Have you checked the paper receipt collected by your shopper and compared it to the
online receipt sent by Instacart? I did, when I finally got a receipt and I was annoyed.
I started to wonder about all those other receipts I never received from my shoppers and how much I was possibly overcharged.
Did you know that you might be overpaying for your Instacart order?
When I compared the receipt I found in my grocery bag to my
online receipt, I was shocked because I realized that there was an overcharge of $22.74, on Instacart. I did not like overpaying for my Instacart order; especially during the pandemic when we are all watching every dime.
My local Giant store offered me savings on my groceries, of over $5, which were not passed on to me. Plus 90 flexible points.
Additionally, I had to pay other fees to Instacart, including:
- Delivery Fee – $3.99
- Sales Tax – $1.38
- Service Fee – $7.97
I also tipped by shopper over $10. So, it makes me think, who gets these points and card savings.
I decided to send a report to Instacart that I was overpaying for your Instacart order. They responded in under 2 hours.
When I contacted Instacart, they advised in their response that:
“I do understand you concern about the difference you see between the Instacart digital receipt and the retailer’s paper receipt.
Retailers set the prices of items available for delivery on the Instacart platform. Whenever possible, retailers aim to offer the same prices as in stores, but retailers consider many factors when setting prices on Instacart. Further, the paper receipt doesn’t accurately show what you were charged on your order, which includes factors such as the delivery fee, tip, or adjustments made to your order.”
How does the paper receipt not accurately show what I am charged?
Would it not be an issue between the Giant store and Instacart?
Are consumers being saddled with whatever fees Giant should be paying to Instacart for using their platform?
Instacart’s second response stated:
“Thanks for asking about our pricing policies.
We work with retailers to bring you the same prices that are in the store, but it’s ultimately up to the retailer to set their Instacart prices. That’s why some retailers are more expensive on Instacart.
We don’t honor in-store discounts, but we do offer hundreds of exclusive coupons.”
Does this still not mean that someone is benefitting from the $22.74 that I was overcharged?
How do I make sense of the discrepancies on Instacart?
When my shopper used the Instacart credit card for my goods totaling $91.07 on a paper receipt, but actually showing me $113.81 online; should the savings not be passed down to the customer?
Also, I directly see the adjustments, which I approve in real-time, on both Instacart’s online portal and the paper receipt. I take care to track my orders in real-time on Instacart because my first Instacart shopper chose more expensive items and jacked up the cost and tip. Another shopper, purposely left off items, which I knew to be in the store because he did not want to shop those items.
Instacart vs. Amazon Prime
Instacart is an American company that operates a grocery delivery and pick-up service in the United States and Canada.
Now, I have recently started to shop with Instacart, instead of
Amazon Prime / Fresh, because of how quickly my order should be delivered. Instacart promises to deliver within one or two hours, but I waited over 3 hours.
My shopper was great; however, Instacart’s policies are highly suspect in this matter.
With Amazon Prime, at least my orders are charged based on what I see directly on the website. Also, some prices are cheaper. For example, a case of Deerpark water was $1, less than what was stated on Instacart – Giant store portal.
Furthermore, my Amazon Prime fee is tied with Movies, TV, Music, Alexa, Kindle books, and other benefits, so my delivery is free over $35.
Unlike with Instacart, where I have to pay $3.99 even though I purchased over $100.
Hiking of Prices by Delivery Services
Because of the global Covid-19 pandemic, many people are opting to stay home and use online delivery services to buy their groceries and
shop for food. However, over the last six months, I have noticed a significant increase in fees by those such as Doordash.
It now costs twice the amount for the meal to order with Doordash.
I am not the only one noticing this trend, millions of people have too and legislatures in some States are even passing laws to mitigate this; but it is not working.
We can understand that these are businesses that need to turn a profit. However, it makes you think how much of a profit they are making when you look at owners and CEOs like Jeff Bezos earning in the billions of dollars and becoming the richest men in the world.
The Decision
I decided that I won’t use Instacart again; canceling my account.
Also, I have significantly cut down my Doordash orders and will only use delivery services if absolutely necessary. My Amazon orders are down by 100% each month.
For the sake of transparency, in every transaction, I will take the risk of going out and purchasing my own groceries. At least, my local Giant store will pass on the savings and gas benefits directly to me.
*****
About the writer:
Poetess Denise N. Fyffe is a published author of over 30 books, for more than eight years and enjoys volunteering as a Counselor. She is a freelance writer for online publications such as Revealing the Christian Life among others.
Check out her book How to Keep Writing
This book shares key practical strategies on how to become an author and a working writer. It helps you to get over the everyday nuisances that hinder the writing process. You can follow each strategy, at your own pace until you are writing frequently. It is geared towards both aspiring fiction and nonfiction authors and working writers who produce content, on a daily basis.
Available at all online book retailers and Amazon.com.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Jamaica Pen Publishers 