SAN FRANCISCO — Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, today announced a renewed commitment to its shopper community of more than 600,000 individuals, beginning a monthslong rollout of new products and enhancements for shoppers. The company is introducing four new commitments that will establish a foundation for ongoing improvements to the Instacart platform and further its relationship with the shopper community. Over the next four months, Instacart will launch four suites of product features related to improving the shopper experience in relation to one of these commitments.
The four new commitments usher in a renewed effort to provide shoppers with the flexible earnings they crave, delivered with care. Instacart’s first commitment is to give shoppers support while they shop and beyond, proactively providing them with the support and safety that makes their shopping experience as seamless as possible and protects them while they work. Secondly, Instacart is committed to giving shoppers the ingredients to earn on their terms, equipping them with information on the best way to earn, so they can earn what they need, when they need it. Third, Instacart is committed to enabling and nurturing a community built on best intent, acting with consideration and compassion for the community and handling situations with attention, care and concern to find the best possible outcome for everyone. Finally, Instacart is committed to delivering recognition and rewards for the best of the bunch, recognizing hard work and rewarding the strongest shoppers with impactful incentives to help them reach their personal goals.
“Shoppers on our platform are uniquely able to balance empathy with efficiency and communication with problem-solving. They put unmatched care into their efforts for customers, and we want them to feel the same level of care and commitment from us at Instacart as they give to their communities every day,” said Tom Maguire, Vice President of Operations and Care at Instacart. “With the introduction of these commitments, our goal is for every shopper on our platform to feel heard, respected, prioritized and cared for as members of this important community. We look forward to building on these commitments as shoppers continue to help us invite the world to share love through food.”
Today, the company is unveiling new resources and features related to giving shoppers support while they shop and beyond.
New features being released include live phone support, enabling shoppers to call and speak with a Care representative directly through the Shopper app, and delivering one of the most-requested features based on shopper feedback and research. In addition, the company is launching a safety toolkit, giving shoppers immediate access to important safety functionality including in-app emergency calling, incident reporting, and safety alerts, from one tap in the Shopper app. Instacart is also unveiling its new in-app navigation feature, providing shoppers with an interactive map of the grocery store including precise item locations and an even more intuitive shopping list, helping them navigate the store and find items efficiently. This feature is currently being piloted in more than 80 grocery store locations across North America, with more being added over time.
“The products we build for shoppers are developed with the goal of improving their experience and bettering our platform as a whole,” said John Adams, Vice President of Shopper and Fulfillment Product at Instacart. “The functionality we are introducing today will help keep shoppers safe on the platform and support them in every step of their shop, from the moment they accept an order until after it’s delivered to the customer. Over the next several months, we look forward to introducing additional features based on direct shopper feedback, as we further our goal of offering the best possible shopper experience.”
To further expand on these commitments, Instacart has launched a microsite that is available for members of the shopper community to learn more about the features and programs being introduced today. Starting today and continuing each month through June, shoppers will receive a notable update about new product features that have been developed with their feedback and interests in mind, building on today’s announcement with meaningful action that improves how shoppers interact with the Instacart platform.
About Instacart
Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 750 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 70,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart’s platform is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 90% of Canadian households. The company’s cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world’s biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com. For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/.
