Instacart will deliver my grocery order tomorrow from Kroger

[lillypaddle]

I anxiously await what I actually get vs what I ordered/wanted.

Surprise!

[onecaliberal]

1. Have used it since before COVID. We like it. Usually get everything we order.

[delisen]

7. I find it to be another capitalist nightmare business.

Billions in profits for owners, lots of low earning, no benefits workers, and almost doubles the cost of groceries.

Also tries to guilt-trip customers into paying extra in tips while they could easily pay workers more.

When I wrote to them about their lack of transparency, they wrote back- blaming stores for the item price markups without mentioning their high feed to stores.

I used them 4 times and quit because they are on the same moral level with oil companies.

I would like to use neighborhood based delivery services and they don’t exist yet. Instead I use public transportation and fortunately I can complete weekly grocery shopping in an hour.

Unpaid Workers sitting in cars competing for delivery as independent contractors seems to be the height of inefficiency and exploitation. High fees to grocery stores seems as though it will eventually raises prices for everyone.

Instacart has made huge profits during the pandemic but they are a raw capitalism company and not one I want to support or reward.

[onecaliberal]

8. There is no additional cost to groceries.

For people like me, husband is disabled and I’m working ten hours a day, it saves me from going in and risking us and it saves me time because I’m already exhausted. I do not tip on the AP. I tip directly to the driver.

[Totally Tunsie]

12. One has to be cautious of what they order for this to be true.

At the beginning of COVID, I explored using Stop & Shop's Peapod service. I found many instances where groceries were quietly jacked up. One instance: A package of 6 bagels in the Bakery Dept. was $3.99; online it was a package of 4 for $3.99. I also spotted a curious change in pricing some of the produce...items that were customarily priced by the pound were offered online as price per piece - for example, apples at $1 each.

Without paying careful attention, there can easily be a few dollars added onto the tab.

I understand and empathize with your reasons for using this service. It works for you, and you're satisfied. That makes it worthwhile for you. Remaining healthy is the first priority.

At some time in the future, I too may need Peapod, despite any additional costs. If there is no alternative, this is a decent option to have.

[onecaliberal]

14. I noticed the price per piece as well.

I shop from the grocery store that is about 1 mile from my house. I’ve been shopping there for years before I stopped going inside. The price of groceries has definitely gone up online or in person.

[Totally Tunsie]

16. Yes, groceries are noticibly more expensive these days

no matter which way one shops. My local Stop & Shop has been badly stocked lately as well. Dairy items are barely stocked, and there are empty shelves throughout. It seems more of a supply issue rather than pandemic hoarding, but my last few rare trips had me leaving without quite a few items on my list.

They must also be feeling the lack of available workers. Today was a disaster: Two days before a hurricane, store was busy, there were no carts, supplies were diminishing quickly, and they had TWO registers open, one an Express. It was still early in the day, and it was only going to get much worse. Thank heavens I ran in for just two items needed for my storm prep and wasn't trying to do a full shop.

[agingdem]

2. good luck with that...

I used Instacart early lock-down..no problems with paper goods, sodas, bottled water...fruits/vegetable/chicken/beef was another story...expired, moldy, rancid...so after spending a lot of money on food that went from grocery bag to garbage bag in a matter of seconds I decided to slip into something akin to a hazmat suit, a 4-ply mask, latex gloves, plastic wraparound glasses and hit the Petri dish of all stores...Walmart..it took me all of 20 minutes from entrance to self-check to car, dousing myself in antibacterial sanitizer and wiping my hands raw with alcohol soaked hand wipes...my advice: the little comment box...instruct the just got his driver's license 16 year old shopper to check expiration dates...if the packaging says "November 2020"...back away and move on to something more current...also..frozen fried chicken nuggets?...not a substitute for fresh boneless chicken breasts...just saying

[lillypaddle]

5. How about

being charged for your groceries AND being charged for someone else's stuff? Or getting things you didn't order, and not getting things you ordered? But I use them out of necessity.

[onecaliberal]

15. You can communicate with your shopper in real time.

You are notified when they make subs and have the ability to approve or reject.

[agingdem]

17. I did but the lapse in response

time (20 minutes) came as the shopper was ringing my doorbell...I think the pandemic has forever changed how we shop for groceries (delivery/pickup) but a pound of hamburger meat well past its sell-by date, obvious by it's color and smell, or an apple with teeth marks, is still a waste of money...

[onecaliberal]

18. Definitely. I shopped at the store that I shop with instacart well before the pandemic.

I am familiar with their products. I’ve never receive expired food. That is terrible. I’m sorry that was your experience.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Personally, I want to choose things like my meat or my fruits and veggies.

Plus, having it delivered adds at least two more people handling your groceries compared to going to the store yourself. Not to mention the stories posted about rancid, out of date, spoiled food.

[oldtime dfl_er]

4. Fees are too high

I was an "Express" member for awhile, paying $12 a month for that privilege. But there's still plenty of add-on fees after that, and it was just too much. I now use Amazon Prime and they will deliver from Whole Foods, no extra fees so I can afford to give the delivery drivers a decent tip.

[lillypaddle]

9. But is Whole Foods a good place

for staples, like canned goods, paper products, cleaning supplies, etc?

[oldtime dfl_er]

10. yes

and if they run out I use Amazon Fresh, which is also free delivery with no added fees.

[Tree Lady]

13. You can order that from Costco or Walmart

I have been carefully still shopping with mask, wipes and washing hands and I shop at stores where people wear masks correctly, mostly Coscto and Trader Joe's. And sometimes my co-op.

I looked into instacart for my mom but was to high priced for the few things she needs since her place feeds her meals. I use Amazon for all her paper goods, cleaners and even cookies.

[snowybirdie]

6. Been using delivery

for over a year. WalMart has good service here. Had few problems, but minor and my account was credited. Biggest mistake was I ordered 2 kiwis. Got 2 pounds of kiwis! I called and they said keep them, no extra charge. My neighbors and I enjoyed them.

[LanternWaste]

11. I've been tempted to use it so many times.

But I'm in a position where I live far too close to one, have no real medical issues, and not much keeping me from walking/driving the two blocks, so I've talked myself out of it and into going. So far.

[left-of-center2012]

19. I'm 75 and disabled - I've had grocery delivery for about 16 months

DoorDash delivers my Walmart groceries; Instacart delivers my Smiths (Kroger) groceries. Shipt delivers for Target, but I rarely use Target for groceries. They all work and cost about the same.

With Instacart and Shipt you can text back and forth with your 'shopper/delivery person'.

Have had almost no problems.
Main one being occasionally with Walmart when they did not substitute for an out of stock item after I had approved substitutions when placing my order.

Delivery fee is about $10 an order or around $10 - $12 a flat monthly fee regardless of number of orders in a month. I usually get 3 - 4 deliveries each month.
If I went to the store I'd need use Uber which runs me about $14 round trip plus tips ($20 each trip?) every time I shopped. Then there'd be the time, and energy of walking the aisles.
Worth it to me (75 and disabled) to have someone else do the shopping and deliver it to my door.

It seems to me, having read similar posts over time, that many of the ‘complaints’ originate from ‘moral grounds’ and not to the quality of service or how useful it is.