What is Instacart? All you need to know about Instacart's grocery delivery

Instacart Grocery Delivery App: Technical Overview

If you are the one who looks after your family's grocery needs, then you might have come across Instacart in one form or the other. For example, you might have heard your neighbor describing her comforting shopping experience on Instacart and how she almost forgot to list various items but later on enlisted them through chat with the shopper.

This article will broaden your understanding of the question: What is Instacart? By diving into the technical overview of the app, we aim to help you use it more efficiently and give you a deeper appreciation of how it all works behind the scenes.

What is Instacart?

Instacart is an online grocery delivery service that allows users to order groceries and other goods through their website and mobile app. 

And get them delivered right to your doorstep. In addition, Instacart provides a direct purchase and delivery of goods from your nearby partnering store. 

Instacart is one of the largest and most widely available online retail platforms in the USA. 

That consists of about 40,000 partnering stores located in more than 5,000 cities across the US and Canada. There are a total of about 500 million products listed on Instacart.

How does Instacart work?

Instacart connects the users on the platform with its wide network of partnering stores scattered across the US and Canada. 

Thus allowing the users to choose groceries and goods from various nearby stores. In addition, Instacart employs many part-time or full-time shoppers that help you pick up your desired goods from your selected nearby store. 

Now that we know the process of ordering goods with Instacart's mobile app and website. Let us now look into the process of picking goods by the shopper. 

As you complete your order of goods on Instacart, a shopper gets notified of the order on his Instacart app. After that, the shopper begins picking the user's goods based on the order details. 

The shopper chats with the user through the process of picking the required goods. Whereby the users tell their requisites and other preferences. 

Once the order is completed, the shopper either places it for pick up or delivers it to the address at the scheduled time.

Who owns Instacart?

Maplebear Inc. owns Instacart, and the company is part of the General Freight Trucking Industry, situated in San Francisco and California, US. 

Apoorva Mehta, along with his associates Max Mullen and Bradon Leonardo, started Instacart in 2012. The online grocery service initially began its services in San Francisco and consisted of 200 employees in the year 2015. 

After that, it adopted a new policy allowing shoppers to be part-time employees in their online grocery service. 

Today, Instacart employs more than 2,00,000 shoppers on its platform, who uses Instacart mobile app to purchase groceries and other goods from various stores daily. 

Studies suggest that about 85% of households in the US have access to Instacart's online grocery platform.

Suggested Reading: 9 Amazing Facts You didn't know about Instacart

Ordering groceries from Instacart

Shopping for groceries and other goods from Instacart's mobile app is efficient as well as easy. In addition, Instacart's mobile app offers a lot more features and options just at your fingertips. The Instacart app is available on both iOS and Android platforms. 

The first step towards accessing Instacart's mobile app is to log in to the Instacart app. One can log in to Instacart through their Facebook, Gmail, or Email account. 

Then, you need to provide your location to the Instacart app to find various stores near your location. After that, a whole list of nearby stores appears on your screen to choose from. After selecting the store, you choose from a variety of goods available to you. Screen. 

Once the order is complete, you need to pay for your order and provide your delivery address to the app. You also need to select the scheduled delivery or pick-up time of your order. The Instacart mobile app also allows you to chat with your shopper while he picks up your order.

Suggested Reading: What is an Instacart Clone App and how can it help your business?

Instacart’s Contactless grocery delivery

Following social norms and avoiding close contact with other individuals has become our duty and our necessity for a safe tomorrow. Instacart also supports this essential attitude with its "Leave at my doorstep" delivery feature. 

This feature allows you to accept your orders without coming to your doors to accept them. Instead, you can provide your instructions for the pickup and delivery during the checkout. 

That will be followed by the one who picks up or delivers your order. Although the delivery of alcohol and medicines still requires proper authorization and approval.

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What is the cost of Instacart's orders?

There is no membership required for you to begin shopping on Instacart. You can even order goods directly from various warehouses, clubs, or wholesalers without paying any membership fee. 

You have to log in to the app or website to order goods on Instacart. However, Instacart offers several free delivery promotions for users. 

Well, Instacart does collect some fees on your orders of groceries and other goods. Those are as follows:

• Delivery fees: The delivery fees of orders start at $3.99 for same-day delivery orders of value over $35. The delivery fees vary depending on orders of different scheduled times, values, and other factors.
• Pick-up fees: Pick-up fees on orders may or may not vary from delivery fees depending upon various factors such as order value, scheduled pick-up time for pick, and others.
• Service fees: Service fees on orders also vary from order to order, depending on the types of goods, location, and the number of goods. For example, alcohol orders have different service fees.
• Instacart Express: Instacart's premium membership offers free delivery of orders of value over $35 or more, along with lower service fees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Instacart has emerged as a game-changer in the grocery delivery landscape, offering convenience and time-saving benefits to shoppers. 

And it doesn't stop right there. The Instacart app has set an example for other grocery businesses to grow as well.

From its seamless app interface to a wide selection of stores, Instacart has revolutionized how we shop for groceries. Embracing this innovative service opens doors to a stress-free and efficient grocery shopping experience.

Happy shopping!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Instacart in India?

Instacart is not officially available in India. It is a U.S.-based online grocery delivery service that connects customers with personal shoppers to deliver groceries from local stores.

How much does it cost to join Instacart?

Joining Instacart is free for customers. However, Instacart+ membership costs around $99 per year or $9.99 per month, offering free delivery and reduced service fees.

What is the purpose of Instacart?

The purpose of Instacart is to provide a convenient grocery delivery service, allowing users to shop online from nearby stores and have items delivered to their doorstep.

How do Instacart shoppers get paid?

Instacart shoppers earn money per order, including base pay, tips, and bonuses, with payments made weekly or instantly via direct deposit for completed deliveries.

How quickly can I get my groceries delivered?

Delivery times depend on your location, store availability, and shopper availability. Typically, Instacart offers same-day delivery and allows users to schedule deliveries for specific time slots that suit their convenience.

What if an item is out of stock?

If an item you ordered is out of stock, the shopper may suggest a replacement. You can approve or request a different replacement or receive a refund for the unavailable item.

Can I add special instructions to my order?

Yes, you can add special instructions for your shopper during the checkout process. This allows you to request specific preferences or any other necessary details for your delivery.

How can I contact my shopper or customer support?

You can communicate with your shopper directly through the instacart nedir or website. For any other concerns or issues, Instacart offers customer support accessible through the Help Center.

Is tipping the shopper necessary?

While tipping is not required, it is customary to tip your shopper for their service. You can add a tip during the checkout process, and 100% of the tip goes directly to the shopper.