Community Chat

[eddyandme]

@stevieb, guess I've been fortunate.  And, my friends in NH have had access to plenty of food.  Something to be thankful for!

Can't wait to dive into fresh vegetables - something I never thought I'd 'want' for.  Now we're (MA) into the peak of the virus and I'm afraid to buy fresh.  So still will wait.

I feel sorry for those amongst us who don't have access to plenty of food and everyday necessities.  Hopefully this will end soon and life will be 'normal' again.

Hang in there, my friend!

[Spurt]

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@stevieb wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

I've never done my food shopping on line so I don't know if this would have any effect of not getting the items you ordered but when I go grocery shopping, I'm not getting the brand I'd usually buy or a particular item.  For example:  I like Progresso bread crumbs, but they only had Kroger brand and if I wanted Oreo's and they only had chocolate chip.  Does shopping on instantcart allow for substitutions?  I'm not getting many of the things I'd usually pick up at the grocery store.  I've been buying things I have never tried before.

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@ScrapHappy 

Ive been with Instacart for grocery delivery for awhile pre and post pandemic....I ALWAYS make sure to include a replacement item which their APP recommends, or I also place an additional suggestion in the place they give to add an online note. If your item is out of stock, your shopper will text you....they will offer a replacement thats available, you can approve or diapprove the replacement on line...or chat with your shopper online ....but if there is nothing available they will just refund you....(and yes Ive had to settle a few times for store brands rather than a national brand but the store brand was fine....just glad I got the product)...

I found its now important to be very deligent and focused on your app when your shopping is in progress until completion....that way you can approve or disapprove replacements and make further recommendations....Ive always been pleased with Instacart and the shoppers Ive had have always tried their best and were professional....of course I do give them a GOOD tip for their efforts...the convenience is worth it to me....especially now...............

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We're all different and I'm glad you like Instacart @Spurt. I had my virgin experience with them today and NEVER AGAIN... I don't want to be glued to a cellphone for the couple hours it takes them to shop, text messaging back and forth... NO THANKS... Nor do I want to guess at the acceptability of available substitutes. I'll stick with Peapod, where you either authorize them up-front to make reasonable (and returnable) substitutes or you don't . Their choices have almost always been good ones. I simply don't want to be bombarded with close to 50 text messages, as I was today to manage alternatives... If I wanted to go through all that, I'd just take my chances and go shopping... Calling me would be quicker and take up less time, but they apparently prefer not to do that... As for availability, it continues to suck in my area... My order was for over two hundred dollars but by the time they 'refunded' me for unavailable items, I ended up with about seventy-five dollars worth of groceries... A colossal waste of time and after waiting the better part of a week to even get a delivery 'window', which stretched for three days... Added to all that, the only way to reach them to ask a procedural was an on-line chat that was not remotely helpful... Uh uh... Assuming things ever settle down, I might give them another shot down the road but then again, I might not... Say what you will, but I continue to feel strongly that the supply chain issues are not improving and it's going to take some sort of authority to make it happen. Left to their own devices, the distribution chain and retailers are not cutting the mustard. There's way too much variability and it needs to be better managed.

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@stevieb 

A friend of mine chose another delivery service, FAVOR,  wich is run by the grocery store chain, she did curbside and had the same experience with WEIRD replacement items too, but both Instacart and Shipt were booked solid for 4 weeks!!!  And she has several health conditions so she doesnt want to shop in-store.....

Sorry you had a bad experience with Instacart.....Normally you can set the preference on how you want to be contacted--and PHONE is usually an option---but I guess with this pandemic and shoppers being overwhelmed texting is the preference now since the shoppers are young and thats what they like!

Each part of the country seems to be different as far as distribution and availability of goods! It sounds like you have a real distribution problem where you live.....and right there near the qwapitol too.....Im surprised people havent picketed "that house" with signs that say, "we need food"......

Hopefully things will get better....they are trying to slowly open up our economy here...we will see how that goes.... after a week they will revisit it....

[stevieb]

@Spurt  I have no idea what the rationale for 'text only' is but it's not working well when there are SO MANY items potentially needing replacement choices. And the notion that contact options have been narrowed to text because the shoppers like it would just be foolish. It's the customers they need to please, not the shoppers... The various services are different to be sure. I just prefer not to be contacted about every single replacement. The Instacart system might work well under 'normal' circumstances, assuming we EVER see them again, when not so many items might require a replacement choice, but I'll tell you, my experience yesterday was a nightmare and, as noted, I got a fraction of what I ordered. More substitutions would have been welcomed, but I was not able to guide their hand throughout the store so I guess I got what I got...

[eddyandme]

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@stevieb wrote:

@Spurt  I have no idea what the rationale for 'text only' is but it's not working well when there are SO MANY items potentially needing replacement choices. And the notion that contact options have been narrowed to text because the shoppers like it would just be foolish. It's the customers they need to please, not the shoppers... The various services are different to be sure. I just prefer not to be contacted about every single replacement. The Instacart system might work well under 'normal' circumstances, assuming we EVER see them again, when not so many items might require a replacement choice, but I'll tell you, my experience yesterday was a nightmare and, as noted, I got a fraction of what I ordered. More substitutions would have been welcomed, but I was not able to guide their hand throughout the store so I guess I got what I got...

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@stevieb, if we were closer, I'd shop for you.....but, you'd be stuck with what I picked up - when in doubt, I get what I'd like.  Spend enough time looking around for items I'm not used to buying, certainly wouldn't waste time calling/texting.  Instacart probably wouldn't hire me!

[alicedee]

@josie I haven't been up long enough to read all the responses, so probably someone else suggested this...but I would call your city administrative office....mayor's office....police department non-emergency number, Council On Aging, Meals On Wheels, or a local church and explain your dilemma and ask if they can point you to someone who could help you.

You will have to do some phone work...and I know it can be difficult to ask for help sometimes... but these are exceptional times, and I know there are people out there who will help you.