Community Chat

[songbird]

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@AngelPuppy1 wrote:

I have never shopped using Instacart before and am hoping someone will answer me a couple basic questions.  Do you have to have a smart phone to do this?  Because I don't have one.  

Also, I would just like to use it for Aldi, as this store is getting to be a mad house!  If you can use Instacart without smart phone, do I just sign on to the site and use my regular credit card and then pick my items and pick a delivery date? Thank you for your help.  I've never done any home deliveries.  

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No you don't need a smart phone.  Can use your desktop or laptop.  You can use your regular credit card.   Yes, you can pick your items and then a message will pop up saying your available delivery date.  Amazon Fresh is a lot easier to use. Without hidden fees.  Shame they are so swamped....I can no long use them. 

[songbird]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@songbird 

I've decided that I can no longer expect to get the exact same items I once bought in the past. I have to learn to expect the unexpected and that includes food. We get what is offered, not what we want. That's just how it's going to be until things get better...and they will TG.

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That' the one thing that irritates me.  They will not offer food that is actually in the store.  Just some of them.   Giant has the Bounty double rolls paper towels in the actual store.  But Instacart will not list it. That's one example. Wegman has certain specific items you ca't get anywhere else, but instacart will not list it.

[Shawnie]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@Spurt 

I'll probably just shop one store and that way I can easily meet the minimum $35 to get my stuff delivered. It's just me here and I don't need much...just fresh produce mostly and maybe some frozen items like berries and mixed veggies. I think I'm going to pay the $9.99 monthly fee for the Express...that might be the best deal for me because I like to shop once a week and if you do the math that would be about $12 a month w/o Express. A bit of a savings there but every cent counts for me. 

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I paid the 9.99 for Express too but now it seems a waste of money cause there aren't any delivery times.

[songbird]

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@Spurt 

I'll probably just shop one store and that way I can easily meet the minimum $35 to get my stuff delivered. It's just me here and I don't need much...just fresh produce mostly and maybe some frozen items like berries and mixed veggies. I think I'm going to pay the $9.99 monthly fee for the Express...that might be the best deal for me because I like to shop once a week and if you do the math that would be about $12 a month w/o Express. A bit of a savings there but every cent counts for me. 

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I paid the 9.99 for Express too but now it seems a waste of money cause there aren't any delivery times.

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Just as well I didn't use them.  I checked back there and no delivery times avaiable.

[Spurt]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@Spurt 

I'll probably just shop one store and that way I can easily meet the minimum $35 to get my stuff delivered. It's just me here and I don't need much...just fresh produce mostly and maybe some frozen items like berries and mixed veggies. I think I'm going to pay the $9.99 monthly fee for the Express...that might be the best deal for me because I like to shop once a week and if you do the math that would be about $12 a month w/o Express. A bit of a savings there but every cent counts for me. 

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@SilleeMee 

That monthly plan sounds like a good plan for you.... I know what you mean....its just me too, but I easily spend $35 and get a lot of frozen stuff too especially veggies and fruit like you the berries, and the basics---meat, bread, milk, coffee, pasta, soups, personal care stuff , maybe a snack etc.......And I easily meet the $35 minimum especially the week when I throw in cleaning products, laundry detergent, and pet supplies (I buy the big tub of kitty litter and big bag of cat food) .....

Now depending on the season, I'll also order everything from Instacart except produce which I'll get at a local Farmers Market (cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, red new potatoes, carrots, onions, lemons etc)... ....their prices are cheaper than grocery stores and the produce tastes better too...

[Spurt]

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@AngelPuppy1 wrote:

I have never shopped using Instacart before and am hoping someone will answer me a couple basic questions.  Do you have to have a smart phone to do this?  Because I don't have one.  

Also, I would just like to use it for Aldi, as this store is getting to be a mad house!  If you can use Instacart without smart phone, do I just sign on to the site and use my regular credit card and then pick my items and pick a delivery date? Thank you for your help.  I've never done any home deliveries.  

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@AngelPuppy1 

You can do Instacart on your computer too.....  

First check to see if its available at your location and what stores Instacart services in your area. ....

Go to Instacart.com and enter your zip code and at the left top of screen click stores and if Aldi is there, and if you like what you see you can register and enter a credit/debit card click Aldi and it will take you to the Aldis website......do your shopping and when you check out you then select the time, and enter a tip if you want....  We dont have Aldi stores here so I dont know about the pricing etc....

It looks like even if Instacart doesnt service your location Aldi may have a delivery service, go to www.shop.aldi.us  and select grocery delivery from any device....you would have to explore the website to get answers since we dont have that store here in Texas....

[Spurt]

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@songbird wrote:

@SilleeMee @bikerbabe @Spurt @Shawnie etc. Thank you for the information.  I guessed I would need at least $35.00 per stores.  What's annoying is that they don't show you want is actually in the store, just selected things.  Giants and Wegmans are super big stores with a ton of food.  So I cleared what I want.  I can't do anything now as I've already have food (till next week anyway)

I loved ordering from Amazon Fresh.  I liked the idea of pulling from a warehouse.I didn't mind the $99.00  fee in the beginning, as it wasn't confusing.  Of course after it became free, I loved it more. I can no longer order from them. Frustrating.  Instacart is more like an Uber for supermarkets.  There is an individual driver in each area that will drive up to your home with different orders. 

Instacart would never make money if they offered everything the supermarket actually carries. There is one more service called shipt  (something like that)

Going to the supermarket the other day was horrible.  I don't want to repeat it.  I might have to go with instacart, but only if I have no choice. 

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@songbird  @SilleeMee  @Shawnie  @AngelPuppy1 @bikerbabe 

Instacart has individual contracts with each store so it varies on what they can offer....you can shop for ANYTHING in our grocery store departments that HEB has to offer---in addition to groceries, deli, bakery, personal care, pets, cleaning products, kitchen items (coffee pots, kitchen gadgets, pots and pans) greeting cards, floral etc...you see the Instacart Shoppers with their large cars filling orders going around the store....

Instacart is a 2 billion company.  They make money through delivery fees and subscriptions. Also the company has revenue sharing models in place with all retailers on its platform. Though the scope of those models vary from vendor to vendor, Instacart doesn't share exactly how these models work.

The other avenue is promotions-based. Instacart works with brands of consumer packaged goods (CPGs) to offer customers special discounts in the Instacart Deals section of its online marketplace. It's kind of like having an ad platform, except you have real people actually in the moment of purchase, which means that CPGs can work with Instacart to pay for better visibility.

Shipt also offers delivery---Ive never used them....but Ive seen their shoppers wearing t-shirts in stores like Natural Foods and Sprouts....

[Spurt]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

Delivery dates and times are constantly changing. For example, I have a cart full of stuff in my IC order waiting for me to purchase. Each time I go back to look at it, the delivery time changes and, in my case, the date/time is sooner than before. Good news!

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@SilleeMee 

In these challenging times I place my order in advance....I ordered Saturday and the earliest delivery date was Wednesday which was perfect for me....and the earliest time was 9AM which is my usual time.....but a message came up that due to overwhelming responses instead of 9-10, the delivery could be delayed to 9-11....When things hopefully get back to normal I can order the night before or real early that same day....

[Spurt]

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@songbird wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@songbird 

I've decided that I can no longer expect to get the exact same items I once bought in the past. I have to learn to expect the unexpected and that includes food. We get what is offered, not what we want. That's just how it's going to be until things get better...and they will TG.

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That' the one thing that irritates me.  They will not offer food that is actually in the store.  Just some of them.   Giant has the Bounty double rolls paper towels in the actual store.  But Instacart will not list it. That's one example. Wegman has certain specific items you ca't get anywhere else, but instacart will not list it.

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@songbird 

Thats not the same with HEB groceries you can buy the house brand or the national brand as long as the store has stocked it..... 

[Spurt]

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@Spurt 

I'll probably just shop one store and that way I can easily meet the minimum $35 to get my stuff delivered. It's just me here and I don't need much...just fresh produce mostly and maybe some frozen items like berries and mixed veggies. I think I'm going to pay the $9.99 monthly fee for the Express...that might be the best deal for me because I like to shop once a week and if you do the math that would be about $12 a month w/o Express. A bit of a savings there but every cent counts for me. 

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I paid the 9.99 for Express too but now it seems a waste of money cause there aren't any delivery times.

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@Shawnie  @Shawnie 

Normally thats not the case where I live...in these challenging times I order in advance and placed an advance order Saturday and still got my regular wednesday/thursday shopping/delivery date....I also depends how many employees Instacart has in your location too...