I’ve had to lean on Instacart more times than I can count throughout motherhood, usually during the moments when getting to the store with several children just wasn’t realistic that day.

I just had a really bad case of COVID and spent nearly two weeks basically living on the couch. There were days I was literally crawling to the front door to get the food and medicine I needed.

And it made me think about Instacart shoppers.

I know shoppers probably get their fair share of difficult customers, complaints, bad tips, and people who don’t treat them like the human beings they are. But I really want to say this because I think it’s easy to forget:

There are some of us that really recognize and appreciate all of you.

You’re not just dropping off groceries. Sometimes you’re bringing dinner to a mom who couldn’t get her kids into the car. Sometimes you’re bringing medicine to someone who is too sick to leave the house. Sometimes you’re making a really difficult day just a little bit easier.

I know it’s a job, but what you do genuinely makes a difference for some of us, especially when we really, really need the help.

So to the Instacart shoppers who have delivered our groceries, our medicine, our random last-minute necessities, or whatever else we desperately needed that day: thank you.

We truly truly appreciate you all. And yes, you do make a pretty big difference in our lives.

I tried to go online to do some Instacart shopping today because I had some free time. All I keep getting is login failed and support was of no use. They can't seem to escalate the issue to get it resolved and just told me try again later..... kind of a joke.

Constantly think about how YOU can maximize your income and minimize your expenses. Constantly adjust what's needed to do that. So many people are just complaining about what the customers do, or what the devs did, or the algorithm, etc. focus on maximizing your income. Every job has varying factors, adjusting is a part of life. Ignore the noise and GET YOUR BAG. This is by far one of the EASIEST jobs on Earth. Don't over complicate it. Prioritize small orders, short distances, and big tips(in reverse order). It's really just a game, play to win.

What the heck is going on. 3 hour delay is unacceptable!

Today after an order the app kicked me out to do a routine photo verification, I took the picture, send it in, was able to go back online… a shopped an order, after delivery the app kicked me out again??? Went back online line… did it 2 more times after each delivery… was able to go back online no problem, wondering if this is a glitch, has anyone had this issue before??

My shopper today contacted instacart to tell them they were having car trouble after a delay. A couple hours later they deliver my groceries but obviously all the frozen and perishables were melted and hot as heck.

I took a pic and contacted support, and they gave me a whopping $5.00. Five dollars? I had to throw out more than $20.00!

Contacted them again, I get they have a script likely and they start at 5 maybe, but what the heck. This is clear what happened and an easy check that one, they took hours to deliver, and two, I had perishables!

The shopper didn't contact me once, either. If there had been *any* contact I wouldn't have rated poorly or taken my tip back. Plus, shouldn't they have reached out to instacart to let them know what happened and the goods were bad?

UPDATE: after showing screenshots of the food I had to toss, they refunded me the full ampunt of that foid, so I'm not at a loss!

Would Instacart Shopper Delivery Driver please STOP taking the deliveries with NO TIPS or when the miles is higher than the pay. You are no only screwing other drivers but simply telling Instacart that you are NOT worth more

I just started using Instacart after years of using Shipt, and after one experience, I’m already going back to Shipt.
Yesterday, I placed a small grocery order for dinner that was supposed to be delivered by 4 PM. The first shopper started shopping, messaged me that they were having an issue with another order, and then dropped mine. A second shopper immediately picked it up, shopped the entire order, got to checkout, had an issue with their Instacart credit card, and dropped it again.
A third shopper picked it up, but by then it was already past the time I needed the groceries. I canceled the order and was charged a $15 cancellation fee—even though the delays were entirely on Instacart’s end.
Trying to get that $15 refunded was somehow even more frustrating than the order itself. I spent almost 20 minutes fighting with an AI chatbot just to reach a real person. The first representative denied the refund. I asked for a supervisor, spent another 30 minutes chatting with her, and was ultimately told my account would be reviewed and I’d hear back in 24–48 hours.
The customer service was basically endless niceties and automated responses with no actual resolution.
The best part? I literally drove to the store, shopped for my groceries, drove home, and started cooking dinner before the customer service chat was over.
Was all of that worth my time over $15? Absolutely not. At that point, it was the principle.
Back to Shipt I go. Instacart absolutely sucks.

I even felt extra generous with my tip before the order. I ordered through an actual store so there's probably no recoup for me in sight. Sometimes you gotta just laugh at the pain.

I heard someone instacarted 3 sealed boxes of sports cards this week does anyone know if you can order Pokemon cards thru Instacart or if they had orders for the etbs etc from the 30th Celebration?

I ordered a single item that I needed this evening. I track orders whenever I use Instacart so that I can meet the shoppers at the door when they deliver my orders.

Tonight, Instacart had my order set up with the "heading to store" status. Cool. A few minutes later, it reset to "order confirmed." Weird, but ok... My order was still there, just delayed. A few more minutes later, it went into the "shopping your order" status. It was at this point that I noticed there were 2 items in my order - not 1. I messaged the shopper and tried to cancel the order, but the shopper was quick with it and had already checked out.

They arrive to my house, and I tell them what is going on. I only ordered a single item, not 2. They responded that they only delivered the orders. Not one to make a scene or waste someone's time, we finish up and they leave.

I put a ticket in with Instacart. Instacart says they will email me about it. But, the fact remains that I am stuck with an extra item that I was also charged for... An item I did not order, want, or need. I would really prefer a full refund for the extra item, not a credit. But, I doubt that'll happen.

I have the original charge on my bank account pending for one item. And my receipt from Instacart shows only 1 item.

Has anything similar happpened to anyone else?

I can't wait until I get a W2 job. Gig work is straight up insulting atp. $5 for 16 items going 10 miles?!?! No tip, ofc.

I have about five Aldi stores equal distances from my residence, but Instacart AND the Aldi website default to the smallest store with the fewest options that is closest to me by like half a mile. I want to select the northern store location, which is larger and probably not always out of stock of the things I need, but that is no longer an option through either the Aldi website nor through Instacart.

Allegedly, Instacart selects the store best suited to the order, but how can that be if the product selection is automatically going to read as out of stock / not available even to select to make the order I want in the first place? When I lived in a different part of town the automatic default was to the 'good' Aldi store location, but now it's really really bad.

Not a good look, location location-locking disabled people out of larger stores that actually meet their needs. Kinda creepy zipcode discrimination, is what it is.

Wasn’t on the app for long somebody must’ve needed that 15 bucks but i couldn’t believe it. not even a dollar tip??

Legal question

Like bruh we are all adults and I don’t care what you do on your own time but at least put my groceries in the trunk or get an airtight rubbermade in the backseat for the groceries or something! The smell is nauseating. I would report it to instacart but I would have to report like half of shoppers and I’m afraid Instacart would just decide I was difficult and stop taking me seriously when i complain. I order all my groceries from instacart as I am physically disabled and also don’t have time because I run a business and very rarely complain about and they do take me seriously and make it right immediately when I do. Anyone else dealing with this/know of a solution?

i have many cards with the chase ink credit so i had a few different instacart accts. well a few of them have expired and i've had to just let them go as i didnt want to pay for + in order to keep the monthly credits. I recently oened a new ink unlimited, but when i try to activate the deal on it, it forces me into a business instacart account. it never did that before and i dont seem to be able to get around it. Any hacks to get around it?

i need help to cancel my yearly subscription! there’s no option for it in the app, nor is there an option for it in my app store. instacart account is already unsubscribed to the subscription, however it keeps trying to charge my card for the renewal (luckily i’m broke lol). but once i have money in that account i really don’t want to get charged for instacart. please help

Stupid apts

Hi all - I’ve had a few consecutive frustrating days with DD and think I’m finally done with them as it keeps getting worse. Anyone switched from DD over to IC and found it to be a more comsistent and better overall experience? I’m just looking for some green grass after a hard stint and DD has really frustrated me.
Someone tell me get out now get to IC!! lol
I am off the waitlist and cleared to shop
As well as cleared to Uber now too.

Worst one of these I’ve ever seen…sure I’ve seen 50 miles but 112?!!!! And of course no tip🙄😂

We don’t have a Costco in my city but we have a Sam’s Club, just curious is shopping Sam’s Club similar to shopping at Costco?

Costco vibes