Instacart is an American company that operates a pick-up and delivery service in the United States and Canada, which runs via a website and mobile app.
The idea is simple: a person selects products from participating retailers, and an independent contractor, also known as a shopper, picks up the items and delivers them.
However, the reality is much more chaotic. As the subreddit r/InstacartShoppers shows, the interactions on the platform can get quite funny, weird, infuriating, and even creepy.
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#1 That’s A New One
#2 Tips Pay The Bills But This
The range of stores someone can purchase from (and, in turn, the orders themselves) depends on where they live. Typically, Instacart provides access to a range of retailers, including:
grocery stores;pharmacies;big box stores;pet supply chains;office supply retailers. #3 Had A Delivery That Was Just 4 20lb Cat Food Bags This Morning, And Upon Arrival
#4 So I Had A First Today. Take The First Load To The Customer’s Door And Come Back For Another And There’s A Damn Goat In My Trunk Investigating Things
#5 The Only Type Of Customer I Like Meeting Me At The Door
Instacart offers free deliveries for new members, but afterward, delivery fees start from $3.99 for same-day orders over the value of $35. Otherwise, they will vary according to these factors:
the time of day;a person’s location;the size of the order.
However, it’s also important to highlight that the delivery fees do not include tips for the shoppers.
#6 Found Kittens While Shopping
#7 When You Pull Up To A Big A**ed Apartment Complex And Worry About Having To Hunt For The Address, But Then You Realize That Ricky Is A God Damn Hero. 5 Stars Ricky… Would Deliver Again
#8 I Thought The Candies Are For Kids For A While
#9 This Order Was 25 Boxes Of Breakfast Bars And 6 Cases Of Water. Didn’t Even Mind Carrying The 6 Cases Of Water!!! I Knew It Was For The March In Dc. Makes Me Proud To See. I Bought Some Fruit Snacks For Them To Give Out For The Kids. #blacklivesmatters
Grocery delivery can be a convenient and potentially safer option for many individuals, including:
People with certain health conditions: Certain health issues may make in-store shopping difficult or stressful for some. Those who find shopping difficult due to mobility problems, chronic fatigue, or other similar reasons may benefit from a home delivery service.People following a meal plan: Instacart makes it easier to stick to a specific shopping list, and this may be helpful for those who are trying to improve the quality of their diet.People who want to avoid impulse buys.Busy people: Instacart may be helpful for those who work long hours or have caring responsibilities and wish to save time. #10 Rough Day
#11 Best Delivery Pic Ever!
#12 Kelly Likes Her Job A Lil Too Much
#13 What A $1 Tippers House Looks Like
There are currently more than 600,000 existing shoppers delivering the things people need.
But the amount of money they earn varies and depends a lot on their role type. In the United States, for example, there are options to become a full-service shopper or an in-store shopper.
#14 Customer Left An Envelope With My Name On It
#15 Be Kind To Your Shoppers!
#16 Met These Characters On A Delivery Today
#17 Well Damn Kimmy
Full-service shoppers:
Can shop for and deliver groceries (car needed);Are independent 1099 contractors (they handle taxes);Are able to work when they want;Can earn tips on top of pay;Option is available wherever Instacart operates. #18 Marie’s Reaction To Me Having To Evacuate The Kroger In The Middle Of Her Batch
#19 I Don’t Even Know How To Respond To This Smh
#20 Best Day Ever!!
#21 Instacart Support Is So Good
In-store shoppers:
Shop on an assigned shift;Do in-store shopping only (no delivery, so a car isn’t required);Are part-time employees of Instacart (the company handles taxes);Work shifts up to 29 hours per week;Option is available in many areas (but not all) to help meet increased demand. #22 Instacart Sent Me To The Wrong Address. Customer Care Can’t Figure Out Where This Customer Lives Or Phone Number So They Cancelled The Order. So Here I Am With $600 Worth Of Crab And Lobster
#23 Wrong Item My A**
#24 How Am I Gonna Fit This Into A Toyota Camry?
#25 A Delivery I Did A While Ago
For full-service shoppers, Instacart is like Uber for food. While in-store shoppers earn a fixed, hourly wage, these folks earn by the order with varying amounts.
The Instacart app shows an estimate of potential earnings for every order and guarantees shoppers will earn at least $5 for each delivery-only run and $7 to $10 for each full-service (shop, load, and deliver) batch.
#26 I’ve Always Thought About Doing This
#27 Well There Goes My Tip
#28 Costco- $1,050 Order. Life Changing Tip
Took this thinking it might be percentage based tip. Nah, customer tipped flat 25.
1hr 46 minutes in store. 10 mins loading… which I had to Tetris in my camry. 10mins unloading into cust garage.
Biggest order I’ve done so far. I’ve done orders from the same store, paid 3x more and took less time. Needless to say I was disappointed after all the hard work
#29 The Customer Had This Sign In Front Of Her House. She Tipped $2
Earning potential is usually higher when customer demand spikes, so working on Sundays and during popular events, like the Super Bowl, can mean more money, but, as you can see from the pictures, more interaction with customers can increase your headache as well.
#30 And The Trophy For Most Entitled Customer Goes To
