Order Grocery Pickup Or Delivery Through Instacart

 

Order Groceries Online Same Day Delivery

Order Grocery Pickup Or Delivery Through Instacart

 

Since we have been quarantined, I have ordered groceries from Instacart.

I initially started ordering food to be delivered at my doorstep.   I  was able to get same-day delivery.

When things started opening up, many stores began to offer curbside pickup.   This was exciting because this allowed me to feel like I was going somewhere.  Curbside has been great.  When I arrive at the store, I park in the pickup area.   I let the store know I am outside.  I then open my truck and they place my groceries inside.  There is no contact. 

I thought ordering groceries through Instacart would be a bit costly.  I was wrong! 

Delivery Fee For Instacrat

Delivery fees can differ based on the time you want your order delivered, and how large the order is. Delivery fees are higher during busy times. There will be a clear indication of this when you are choosing your delivery time.

Delivery fees start at $3.99. As always, Instacart Express members get free delivery on orders over $35. 

If your order is late but you paid for busy pricing delivery, they will automatically refund the busy pricing fee, however, the regular delivery fee will still apply.

Keep in mind there may be an order minimum amount before you’re eligible for delivery.   The order minimum has been $35, for me. 

Instacart Pickup Fee

There is no service fee or alcohol service fee for pickup orders.   When pickup orders started I was charged a $1.50 pickup fee.   It has changed since then. 

Heavy Fee

The heavy order fee helps cover operational costs and only applies when you purchase certain heavy items, like cases of beverages and pet food, among other products. The fee is applied if the total combined estimated weight of these items is above 50 lbs.

You can always review which items qualify for this fee before you place your order.

To find out which of your item(s) are associated with a heavy order fee—

1. Create an order as you usually would in the app or on instacart.com
2. You can see the heavy order fee in the order subtotal
3. Select the Review link to see the heavy items in your order
4. You can adjust the quantity of these items in the pop-up window to avoid or lower the heavy fee

Items at certain retailers may have a weight limit and be unavailable for purchase.

I did not realize there was a heavy fee when I placed an order with heavy items.  I was not paying attention to the additional fees when I placed the order.  It did not matter at the time, I was afraid of COVID 19 and was doing whatever I could to get my groceries delivered, safely. 

Bottles Deposit and Bags Fees

These fees are collected in accordance with local city and state laws where applicable. To find more information about your state’s bottle deposit fees, please visit bottlebill.org.

To see your state’s bag fees, visit ncsl.org

Taxes and Fees

Like any other service or product, taxes are included in the order totals on your delivery receipt that’s emailed to you upon the completion of your order. The tax and/or fees you pay on products purchased through the Instacart platform are calculated the same way as in a physical store.  Depending on your location, the delivery or service fee that you pay to Instacart in exchange for its service may also be subject to tax.

There are a few different taxes involved when you place an order

• Sales tax: The sales tax may be applied to some or all of the items in your order in accordance with local laws depending on the address of the store or your delivery address.
• Heavy fee: This fee helps cover operational costs and only applies to an order once the combined estimated weight of certain items totals to above 50 lbs.
• Bottle Deposit: In certain jurisdictions, a bottle fee may apply to purchases of bottles, cans, or other recyclable containers.  These deposits may be applied on some or all of the items in your order in accordance with local laws depending on the address of the store.
• Bag Fees: In certain jurisdictions, a fee is charged for use of non-reusable bags.  This fee may be applied to your order in accordance with local laws depending on the address of the store.
• Sugar Sweetened Beverage Fees: In certain jurisdictions, sugary beverages are subject to an additional tax.  These fees may be applied on some or all of the items in your order in accordance with local laws depending on the address of the store.
• San Francisco Healthy Tax: This tax applies only to orders within the city of San Francisco. Visit sfgov.org to learn more.

 

 

Communicating With The Shopper

When I have had my orders delivered, it went smoothly most of the time. 

Instacart suggests you download the app.  I have not done so.  I like to order online and track my order through my account and text messages with the shopper.  

The Instacart app lets you track your personal Shopper’s progress and view item changes. Turn on notifications to get alerts for all changes, including replacements and refunds.

If your personal Shopper hasn’t begun your order, you can update your order in the Order page.  If your Shopper has already started working on your order, you can Chat with them for assistance. 

Since I do not use the app, I receive a text that alerts me when the shopper begins shopping.  There is a link to the text that directs me to the website.   I either communicate through the website or text, to make any changes to my order. 

Ordering groceries for delivery has been easy.  There was one time, the shopper was not communicating well.  Instacart issued a $10 credit to my account, for the inconvenience. 

If you are trying ways to shop for groceries and stay safe, try Instacart.   Click here to start shopping.