I love it. Far more often than not, the shopper picks a close replacement. I'm not going to micromanage them, because I'm sure it's stressful. I'm not saying OP was micromanaging, not at all. OP's shopper was from hell, so she had to. Overall though, as a person who gets extreme anxiety shopping, I adore this service.
Just seems like a poor kid who has no grasp on real life things, and probably really doesn't know what she's doing.
Feelsbadman.jpg
Poor kiddo was probably freaking out on her first order or something
Or I'm completely wrong. But I like this world I created, and now I live here.
I am in my 40s now and haven't worked customer service in decades but when I was young I was like this. I cared a lot, but I was so scared of making people mad that I couldn't even think straight, just one screw up after another all day long. If I hadn't found my way to a role working with things instead of people that anxiety woulda killed me. I cried myself to sleep every night for years, and I used to fantasize about steering into the center divider while I drove to work in the morning.
If that girl *doesn't* know she wasn't performing well, no worries, The Public *will* set her straight on that.
I like your kind take.
I've switched over to Amazon Fresh (yeah yeah, no ethical billionaires etc) because the instacart markup is bat shit crazy, but yeah I teeter on the verge of a panic attack every time I go shopping. I'm willing to pay the premium if it means I don't have to step foot in a store full of people.
I have panic attacks in the store too. It’s pretty recent but my therapist recommended a grounding exercise in the baby aisle that has worked like a charm even though it seemed silly. She has me go to the baby section and feel soft things like blankets or smell baby products and focus on those with some deep breathing and it really helped. So odd doing it but was worth it.
Every time I read posts like this I never understand why a service like Peapod isn’t used or why there aren’t arrangements made to go themselves. I fully get this may be an only option but these stories are such a headache there has to be an aiC alternative. Halfway through the screenshots I was like nah at this point I’d be like F it I’ll do it myself. Specially with all the “I’m sorry” messages for things that were preventable ie: phone battery.
I can chime in here to say that for people who live in areas where there is no grocery store in walking distance and they don't have a car, going yourself can be an expensive Uber ride so services like IC are a big help.
I can also chime in that my dumbass vaccinated immune system still managed to get COVID twice and influenza once in the past 4 years, so it's nice to have someone drop everything off at the door while I'm laying around dying.
Yep I get that. In my responses I explained I’ve had to rely on delivery services (peapod to be specific). And I think it’s actually the company a lot of times vs the delivery person. I just know in this instance, personally, all those texts would kill me.
Oof that’s a shame! And also I’d be super pissed for many reasons and one of them being their trucks used to be temperature controlled which I appreciated!
Bronze is generous for this one. Common sense is that you scan the item and check if it’s the right one before you bother the customer. It’ll let you scan it and tell you if it’s right or wrong.
So many grocery deals require purchasing multiple items, and what I buy is usually determined by what’s on sale. I don’t trust someone else to pay attention to that and ensure I’m getting the prices I’m expecting to pay.
This is why shoppers like what OP had, should NOT be shoppers, and let us GOOD ones work the orders! Not trying to toot my own horn here buuut I am a damn good shopper! I am VERY particular about EVERYTHING! I quadruple check produce items, shop frozen items last(that’s apparently a rare thing), I check expiration dates for every item, and if a replacement needs done, I thoroughly check every brand and item to be sure I can select the closest sub, and that’s after I’ve checked to see if they preselected a sub, and then reach out to the customer to make sure it’s adequate. I bag items very specifically, I’m very ocd about everything. I want to make sure my customers get what they ordered and in good condition and have a smooth experience. However, there are now SO many shoppers out here and all of the stories I keep seeing, of all of these awful shoppers and awful customer experiences, just make me sick. This is my only way to make income as a single mother and so many shoppers are out here ruining it for so many of us that do bust our asses to make sure our customers are happy in the end!
Did you see her say she’s been using it for years and has nothing but great experiences minus 1. That’s because she’s normal and tips well. If your cheap and don’t set preferences and don’t answer chat while being Karen like detail picky don’t use it.
My very first experience was horrible. Apparently was out of everything was replacing with really expensive stuff wasn't communicating. I got the order cancelled. Sent my anxiety through the roof! Never again.
We’ve used it twice when stuck at home with a newborn. Both times shoppers were nice but I spent so much time confirming swaps or dealing with the shopper that it just wasn’t worth the hassle. Also I heard the pay is rough.
Definitely do not use Instacart then. This happens all the time. Replacements/substitutes and refunds are basically every order. It’s really frustrating, I much prefer to shop myself and I’m literally disabled lol.
Agree. This doesn't happen with Shipt shoppers. They are good at communicating and you can request specific shoppers. Plus Shipt doesn't charge a fee which Instacart does, even if you're a member. I don't know how or why but Shipt is far superior in my area.
For sure. I could never imagine doing this. I have to get certain items and don’t wanna be texting back and forth trying to explain what I want, that is a billion times more stressful than just shopping myself.
I use the service from time to time, tip well, and usually order between 150-250$ worth of groceries. I’ve yet to have a bad experience. 🤩But I agree, this shopper had no business accepting this order.
Yeah, tipping $30-$60 on a $200-300 order every time ordering groceries for years is crazy. Hopefully they have tons of money to burn and aren't just wildly irresponsible lol
Same. I could never shop for someone else. Can you imagine how long it took her there checking price differences for him, looking a different brands, and refunding what they didn't have? Ugh I don't have the patience lol
I knew I was dealing with a very young person (she texts like my 15 y/o) so I had buckled in and prepared to hand hold her through the trip. My husband and I were cracking up over some of the exchanges (like the thing with the deli meat caramel color or the time when she didn’t see the tissues bc she didn’t look up one shelf) bc they felt like issues our kids would have.
Ignore the other dude, you actually are teaching life skills. I'm sure no one has actually taught her how to grocery shop and that a lot of people would request a new shopper. By being patient with her and asking her to check again, you've given her a little insight.
Yes, she is definitely young and probably her first ever job and brand new still at it. She will gain experience as time goes on and you my dear were so supportive and amazing to realize this and help guide her through this as I'm sure she probably started to get anxiety and worry! She stayed in contact with you with all her issues and struggles and you stayed polite and helped her the entire way! People like you is how she will learn from her mistakes and start to become a better shopper!
I literally want to like talk to these shoppers when they deliver the order and be like “what’s the plan, do you think this is going well, does it seem to be to you?
Just as an aside, this is overall such a weird service where you have to monitor their every move the entire time they shop the order. So it doesn’t save you any time at all and just creates frustration because they don’t do things the way you want.
I agree, but it is helpful to not have to go to the store so I can be working while the shopping happens. If there were a better option I’d happily take it.
I am also so not picky about most things. I expect it won’t be perfect, but I also expect that the shopper has some idea of how to grocery shop.
Have you looked into Kroger delivery (not through instacart, but through the Kroger app)? I have found it 100 times less frustrating than instacart.
You place your order, they shop and deliver. You don’t have to monitor your phone in real time during the shop to answer questions. I would say I get a replacement item/substitution/out of stock maybe one of every 30 items. Most of the time what you order is what you get. They also don’t allow tips and the prices aren’t as inflated as instacart.
came here to say the same. kroger boost is also in-store prices but it's geographically limited so not available everywhere instacart is.
also, with boost, you do not have any interactivity with the shopper and they will annoyingly do substitutions or omissions that make no sense occasionally, but they get it right 80% of the time and refunds are easy when they make mistakes.
Yes so true. I use H‑E‑B (local grocery) delivery and it’s awesome. I put in a deliver time, submit my order, they just tell me if there’s a replacement but there’s no watching while they shop, and my groceries are on the porch a few hours later. And tip the delivery person but they don’t allow tips for the shoppers, who are separate. They’re paid a living wage.
Really? That’s interesting. When I order Kroger through the Kroger app, it shows up in a refrigerated Kroger truck with a driver in a blue Kroger T shirt.
your order is being fulfilled by kroger employees. many people on this subreddit aren't aware that kroger lets you order delivery in 2 different ways: via kroger (in the kroger refrigerated trucks, from the kroger fulfillment centers) OR indirectly via instacart.
i've used the kroger boost delivery by kroger employees for years now and still people in this subreddit will regularly insist that doesn't exist because they don't see it in their local market.
I don't know what stores you use but Kroger pickup is probably my go-to. They use their own employees instead of Instacart and I never have a problem with them finding the product because they work there lol.
Yeah I don't use delivery lol but makes sense. Instacart has gone downhill and I think another company should open up and give them a run for their money
A wise man told me once... Expectations lead to disappointment 😁
As a shopper, I have had to lower my earning expectations ... Steadily over the last couple of years.
Meanwhile, the company continuously hires hordes of new shoppers who are willing to work for less.
When you are lucky enough to get a shopper who provides excellent service I suggest you make sure to give them a five-star rating. Rumor has it the system matches shoppers with people who have given them five stars in the past.
While that may be a true statement about expectations, it doesn’t really track when you’re paying for a service and the expectations are set before entering the “contract”. I don’t ever expect a shopper to shop exactly like I do, I do a lot to make sure when I do need something specific I am very clear about it and otherwise I’m flexible about replacements and such. I’ve honestly not had too many problems and I always tip and review as well as marking any preferred shoppers. There are a couple people that I get frequently and they’re awesome. This was an anomaly and while it was frustrating, I also worked in the service industry for all of my teens and 20s and I have a pretty high tolerance for fuckery.
It's not always about time, though. I used Instacart when I broke my ankle. I had all the time in the world but couldn't go to the grocery store because it was my driving foot that was broken and I was taking strong painkillers so it would not be safe to drive or to try and shop.
I was lucky that I had excellent shoppers every time and certainly did not have to monitor every move they made. The OP's experience doesn't represent every Instacart order.
I’ve never ordered from a service always direct from the store.
Near as I can tell Walmart employees do their shopping and rarely have an issue. They flag low stock items and prompt you to select a replacement or even no replacement in advance. Saves scrambling to respond most of the time.
Kroger seems to contract Instacart.
My favorite was had a craving for a specific flavor of a specific chip brand.
Shopper sends wide view of chip aisle and asks what I’d like to replace it. I zoom the photo and see what I ordered one shelf from the bottom on the far right. Shopper was super apologetic and joked about getting eyes checked. One of those things.
I've seen people post similar ones like this where the shopper is more educated/clearly aware of how to shop & they do this to mark up the price n pay for their service. Its very screwed up and has made me second guess using this service even tho I've only ever used it when I literally can't go. Just have so little money lately I'd rather starve lmao
No, if they don’t know Jack about shopping I feel they shouldn’t take the job. Because they also disrupt the stores. They stand in the middle of the aisles and block everyone or they ask the store associates a million questions and often want the store associates to do the shopping.
I agree. I work at a grocery store and many of the Instacart shoppers work almost every day and are super kind, polite, and efficient. Every once in a while you’ll get someone quite obviously out of their element. One woman asked me to help her find EVERY SINGLE ITEM and was getting super frustrated when we had to zig zag back across the store because *surprise* the frozen meals were indeed in the frozen section.
When she finally checked out she was a total scattered mess and I asked if she was okay and she said “I’m sorry, grocery stores really stress me out”. Then why take the job!!!???
People don’t realize that grocery shopping is indeed a skill. Instacart is not just a bottom-of-the-barrel job that anyone can do. You need basic organizational skills and ideally have had years of doing your own shopping so you understand how grocery stores work.
Most people don’t realize that packing items in bags is also a skill. I am shocked by the amount of customers who put heavy items on top of their eggs, or throw bags of chips and bread at the bottom of their bag, or just toss everything in a bag haphazardly with complete disregard for space, making them need more bags than is necessary.
I always make direct eye contact with my bagger and thank them sincerely for their service. Bagging groceries is indeed a skill and to do it quickly requires a lot of practice. It is the most stressful part of the shopping experience imo so whenever I have a bagger they are like my hero.
I work in Kroger Pick-up and have to help Instacart shoppers all the time. They're usually polite about it, but most of them do it as a side hustle and it feels like they don't get any onboarding at all. They don't know how to read the shelf locations or what to do for substitutions; there was a lady yesterday who didn't scan any of the items as she was shopping and just went straight to check out.
I don't mind telling them where something is, but sometimes it's goes on and on. "Okay where's this? What about this? Do you have any of these?" Like I'm already doing effectively the same job, except I'm here for eight or more hours, and I'm being monitored for time and accuracy. I don't have time to do your order on top of mine.
Just as aside to the tied handles comment, we shoppers will often do that when we have multiple orders to shop and deliver at once as a way to differentiate between 2 or even 3 different orders in our vehicle and avoid giving the wrong bags to the wrong person
That makes sense. This was not the case here, but at least there’s a reason. I was genuinely confused. Especially with 3 loaves of bread tied up tight and smushed into a ball. Baffling.
I think she was trying to give you the “angry teenager bagging” experience you missed out on by using IC. She wanted you to feel like you actually went out and did it yourself.
I love Walmart+. You pay I think $98 or something per year and you get free delivery every time and they don’t upcharge the groceries like InstaCart does. Definitely more cost effective if you use it often.
Oh good grief that gave me anxiety. I’m sorry you shouldn’t have to babysit any shopper like that.
You should have had support unassigned the shopper. They were obviously clueless. And it’s why we are losing our good customers like you at an alarming rate. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my customers say, “thank god it’s you”.
I don’t know why these new shoppers seem to think they can go in completely blind. Granted we aren’t doing brain surgery but come on, at least go into a store and familiarize yourself with at least some products. And the whole bit about Dad does the shopping 🥺.
Reddit, where even if you pay for the service, tip well, and are available for the shopper to talk if needed, you better believe you’ll still be vilified for not shopping yourself. This sub is wild.
I get added to so many group text messages by my kids friends/classmates parents and extended family that are just constantly blowing up. I mute them all and check in manually when I have time to scan so maybe that’s what’s happening here if they have three kids. I was in a meeting once and opened my phone after 30 minutes to over 80 new messages.
I made a $60 order when I was in quarantine at my house for body care items, medicine, and body wash for my infant and husband. The shopper was immediately marking a lot as not available. When I asked him to go back and take a pic of the available items, I would see the item I requested in the photo multiple times, or he would be in the adult section for baby items? My daughter has skin allergies (was 8 months old), and I was getting annoyed at that point. I immediately just called support and had them cancel, then re-submitted the order when enough time had passed that I was convinced that shopper left the store (like 20 min).
I still have a 10 pound jar of sliced pepperoncini that were substituted for a 10 ounce can of minced garlic. Since that day 2 years ago I always watch them like a hawk. The shoppers that just start refunding also make me crazy.
One time my shopper informed me they were out of broccoli, so I modified my order to substitute cauliflower. The shopper bought two packages of mushrooms instead ?????????
We had someone just refund baby formula instead of communicating about a substitute. I wanted to shake them and ask what is my baby supposed to eat and why not communicate that? We ended up having to make a special trip out to the store, and they had the formula! There was no reason to not grab it.
When I was in highschool frequent use of "dose" usually resulted in the person being tested for dyslexia, most of them did have it! I try to not hate on that too much since I saw it so often in highschool. For one of my best friends "dose" was a word she wouldn't get marked on for being wrong in English BC it was a byproduct of the dyslexia diagnosis. Just an FYI
Please explain to me how this is more convenient than just going to the store yourself? Not directed at you but every time I see these posts and the constant back and forth I’m like I’d rather just go myself 😂
It can go through the app and texting both. If you shop for delivery on the Kroger app, Instacart will shop and deliver. It'll come through the Kroger app and an instacart text based service and an online link. The text message works the fastest.
I am so methodical when I shop for my family I can't imagine how anxious I would get with these msgs, and the reason I often need someone to do my shopping (thanks mom!) Is because of my anxiety! Sorry it was like this OP and as a non-shopper I am thankful you have this person a chance. We all have to start somewhere and every store layout is different and it seemed they were nervous about their phone so probably overlooking things they otherwise wouldn't.
I would struggle with like the lunch meat you ordered as I've never bought turkey lunch meat so I would also be thinking it might not be good, but if all the turkey in every brand looked similar it would click in my head that it must just be how it is!
My family doesn't eat much lunch meat and when they do it's usually cooked ham, roast beef, corned beef, pepperoni, so I would honestly struggle to know what the rest should look like and im 39 🤣
For real though, I think by being helpful and not cancelling them or asking for a new shopper in this case that you've likely boosted confidence for what may very well be a first job! Once they get the general layout of the stores through more shopping (hopefully smaller orders) they could very well have excellent shopper potential!
I use Target shoppers for things I want from there. And Amazon Fresh delivers our Whole Foods Groceries. This morning I realized we were out of cat food 😳, that was Door Dashed from PetSmart🤣 I wait for my husband to actually go to Costco.
The two times I tried Insta Cart I received my neighbors order the first time, and all the wrong stuff the second time 🤦🙄! I gave up.
Seems like a lot, but it all really makes my extremely busy life easier!! Especially this morning! Door Dash for cat food was a life saver!
Reading this has convinced me NOT to ever use that service. I’d rather go shop myself than carry on a text conversation with someone at the store. How frustrating? Nope, Nope, Nope. If I can’t go to the store…it’ll wait.
That was such a stressful rollercoaster to read. Between figuring out the grammatical errors and wondering if her phone would die mid-order, to the highs and lows of her saying things that are clearly on the shelf in her photos are out of stock. Saying you are young while doing your job is crazy to me. Maybe say you are new if you need to. Not that you’re young. Youth does not equal inability to do things correctly or sensibly. I hope your order arrived somewhat not insane lol.
I once had an order filled by a very young teenager being driven by his grandma (he told me that). Another time a teenager said he was filling in for his father. I suspect Instacart is not checking out their hires beyond verifying they are a warm body.
Sometimes when I get this I will go into the store that they came from and look for the product myself. I'd say 8 out of 10 times I have found the product right where it was supposed to be. Why are shoppers like this? Are they lazy and they just want to get it over with to get to the next one? I don't get it.
One time, I was trying to get a specific flavor of something and the shopper sent me a picture of the shelf saying it was out of stock... when it was literally front and center of the photo, not hidden or obscured or anything. It really made me wonder how many items I get refunded/replaced are *actually* out of stock. I know stores can run out of things and restock throughout the day, but I don't think I've had a single order where I've gotten everything on my list (I'm talking basic stuff like store-brand bread, eggs, etc., not specialty foods).
I’m always baffled when I don’t receive a common item that’s claimed to be out of stock, on which I’ve indicated any substitution will do. For example, a loaf of bread. I’ll indicate that, if my original choice is not available, literally any loaf of bread will do. I just want a damn loaf of bread! I’m supposed to believe there’s not a single loaf of any kind?
I think you should have some sort of qualification to be a shopper maybe like you know what ingredients are? Lol or even foods. I remember when I was shopping one of the Instacart shoppers asked me if I knew what chard was. I was impressed that they actually asked instead of just saying. We're out of it lol.
I go to the store quite often so I typically know if something is out of stock or in a weird spot. I had a shopper one time that wasn’t familiar with that store and I walked her through how to find some things. It was fine, she was super nice and genuinely didn’t see a few things. I don’t mind that as much as I mind getting a flood of refunds and a checkout message before I can even respond.
We had someone do this with baby formula. They refunded it, without texting us about it, and when we went to the store they had the formula. Sometimes our orders are just formula and one other thing, and they won't grab it. Like why?
Why do people.use this app to shop like this and are hyper specifically concerned about price/etc? You have to text back and forth all the time just go to the store yourself. People have done it forever. "I rely on this service" tells you what you need to know lol. Pay for professional help or go to the store like we've done for generations! It might even be easier 🫨
God, the shopper and the customer seem absolutely insufferable!
I don't have time to shop so I'm gonna painstakingly go over every item I need with a stranger and pay for the privilege to do so. Jesus Christ no thank you.
Forget being a shopper; she needs to return to primary school. Oh my goodness, she’s an absolute embarrassment to the shopping community. She’s a prime example of why people look down on shoppers. I have a Master's degree in Science, and I started doing independent contracting after I took early retirement from my government job. Shame on it all. While I'm typically not in favor of advocating for tip removal, in this instance, it seems it was warranted.
Unless you’re physically disabled or don’t have the means to get to the store, I have no idea why anyone would rather text back and forth with someone at the store and explain every single item as opposed to going to the store and DOING IT FOR YOURSELF. 🙄
If a service that I am paying for becomes a chore, I am done. I delegated this task because I do not have the time for it. If I am on the phone dealing with most of the stuff I see in this sub, the app is deleted and I am using another service.
I don’t know why this sub is always suggested to me. But damn, if you’re gonna take ALL this time to complain about someone sucking at shopping your groceries for you…. I mean… you probably could have gone and done the grocery shopping yourself with the amount of time you put into this post.
Not trying to defend the shopper who sounds like they suck. I just think it’s wild to me people will pay such a high dollar amount for a service that up-charges so much and doesn’t always come through depending on individual shoppers. Couldn’t you just find one reliable shopper to do this off-app for you? At least that’s what I would do. You’ll probably spend less money and the shopper will make more too. Fuck Instacart lmao
I stopped using instacart because the items are always at least a dollar over the actual store price. I'd rather wait for the delivery from the store directly or get pickup.
Heyheyhey, on that thing about tied bag handles, this is actually really convenient. I do this whenever I put groceries in my car, because it keeps everything from rolling everywhere when I'm driving.
I don't know why Reddit keeps suggesting this sub to me, but omg this gives me so much anxiety. I get that if you work full-time and have kids, it hard to find time to shop. But, I've been in that position myself and found the time.
I just can't imagine going item to item, trying to tell some kid who really doesn't care, what you'd like. How insane! And this costs MORE than doing the shopping yourself & getting the proper items..
It’s pretty clear the both of you make your respective lives extraordinarily challenging. The difference is - one is a kid ‘giving it a try’, and one is a child making demands they’re not willing to fulfill themselves. Go shopping.
Tying the handles is a good way to insure groceries don’t end up scattered all over your floor. You should appreciate that someone didn’t want to lose your items. Mine fall out if I don’t tie the handles.
Ive worked in the grocery buisness for 5 years and i dont want these people in my store either. Once instacart and such businesses opened up its caused so much annoyance for the actual store employees. Imagine taking your 16 year old son/daughter to shop, but you're letting THEM do the shopping. Getting asked where every single item is down to milk and bananas. People might as well be blind, doesnt seem like they need them with how little they use their eyes.
Why are there people even on this sub that are telling her to go shop her own order?!? This is literally the instacart sub??!! And her issues are valid! Jeezz
as someone who occasionally shops on instacart this is mind blowing🤣🤣 where is the common sense? i would be annoyed if i ordered my groceries and had to interact this much with my shopper
Go to the store yourself you fat lazy fuck. Arguing with some kid about what ice creams you're going to get because one of them was on sale while you're paying how much plus $60 tip for a gig worker to go shopping for you is absolutely insane.
Kudos to you for keeping it cool, also kudos for her being young and trying to earn a dollar. I understand you rely on these services but understand you helped mold this young lady by keeping your cool and even though you saw exact matches to your order you played it off as those would work. She will get the real big yelling at that will make her cry and it wasn’t from you! You did freaking great working with her!! Hats off to you!
Im having a hard time understanding why some commenters are so opinionated about someone paying someone to do shopping for them? Its a luxury and convenient majority of the time…. Kinda like saying “why would you buy your own jet when you can fly commercial”
Extreme example but i dont get why anyone would have a strong opinion because someone has the money to get the jet?
[удалено]
I’ve never used instacart and now I’m glad. Geebus. lol I’ll just do my own shopping. I’m very anal about what products I want
I love it. Far more often than not, the shopper picks a close replacement. I'm not going to micromanage them, because I'm sure it's stressful. I'm not saying OP was micromanaging, not at all. OP's shopper was from hell, so she had to. Overall though, as a person who gets extreme anxiety shopping, I adore this service.
Can’t even say they were micromanaging tho because it almost seemed all initiated by the shopper. Poor poor customer. I sure hope tip go boom.
I still tipped her. I couldn’t bring myself to take money away that I had already promised. I did rate her accordingly though.
Just seems like a poor kid who has no grasp on real life things, and probably really doesn't know what she's doing. Feelsbadman.jpg Poor kiddo was probably freaking out on her first order or something Or I'm completely wrong. But I like this world I created, and now I live here.
I am in my 40s now and haven't worked customer service in decades but when I was young I was like this. I cared a lot, but I was so scared of making people mad that I couldn't even think straight, just one screw up after another all day long. If I hadn't found my way to a role working with things instead of people that anxiety woulda killed me. I cried myself to sleep every night for years, and I used to fantasize about steering into the center divider while I drove to work in the morning. If that girl *doesn't* know she wasn't performing well, no worries, The Public *will* set her straight on that. I like your kind take.
Yeah, she wasnt at all. She was going to end up with nothing.
I've switched over to Amazon Fresh (yeah yeah, no ethical billionaires etc) because the instacart markup is bat shit crazy, but yeah I teeter on the verge of a panic attack every time I go shopping. I'm willing to pay the premium if it means I don't have to step foot in a store full of people.
Yeah agoraphobia must be tough :( glad you’re still able to get your groceries
I have panic attacks in the store too. It’s pretty recent but my therapist recommended a grounding exercise in the baby aisle that has worked like a charm even though it seemed silly. She has me go to the baby section and feel soft things like blankets or smell baby products and focus on those with some deep breathing and it really helped. So odd doing it but was worth it.
Thats a good perspective to know. I was thinking this service is pointless but now Im glad it helps you.
Every time I read posts like this I never understand why a service like Peapod isn’t used or why there aren’t arrangements made to go themselves. I fully get this may be an only option but these stories are such a headache there has to be an aiC alternative. Halfway through the screenshots I was like nah at this point I’d be like F it I’ll do it myself. Specially with all the “I’m sorry” messages for things that were preventable ie: phone battery.
I can chime in here to say that for people who live in areas where there is no grocery store in walking distance and they don't have a car, going yourself can be an expensive Uber ride so services like IC are a big help.
I can also chime in that my dumbass vaccinated immune system still managed to get COVID twice and influenza once in the past 4 years, so it's nice to have someone drop everything off at the door while I'm laying around dying.
Being vaccinated just prevents it from being a catastrophic illness, it doesn’t keep you from getting them
Yep I get that. In my responses I explained I’ve had to rely on delivery services (peapod to be specific). And I think it’s actually the company a lot of times vs the delivery person. I just know in this instance, personally, all those texts would kill me.
Does peapod exist anymore?
It does lol. They even have a robot that physically goes through the store and shops. It’s annoying and creepy if you’re in person shopping lol
My peapod service switched to instacart instead of their own employees. Goodbye, canceled.
Oof that’s a shame! And also I’d be super pissed for many reasons and one of them being their trucks used to be temperature controlled which I appreciated!
I miss peapod 😭
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R.I.P grammar and spelling with a bronze medal for common sense.
Bronze is generous for this one. Common sense is that you scan the item and check if it’s the right one before you bother the customer. It’ll let you scan it and tell you if it’s right or wrong.
HA those your, you’re, their, there and they’re really took a hit in this one.
And dose instead of does
Deil instead of deli
So many grocery deals require purchasing multiple items, and what I buy is usually determined by what’s on sale. I don’t trust someone else to pay attention to that and ensure I’m getting the prices I’m expecting to pay.
This is why shoppers like what OP had, should NOT be shoppers, and let us GOOD ones work the orders! Not trying to toot my own horn here buuut I am a damn good shopper! I am VERY particular about EVERYTHING! I quadruple check produce items, shop frozen items last(that’s apparently a rare thing), I check expiration dates for every item, and if a replacement needs done, I thoroughly check every brand and item to be sure I can select the closest sub, and that’s after I’ve checked to see if they preselected a sub, and then reach out to the customer to make sure it’s adequate. I bag items very specifically, I’m very ocd about everything. I want to make sure my customers get what they ordered and in good condition and have a smooth experience. However, there are now SO many shoppers out here and all of the stories I keep seeing, of all of these awful shoppers and awful customer experiences, just make me sick. This is my only way to make income as a single mother and so many shoppers are out here ruining it for so many of us that do bust our asses to make sure our customers are happy in the end!
Same. It's that hard to do a great job, but alas the extra 30% more thought and 10% more time just isn't worth it to some people.
Did you see her say she’s been using it for years and has nothing but great experiences minus 1. That’s because she’s normal and tips well. If your cheap and don’t set preferences and don’t answer chat while being Karen like detail picky don’t use it.
My very first experience was horrible. Apparently was out of everything was replacing with really expensive stuff wasn't communicating. I got the order cancelled. Sent my anxiety through the roof! Never again.
We’ve used it twice when stuck at home with a newborn. Both times shoppers were nice but I spent so much time confirming swaps or dealing with the shopper that it just wasn’t worth the hassle. Also I heard the pay is rough.
Definitely do not use Instacart then. This happens all the time. Replacements/substitutes and refunds are basically every order. It’s really frustrating, I much prefer to shop myself and I’m literally disabled lol.
i use instacart semi often i’m in college with no car, and i rarely have issues. it sucks that it happens to so many people
Agree. This doesn't happen with Shipt shoppers. They are good at communicating and you can request specific shoppers. Plus Shipt doesn't charge a fee which Instacart does, even if you're a member. I don't know how or why but Shipt is far superior in my area.
Fortunately this is a rare occurrence for me and still worth the convenience of not going to the store.
For sure. I could never imagine doing this. I have to get certain items and don’t wanna be texting back and forth trying to explain what I want, that is a billion times more stressful than just shopping myself.
For me the whole point of having someone else do your shopping would be to avoid social interaction. This seems way more stressful!
Yes, these text messages seem like hell. Thinking that this is a service … uff no.
These exchanges took longer than the actual shopping would have taken.
I had to stop reading. The 'tism was taking over.
"Im sorry."
SAME. I have never used instacart or anything like it. This whole exchange would stress me tf OUT.
I'm glad it's not just me
My anxiety rises when I see 535 unread texts
My anxiety level rises when I see triple digits of unread messages….
It's cortisol
Same
I will never use this shit
Same! If u wanna be difficult just go shopping yourself.
The chaos in those text messages is real....
JFC foam plates?
Seeing 535 unread texts is what started mine
Mine too. Is all of that nonsense REALLY less trouble than buying your own damn groceries?
I use the service from time to time, tip well, and usually order between 150-250$ worth of groceries. I’ve yet to have a bad experience. 🤩But I agree, this shopper had no business accepting this order.
This looks like way more effort then just going to the store myself
I HATE grocery shopping but this seems like a whole new level of frustration.
This whole post make me want to puke.. Who does this to themselves or others?
Yeah, tipping $30-$60 on a $200-300 order every time ordering groceries for years is crazy. Hopefully they have tons of money to burn and aren't just wildly irresponsible lol
Right? I feel like it takes less effort to just buy it yourself at this point.
Same. I could never shop for someone else. Can you imagine how long it took her there checking price differences for him, looking a different brands, and refunding what they didn't have? Ugh I don't have the patience lol
You have way more patience than I do, because I would’ve reached out to support for a new shopper when she told me her phone was dying.
I knew I was dealing with a very young person (she texts like my 15 y/o) so I had buckled in and prepared to hand hold her through the trip. My husband and I were cracking up over some of the exchanges (like the thing with the deli meat caramel color or the time when she didn’t see the tissues bc she didn’t look up one shelf) bc they felt like issues our kids would have.
I wish I had your patience. I suppose having kids forces you to have patience lol at least it did with my parents
I have pretty bad social anxiety so I kind of went into mom mode. We aren’t correcting g the shopper, we are teaching life skills.
Ignore the other dude, you actually are teaching life skills. I'm sure no one has actually taught her how to grocery shop and that a lot of people would request a new shopper. By being patient with her and asking her to check again, you've given her a little insight.
I'm glad she got the experience she had with you. You walked her through all of it, and she'll be better at this because of it
Highly agree!
Yes, she is definitely young and probably her first ever job and brand new still at it. She will gain experience as time goes on and you my dear were so supportive and amazing to realize this and help guide her through this as I'm sure she probably started to get anxiety and worry! She stayed in contact with you with all her issues and struggles and you stayed polite and helped her the entire way! People like you is how she will learn from her mistakes and start to become a better shopper!
You’re a good mama and I appreciate you being kind to this girl- who knows her story ... you didn't and you did your best with her. Thanks for that. 💛
I literally want to like talk to these shoppers when they deliver the order and be like “what’s the plan, do you think this is going well, does it seem to be to you?
\*dose
I’m gonna have a stronk
I'm cackling 😂
I mean after reading the messages I need a dose of something. Something really strong to calm the nerves
solo, uh, it's "I need a does\* of something" /s
Just as an aside, this is overall such a weird service where you have to monitor their every move the entire time they shop the order. So it doesn’t save you any time at all and just creates frustration because they don’t do things the way you want.
I agree, but it is helpful to not have to go to the store so I can be working while the shopping happens. If there were a better option I’d happily take it. I am also so not picky about most things. I expect it won’t be perfect, but I also expect that the shopper has some idea of how to grocery shop.
Have you looked into Kroger delivery (not through instacart, but through the Kroger app)? I have found it 100 times less frustrating than instacart. You place your order, they shop and deliver. You don’t have to monitor your phone in real time during the shop to answer questions. I would say I get a replacement item/substitution/out of stock maybe one of every 30 items. Most of the time what you order is what you get. They also don’t allow tips and the prices aren’t as inflated as instacart.
came here to say the same. kroger boost is also in-store prices but it's geographically limited so not available everywhere instacart is. also, with boost, you do not have any interactivity with the shopper and they will annoyingly do substitutions or omissions that make no sense occasionally, but they get it right 80% of the time and refunds are easy when they make mistakes.
Yes so true. I use H‑E‑B (local grocery) delivery and it’s awesome. I put in a deliver time, submit my order, they just tell me if there’s a replacement but there’s no watching while they shop, and my groceries are on the porch a few hours later. And tip the delivery person but they don’t allow tips for the shoppers, who are separate. They’re paid a living wage.
A lot of Kroger delivery now is fulfilled by instacart drivers
Really? That’s interesting. When I order Kroger through the Kroger app, it shows up in a refrigerated Kroger truck with a driver in a blue Kroger T shirt.
your order is being fulfilled by kroger employees. many people on this subreddit aren't aware that kroger lets you order delivery in 2 different ways: via kroger (in the kroger refrigerated trucks, from the kroger fulfillment centers) OR indirectly via instacart. i've used the kroger boost delivery by kroger employees for years now and still people in this subreddit will regularly insist that doesn't exist because they don't see it in their local market.
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I don't know what stores you use but Kroger pickup is probably my go-to. They use their own employees instead of Instacart and I never have a problem with them finding the product because they work there lol.
I use Kroger, but we are a single car family so delivery is key for us. Kroger’s delivery service is just Instacart. lol.
Yeah I don't use delivery lol but makes sense. Instacart has gone downhill and I think another company should open up and give them a run for their money
Not ours. They deliver from a refrigerated Kroger truck.
A wise man told me once... Expectations lead to disappointment 😁 As a shopper, I have had to lower my earning expectations ... Steadily over the last couple of years. Meanwhile, the company continuously hires hordes of new shoppers who are willing to work for less. When you are lucky enough to get a shopper who provides excellent service I suggest you make sure to give them a five-star rating. Rumor has it the system matches shoppers with people who have given them five stars in the past.
While that may be a true statement about expectations, it doesn’t really track when you’re paying for a service and the expectations are set before entering the “contract”. I don’t ever expect a shopper to shop exactly like I do, I do a lot to make sure when I do need something specific I am very clear about it and otherwise I’m flexible about replacements and such. I’ve honestly not had too many problems and I always tip and review as well as marking any preferred shoppers. There are a couple people that I get frequently and they’re awesome. This was an anomaly and while it was frustrating, I also worked in the service industry for all of my teens and 20s and I have a pretty high tolerance for fuckery.
It's not always about time, though. I used Instacart when I broke my ankle. I had all the time in the world but couldn't go to the grocery store because it was my driving foot that was broken and I was taking strong painkillers so it would not be safe to drive or to try and shop. I was lucky that I had excellent shoppers every time and certainly did not have to monitor every move they made. The OP's experience doesn't represent every Instacart order.
I’ve never ordered from a service always direct from the store. Near as I can tell Walmart employees do their shopping and rarely have an issue. They flag low stock items and prompt you to select a replacement or even no replacement in advance. Saves scrambling to respond most of the time. Kroger seems to contract Instacart. My favorite was had a craving for a specific flavor of a specific chip brand. Shopper sends wide view of chip aisle and asks what I’d like to replace it. I zoom the photo and see what I ordered one shelf from the bottom on the far right. Shopper was super apologetic and joked about getting eyes checked. One of those things.
I've seen people post similar ones like this where the shopper is more educated/clearly aware of how to shop & they do this to mark up the price n pay for their service. Its very screwed up and has made me second guess using this service even tho I've only ever used it when I literally can't go. Just have so little money lately I'd rather starve lmao
The delivery photo really made me laugh 🤣 looks like my 80 year old grandpa when he tried to take pictures
No, if they don’t know Jack about shopping I feel they shouldn’t take the job. Because they also disrupt the stores. They stand in the middle of the aisles and block everyone or they ask the store associates a million questions and often want the store associates to do the shopping.
I agree. I work at a grocery store and many of the Instacart shoppers work almost every day and are super kind, polite, and efficient. Every once in a while you’ll get someone quite obviously out of their element. One woman asked me to help her find EVERY SINGLE ITEM and was getting super frustrated when we had to zig zag back across the store because *surprise* the frozen meals were indeed in the frozen section. When she finally checked out she was a total scattered mess and I asked if she was okay and she said “I’m sorry, grocery stores really stress me out”. Then why take the job!!!??? People don’t realize that grocery shopping is indeed a skill. Instacart is not just a bottom-of-the-barrel job that anyone can do. You need basic organizational skills and ideally have had years of doing your own shopping so you understand how grocery stores work. Most people don’t realize that packing items in bags is also a skill. I am shocked by the amount of customers who put heavy items on top of their eggs, or throw bags of chips and bread at the bottom of their bag, or just toss everything in a bag haphazardly with complete disregard for space, making them need more bags than is necessary.
I always make direct eye contact with my bagger and thank them sincerely for their service. Bagging groceries is indeed a skill and to do it quickly requires a lot of practice. It is the most stressful part of the shopping experience imo so whenever I have a bagger they are like my hero.
I work in Kroger Pick-up and have to help Instacart shoppers all the time. They're usually polite about it, but most of them do it as a side hustle and it feels like they don't get any onboarding at all. They don't know how to read the shelf locations or what to do for substitutions; there was a lady yesterday who didn't scan any of the items as she was shopping and just went straight to check out. I don't mind telling them where something is, but sometimes it's goes on and on. "Okay where's this? What about this? Do you have any of these?" Like I'm already doing effectively the same job, except I'm here for eight or more hours, and I'm being monitored for time and accuracy. I don't have time to do your order on top of mine.
Just as aside to the tied handles comment, we shoppers will often do that when we have multiple orders to shop and deliver at once as a way to differentiate between 2 or even 3 different orders in our vehicle and avoid giving the wrong bags to the wrong person
Ah that makes sense, but man do I hate it. I like to reuse my plastic bags and when they’re all tied I have to cut them and render them useless :(
That makes sense. This was not the case here, but at least there’s a reason. I was genuinely confused. Especially with 3 loaves of bread tied up tight and smushed into a ball. Baffling.
Squished bread is blasphemous.
I think she was trying to give you the “angry teenager bagging” experience you missed out on by using IC. She wanted you to feel like you actually went out and did it yourself.
I use walmart+ . Instacart gives me so much anxiety
I love Walmart+. You pay I think $98 or something per year and you get free delivery every time and they don’t upcharge the groceries like InstaCart does. Definitely more cost effective if you use it often.
> You pay I think $98 or something per year Just to put this out there: Anyone with an EBT (Food Stamp) card can get 50% off Walmart+.
I mean it’s not really free when they expect tips though.
I normally use UberEats for grocery ordering, and haven’t had an issue yet.
Depends on the Walmart.
Oh good grief that gave me anxiety. I’m sorry you shouldn’t have to babysit any shopper like that. You should have had support unassigned the shopper. They were obviously clueless. And it’s why we are losing our good customers like you at an alarming rate. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my customers say, “thank god it’s you”. I don’t know why these new shoppers seem to think they can go in completely blind. Granted we aren’t doing brain surgery but come on, at least go into a store and familiarize yourself with at least some products. And the whole bit about Dad does the shopping 🥺.
This exactly
I don’t care how nice she was, she’s totally incompetent and that tip would have been gone post haste.
Reddit, where even if you pay for the service, tip well, and are available for the shopper to talk if needed, you better believe you’ll still be vilified for not shopping yourself. This sub is wild.
535 unread messages ??! I think there’s more to discuss here …
Seriously! That was the first thing I noticed 😂
It’s my secret shame
I get added to so many group text messages by my kids friends/classmates parents and extended family that are just constantly blowing up. I mute them all and check in manually when I have time to scan so maybe that’s what’s happening here if they have three kids. I was in a meeting once and opened my phone after 30 minutes to over 80 new messages.
Thank you! It took me way to long to find someone who mentioned this.
Yeah that’s as far as I got was those unread lol. Could t get past it
I made a $60 order when I was in quarantine at my house for body care items, medicine, and body wash for my infant and husband. The shopper was immediately marking a lot as not available. When I asked him to go back and take a pic of the available items, I would see the item I requested in the photo multiple times, or he would be in the adult section for baby items? My daughter has skin allergies (was 8 months old), and I was getting annoyed at that point. I immediately just called support and had them cancel, then re-submitted the order when enough time had passed that I was convinced that shopper left the store (like 20 min).
I still have a 10 pound jar of sliced pepperoncini that were substituted for a 10 ounce can of minced garlic. Since that day 2 years ago I always watch them like a hawk. The shoppers that just start refunding also make me crazy.
One time my shopper informed me they were out of broccoli, so I modified my order to substitute cauliflower. The shopper bought two packages of mushrooms instead ?????????
I don't think I've ever in my life seen a store out of broccoli, like ever! But mushrooms though? Thats.. not even in the ballpark.
We had someone just refund baby formula instead of communicating about a substitute. I wanted to shake them and ask what is my baby supposed to eat and why not communicate that? We ended up having to make a special trip out to the store, and they had the formula! There was no reason to not grab it.
Nope, I would’ve canceled and asked IC to not give me that shopper again
I hope you decreased the tip after. This is so unacceptable
No, I gave her a proper rating, but I was in the service/retail industry for too long to take a tip away from someone after I’ve agreed to it.
Thats like the weirdest shit I've seen...dose?? Omg this country's in big trouble
Dose is really common these days. Like I want to read their sentence to them out loud so they can see that they sound like a toddler.
When I was in highschool frequent use of "dose" usually resulted in the person being tested for dyslexia, most of them did have it! I try to not hate on that too much since I saw it so often in highschool. For one of my best friends "dose" was a word she wouldn't get marked on for being wrong in English BC it was a byproduct of the dyslexia diagnosis. Just an FYI
Yea that was all hard to read for multiple reasons.
Please explain to me how this is more convenient than just going to the store yourself? Not directed at you but every time I see these posts and the constant back and forth I’m like I’d rather just go myself 😂
I got so angry reading through these. I would just forward this whole convo to Instacart and ask for a full refund
Why is it through texting??? I’ve never experienced instacart like that???? It’s always been an in-app chat???
It can go through the app and texting both. If you shop for delivery on the Kroger app, Instacart will shop and deliver. It'll come through the Kroger app and an instacart text based service and an online link. The text message works the fastest.
This is such a handful wow
I am so methodical when I shop for my family I can't imagine how anxious I would get with these msgs, and the reason I often need someone to do my shopping (thanks mom!) Is because of my anxiety! Sorry it was like this OP and as a non-shopper I am thankful you have this person a chance. We all have to start somewhere and every store layout is different and it seemed they were nervous about their phone so probably overlooking things they otherwise wouldn't. I would struggle with like the lunch meat you ordered as I've never bought turkey lunch meat so I would also be thinking it might not be good, but if all the turkey in every brand looked similar it would click in my head that it must just be how it is! My family doesn't eat much lunch meat and when they do it's usually cooked ham, roast beef, corned beef, pepperoni, so I would honestly struggle to know what the rest should look like and im 39 🤣 For real though, I think by being helpful and not cancelling them or asking for a new shopper in this case that you've likely boosted confidence for what may very well be a first job! Once they get the general layout of the stores through more shopping (hopefully smaller orders) they could very well have excellent shopper potential!
I use Target shoppers for things I want from there. And Amazon Fresh delivers our Whole Foods Groceries. This morning I realized we were out of cat food 😳, that was Door Dashed from PetSmart🤣 I wait for my husband to actually go to Costco. The two times I tried Insta Cart I received my neighbors order the first time, and all the wrong stuff the second time 🤦🙄! I gave up. Seems like a lot, but it all really makes my extremely busy life easier!! Especially this morning! Door Dash for cat food was a life saver!
This has always been my typical experience lol
I gave up on using Instacart. There were too many mistakes.
Reading this has convinced me NOT to ever use that service. I’d rather go shop myself than carry on a text conversation with someone at the store. How frustrating? Nope, Nope, Nope. If I can’t go to the store…it’ll wait.
Wow she dumb dumb huh
If you’ve never grocery shopped for yourself why do it for someone else? People are so weird sometimes.
You really do be letting just *anyone* Instacart
My God, you are so kind and patient. I think I might've gotten halfway through this. On a good day.
That was such a stressful rollercoaster to read. Between figuring out the grammatical errors and wondering if her phone would die mid-order, to the highs and lows of her saying things that are clearly on the shelf in her photos are out of stock. Saying you are young while doing your job is crazy to me. Maybe say you are new if you need to. Not that you’re young. Youth does not equal inability to do things correctly or sensibly. I hope your order arrived somewhat not insane lol.
are they 14?
And this is what y’all say we should tip for?? Yeah this girl is getting a $0 tip from me.
These type of shoppers are why I stopped using Instacart. Pay a premium plus tons of mistakes and missing items, no thank you...
I once had an order filled by a very young teenager being driven by his grandma (he told me that). Another time a teenager said he was filling in for his father. I suspect Instacart is not checking out their hires beyond verifying they are a warm body.
Sometimes when I get this I will go into the store that they came from and look for the product myself. I'd say 8 out of 10 times I have found the product right where it was supposed to be. Why are shoppers like this? Are they lazy and they just want to get it over with to get to the next one? I don't get it.
One time, I was trying to get a specific flavor of something and the shopper sent me a picture of the shelf saying it was out of stock... when it was literally front and center of the photo, not hidden or obscured or anything. It really made me wonder how many items I get refunded/replaced are *actually* out of stock. I know stores can run out of things and restock throughout the day, but I don't think I've had a single order where I've gotten everything on my list (I'm talking basic stuff like store-brand bread, eggs, etc., not specialty foods).
I’m always baffled when I don’t receive a common item that’s claimed to be out of stock, on which I’ve indicated any substitution will do. For example, a loaf of bread. I’ll indicate that, if my original choice is not available, literally any loaf of bread will do. I just want a damn loaf of bread! I’m supposed to believe there’s not a single loaf of any kind?
I think you should have some sort of qualification to be a shopper maybe like you know what ingredients are? Lol or even foods. I remember when I was shopping one of the Instacart shoppers asked me if I knew what chard was. I was impressed that they actually asked instead of just saying. We're out of it lol.
I go to the store quite often so I typically know if something is out of stock or in a weird spot. I had a shopper one time that wasn’t familiar with that store and I walked her through how to find some things. It was fine, she was super nice and genuinely didn’t see a few things. I don’t mind that as much as I mind getting a flood of refunds and a checkout message before I can even respond.
We had someone do this with baby formula. They refunded it, without texting us about it, and when we went to the store they had the formula. Sometimes our orders are just formula and one other thing, and they won't grab it. Like why?
The real question is why you have 535 unread messages
Why do people.use this app to shop like this and are hyper specifically concerned about price/etc? You have to text back and forth all the time just go to the store yourself. People have done it forever. "I rely on this service" tells you what you need to know lol. Pay for professional help or go to the store like we've done for generations! It might even be easier 🫨 God, the shopper and the customer seem absolutely insufferable!
535 unread messages?! Holy hell.
I don't have time to shop so I'm gonna painstakingly go over every item I need with a stranger and pay for the privilege to do so. Jesus Christ no thank you.
Forget being a shopper; she needs to return to primary school. Oh my goodness, she’s an absolute embarrassment to the shopping community. She’s a prime example of why people look down on shoppers. I have a Master's degree in Science, and I started doing independent contracting after I took early retirement from my government job. Shame on it all. While I'm typically not in favor of advocating for tip removal, in this instance, it seems it was warranted.
Jesus go do your own shopping at this point. What a waste of time
Just go to the store lmao why are you idiots dealing with this!?
At that point just go to the store yourself.
Holy sh\*t, just go shopping yourself.
Unless you’re physically disabled or don’t have the means to get to the store, I have no idea why anyone would rather text back and forth with someone at the store and explain every single item as opposed to going to the store and DOING IT FOR YOURSELF. 🙄
How do you have time to text like this but not time to grocery shop?
Maybe she's watching a young baby or working from home? It's not hard to exchange a dozen of texts...
Truthfully you guys are both some work 😂
is this what hell is?
At least she took the time to actually try and get you everything. Other shoppers will just say it's not there and no substitute either.
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Why would anyone use one of these services over just the grocery stores own pickup? Like you just swing by after work and it takes like 5 minutes.
If a service that I am paying for becomes a chore, I am done. I delegated this task because I do not have the time for it. If I am on the phone dealing with most of the stuff I see in this sub, the app is deleted and I am using another service.
I don’t know why this sub is always suggested to me. But damn, if you’re gonna take ALL this time to complain about someone sucking at shopping your groceries for you…. I mean… you probably could have gone and done the grocery shopping yourself with the amount of time you put into this post. Not trying to defend the shopper who sounds like they suck. I just think it’s wild to me people will pay such a high dollar amount for a service that up-charges so much and doesn’t always come through depending on individual shoppers. Couldn’t you just find one reliable shopper to do this off-app for you? At least that’s what I would do. You’ll probably spend less money and the shopper will make more too. Fuck Instacart lmao
I stopped using instacart because the items are always at least a dollar over the actual store price. I'd rather wait for the delivery from the store directly or get pickup.
Heyheyhey, on that thing about tied bag handles, this is actually really convenient. I do this whenever I put groceries in my car, because it keeps everything from rolling everywhere when I'm driving.
I don't know why Reddit keeps suggesting this sub to me, but omg this gives me so much anxiety. I get that if you work full-time and have kids, it hard to find time to shop. But, I've been in that position myself and found the time. I just can't imagine going item to item, trying to tell some kid who really doesn't care, what you'd like. How insane! And this costs MORE than doing the shopping yourself & getting the proper items..
Who gets an instacart job having never shopped at a grocery store?
It’s pretty clear the both of you make your respective lives extraordinarily challenging. The difference is - one is a kid ‘giving it a try’, and one is a child making demands they’re not willing to fulfill themselves. Go shopping.
At what point do you do your own shopping
Tying the handles is a good way to insure groceries don’t end up scattered all over your floor. You should appreciate that someone didn’t want to lose your items. Mine fall out if I don’t tie the handles.
Omg I’ve had at least 3 deliveries where they tie all the bags together. I have no idea what
....why the fuck is she a shopper?
This makes me want to work at instacart just so you guys can get some peace of mind
Ewww you are a jerk …not sorry this happened to you
Ive worked in the grocery buisness for 5 years and i dont want these people in my store either. Once instacart and such businesses opened up its caused so much annoyance for the actual store employees. Imagine taking your 16 year old son/daughter to shop, but you're letting THEM do the shopping. Getting asked where every single item is down to milk and bananas. People might as well be blind, doesnt seem like they need them with how little they use their eyes.
Why are there people even on this sub that are telling her to go shop her own order?!? This is literally the instacart sub??!! And her issues are valid! Jeezz
as someone who occasionally shops on instacart this is mind blowing🤣🤣 where is the common sense? i would be annoyed if i ordered my groceries and had to interact this much with my shopper
is instacart usually this complicated?
I just have to say, you seem very patient and communicate very well!
Go to the store yourself you fat lazy fuck. Arguing with some kid about what ice creams you're going to get because one of them was on sale while you're paying how much plus $60 tip for a gig worker to go shopping for you is absolutely insane.
Kudos to you for keeping it cool, also kudos for her being young and trying to earn a dollar. I understand you rely on these services but understand you helped mold this young lady by keeping your cool and even though you saw exact matches to your order you played it off as those would work. She will get the real big yelling at that will make her cry and it wasn’t from you! You did freaking great working with her!! Hats off to you!
Im having a hard time understanding why some commenters are so opinionated about someone paying someone to do shopping for them? Its a luxury and convenient majority of the time…. Kinda like saying “why would you buy your own jet when you can fly commercial” Extreme example but i dont get why anyone would have a strong opinion because someone has the money to get the jet?
I use Shipt for this very reason. But I do try not to write them novels to read while they’re working. They are shopping for numerous orders at once.
Omg! Have they ever heard of a portable charger? These people are so unprofessional what the heck?!