InstaCart Review

InstaCart just opened delivery in my area (zip 27520) and they offered a $20 credit with promo code HICLAYTON so I thought- let’s give it a try and let everyone know what I thought. (if you sign up with a referral link…this is my sister’s you get a $10 credit too!)

The two options for delivery in my area were CVS and Lowes Foods. Since I hadn’t taken dinner out of the freezer the other night I decided to go with Lowes and get some chicken for dinner and a few random items we needed or wanted just to see how it all works.

My order included:

12 oz Fresh Express Salad $1.09
3 Land O Lakes White Hot Cocoa Mix $1.18
3 lb Amick Farms Family Chicken Breast $2.19/lb
6 baking Potatoes  $7.78
2 Broccoli Crownsn $4.94
Frozen Corn on the Cob $2.69
Reynolds Wrap Foil, 75 sq ft $4.89
Lowes Foods Butter $4.99
Sara Lee Bread $3.29
Rice A Roni $1.09

The estimated total after all my credits was $4.72 including a tip, service fee and delivery fee. They did place a $10 hold on my credit card to cover any increases or changes.

While my personal shopper was in the store shopping I noticed that the $1.09 salad mix was replaced with one for $4.38.  I was able to message the shopper through the website and let them know I didn’t want that more expensive salad. She was awesome and took it off the order. In her defense- with the lettuce recall there were very few salad options and she grabbed the one that most closely matched what I originally ordered even though it was more expensive.

The Instacart shopper arrived just at 10 am (the delivery window as 9-10) and was super sweet.  I got my groceries and here it is

If I had gone to the store my total would have been $38.64 after tax. My pre- promo code total at InstaCart was $52.13, after promo codes it was $10.13.

After getting my items – I decided my $2 tip was too low so I upped that and my final cost after all the promo codes I had been sent ($40 worth)  was $12.13.

My final thoughts:

I can see a few instances that I will use instacart grocery delivery but it won’t be a weekly thing for me.

What I loved:

• InstaCart’s online ordering and following the order- even to the point of reaching the shopper while they are IN the store- is awesome. I could even track the driver on their way to the house so I could grab my overly excitable dog and lock her inside.
• My Shopper was SUPER sweet and responded to my message within seconds.
• It’s awesome to have groceries delivered in so many instances. New Baby? Just home from traveling? Car in the shop?

What I didn’t love:

• They DO take a margin (i.e. jack up the prices) on items in the store. For example- the bread was $0.30 more, the foil $0.40 more, the potatoes $0.40 more.  That doesn’t seem like a lot but with a big order- that adds up quickly
• The fees add up too. I paid a $3.99 delivery free, a $4.10 tip, $2.05 service fee. So of that $12.13 – $10.14 of it was fees or tips. I feel that their “$3.99 delivery” cost was misleading because of all the other charges.

Just a tip: Lowes Foods offers their own in-store ordering and pickup. The fee there is a flat $4.95 (or you can subscribe for a year for $99.00) with no price increases.