SAN FRANCISCO — Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, today announced a number of new features rolling out across the Instacart App that are designed to make online grocery shopping more affordable. From a Deals Tab and exclusive savings for Express members, to a new reduced cost and free delivery option and new Dollar Store Hub destination on the Instacart marketplace, the company is rolling out more ways for customers to save when shopping from their favorite retailers.
This new slate of features come at a time when grocery costs are continuing to rise across North America ahead of the holidays and amid increasing global supply chain challenges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for groceries and other food prepared at home increased by 2.6% over the past year — and that’s on top of a 3.5% increase from 2019. Many consumers will feel these increases on items like corn, dinner rolls and cranberry sauce as they prepare for Thanksgiving, and even frozen turkey prices are already 25 cents more per pound than they were a year ago, according to the USDA’s Turkey Market News Report.
“Giving people more access to food — and more time to enjoy it together — has always been core to our mission. For most families, when it comes to grocery shopping we know that every dollar matters. Outside of rent and transportation, groceries are one of the largest monthly budget expenditures for most households. Roughly 60% of offline grocery transactions in the U.S. include coupons, and across our own marketplace customers have already saved more than $400 million this year,” said Asha Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of Instacart. “That’s why we’re proud to roll out these new features that help customers get exactly what they need, while also saving along the way. Online grocery shouldn’t be a luxury, and we’re committed to making Instacart the most affordable way for families across North America to get the food they need from the retailers they love.”
Today the company is rolling out a slate of new features in the Instacart App that are designed to make grocery shopping more affordable:
- New Reduced Cost and Free Delivery: In select markets, Instacart is testing a new delivery option, which will reduce or waive the delivery fee on orders placed more than 24 hours in advance of the desired delivery date and time. No two grocery shops are created equal – whether it’s a bulk buy for the week ahead or just a few ingredients for tonight’s dinner. For some customers, every minute counts when they’re in a pinch and need something in a hurry. Other customers are weekly planners who place their orders in advance. For those customers, this new option provides another way to plan ahead and save even more.
- Millions in Savings with the Deals Tab: Instacart is reimagining the grocery circular for the digital age, making it easier for people to quickly find the best deals from their favorite retailers and brands with a new Deals Tab. Instacart already runs hundreds of thousands of deals and coupons across its marketplace every day, and the Deals Tab will offer millions of dollars in savings with daily coupons from retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Customers can visit the tab to browse sales in their area and save on weekly staples, bulk products or special occasion items, with discounts on everything from birthday cakes and steaks to seasonal decor and electronics.
- Offering 5% Credit Back on Express Pickup Orders: Instacart is also bringing additional savings to Express members who use the company’s contactless curbside Pickup offering, one of the most affordable ways to shop at Instacart. All Pickup customers already save on service fees and do not pay delivery fees. Over the next few months, Express members will get even more savings with 5% credit back on their eligible Pickup orders, usable on future orders placed via Instacart. The company has expanded Pickup to more than 4,500 stores nationwide across 120 grocery partners, including ALDI, Food Lion, Gelson’s, Publix, Price Chopper, Schnucks, Shop ‘n Save, Sprouts, The Fresh Market, Wegmans and more — giving customers the option to save time and money by ordering online and picking up their groceries when they’re on the go.
- Introducing the Dollar Store Hub: In addition to offering food and essentials from value grocers like Grocery Outlet, ALDI, Save Mart, Price Chopper and Food Lion, Instacart is also introducing a new Dollar Store Hub in the Instacart App. Customers can now browse dollar store deals and discover more savings from ~14,000 dollar stores – including the Dollar Tree, which now offers nationwide delivery from more than 6,800 stores – as well as the 99 Cents Only Store, Five Below, and Family Dollar.
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 700 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 65,000 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/.
