don't get $35. worth or 3.99 if you get over $35. They also have a service charge (about 2.50 for me) and an optional tip that you can calculate yourself. All 3 charges combined when I get over 35.00 worth have been about 10.00. I feel it's worth it although some don't like to pay the charges. I figure why not pay for someone to shop and bring all your groceries...? :) I think it's worth the charge. After all if I wanted to hire someone from somewhere to do my shopping for me and bring it to me up the steps I would give them some money for it.

There have been a few times when they didn't have one of the items I ordered and they gave me a refund. They also offer product replacement if they don't have the product you want. They offer you another product and you can choose from many.

I'm quite satisfied with getting my groceries delivered. :love: (y)

And by the way, at times I also use the Shipt service to get things delivered from other places like Lucky's and Target and CVS. If you spend 35. with Shipt stores they have totally free delivery.

I have been using the delivery services for 5 months now.
 
I looked at the Instacart website but it cost more and didn't offer anything better than one gets via the usual delivery from individual supermarket websites.

I think if you were going from store to store it might be useful to use Instacart. Unfortunately, the other two stores I use are smaller local independents who are not available on Instacart - hence, no advantage over using Whole Foods/Amazon Prime or Safeway/Kroger (the latter two are owned by the same hedge fund mgmt, although they are in separate divisions).
 
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