Instacart is a private online grocery delivery and pickup service provider established in 2012. It is the brainchild of entrepreneurs – Apoorva Mehta, Brandon Leonardo, and Max Mullen. Instacart was initially launched in San Francisco and later expanded its base to entire America and Canada. Today, Instacart is accessible to more than 85% of households in the U.S. and more than 70% of households in Canada. Instacart aims to provide the best services to customers and enhance their shopping experience. Let us know ‘Instacart Refund Policy’.
Instacart Refund Policy
Despite all the company’s efforts, if a customer is not satisfied with the delivery experience, he/she can always request a refund. The refund policy of Instacart is very simple. The customer can request a refund within seven days of delivery or pickup. Although the request is processed immediately, the fund transfer would take up to ten business days. The customers have the flexibility to receive funds in their bank or as credit in an Instacart account. The credited amount will be applied to the next order.
Founders
Instacart is developed by three budding entrepreneurs, who have experience working in similar fields. They bring their experience, knowledge, and expertise together to make Instacart a huge success in a short period.
Apoorva Mehta, an Indian American, is a graduate of the 2008 batch from The University of Waterloo. He has completed his graduation in Engineering. He is working as an Executive Chairman of Instacart. Apoorva has vast experience working in various technology-based companies such as Amazon, Blackberry, and Qualcomm. He has started various start-ups before starting Instacart.
Brandon Leonardo, a graduate in computer science from SJSU, is the co-founder and lead the engineering team of Instamart. He is a grocery hacker and works on the growth factor of Instamart. He helps other entrepreneurs and becomes an angel investor in various startups. Brandon is also involved in many technology-based companies such as AngelList, and StartupBus as a senior engineer.
Max Mullen, a native of Los Angeles and graduate of the University of Southern California, has completed his degree in entrepreneurship and Cinematic arts. Max has worked on various startup ideas such as Schematic, which was later acquired by WPP.
Mission
Instacart is a consumer-oriented business. It aims to provide a hassle-free shopping experience to its valued customers. The company’s mission is to create an environment where everyone can acquire and enjoy the food; they love with people they care about. The company works on the principle of going far together and serving generously.
Business Model
The company has numerous partners including national and international retailers trusted and
loved by customers. The list includes more than 300 retailers such as Costco, Sprouts, Wegmans, Loblaw, etc.
Instacart introduced the concept of personal shoppers to make the shopping experience more exclusive. Here, a person is assigned to every order that will do shopping from different stores on the customer’s behalf and deliver the order to their doorstep. Instacart delivers a wide range of grocery and daily need items as fast as within one hour.
Instacart also provides a scheduled pickup facility. The customers can shop through the app and choose a pickup time according to their convenience. Thus, when the customer reaches the store, his/her shopping is already packed. This facility is very convenient for customers with busy lifestyles.
Instacart Express
Instacart has introduced a money-saving membership scheme for its regular customers, known as Instacart express. A customer can choose from a yearly or monthly plan for $9.99/ month or $99/year. An Instacart express member is eligible for various money-saving benefits.
A member can have unlimited orders delivered to his/her doorstep without any delivery charges. The order should be of a minimum of $35 from each store selected by the customer. The minimum delivery charge for non-members starts from $3.99.
A member has to pay fewer service charges as compared to non-members. The service charge for a member customer starts from 1.9%, whereas it starts from 5% for a non-member.
The additional service fee for ordering alcohol from Instacart is also 50% for express members. On average, a customer saves approximately $7 on each order placed.
It is a huge saving option for the elderly, super busy parents, and people with disabilities. The company also offers 15 days free trial.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee Scheme
100% Satisfaction Guarantee Scheme, also known as “Guarantee” is the commitment of Instacart to its consumers to have a joyful shopping experience and refund policy. If a customer orders his/her grocery through their app and reports any dissatisfaction within seven days; He/she is eligible for a refund or credit.
Dissatisfaction can be claimed based on Missing items, Damaged or poor quality items, late arrival of the order, and unprofessional behavior of the shopper.
Conclusion
Instacart is a private online grocery shopping destination trusted by many Americans. The company has the objective to provide hassle-free, smooth experiences to all. It helps the customers to relax and make plans without worrying about their daily shopping lists. The company also provides a smooth return and refund policy to minimize customer dissatisfaction. Instacart can help its customers in every way possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I become a shopper for Instacart?
A: If you are an adult (18 years or more), have a Smartphone, and are eligible to work in The United States, then you can become a shopper for Instacart. For further information, you can call their helpline.
Q: Is it mandatory to tip shoppers?
A: Although it is not mandatory, if you are happy with the services, it is always nice to tip the service provider. Instacart normally recommends 5 % of the bill as a tip. It is always nice to tip more for great service.
Q: Does Instacart recover the cost of missing items from shoppers?
A: No. When a customer reports a missing item, and Instacart investigates the incident. If validated, the cost of the product is returned to the customer through credit or in their bank account. The money is returned by Instacart in case of the non-availability of the product.
Q: Does Instacart deliver to my area?
A: Instacart delivers to almost the whole of the USA and Canada. However, to confirm, you can use the Pin code on the Instacart website to know the availability.
