Re: Groceries
 

Wot no Birds Custard?

Re: Groceries
 

I received an email from a couple of days ago about how to get the best from the service.

One of the tips was something I was already doing. Opening the order page as the beginning of the time slot approached. It updates often with the shopper introducing themselves. There's info about the shopper starting, what items were successfully shopped, what might need replacing, the opportunity for approval/rejection of alternatives suggested, and the opportunity to talk (message) with the shopper - like with my marmite jar.

A couple of weeks ago I was aware that some things in the flyer were half or a third of the online price. I asked for 3 or 4 items if she could get them at the flyer price. Her instacart app wouldn't allow it for some things, but it would for others and on the one request alone I saved about $20. She put the effort in and got an increased tip from the saving.

With another shopper they didn't have the spuds I wanted, he told me of the other choices they did have and I made my choice.

It's almost like being there with them. But at a safe distance :lol:

Re: Groceries
 

quite often there isn’t an actual time slot now. It’s ‘delivery before XX May’. So you have no idea when it will arrive...could be later today or sometime next week.

Re: Groceries
 

Yeah that was happening here a few weeks ago when we'd just done a big shop and didn't want anything yet. I was hoping to order for X days time when we might need something but I never got that option.

They must have taken a load of people on here and options are now routinely in the next 2-5 hours or fixed time slots from next day onwards, so I book a slot for three days time and that's what happens.

Re: Groceries
 

My daughter and I had a joint Instacart delivery a couple of weeks ago...almost $500. About half the things delivered were not ordered. It was so bad we thought perhaps the shopper had mixed the bags up with someone else’s order. That wasn’t the case because some things we had ordered were in the same bags as the mystery goods, Instacart still haven’t sorted it out.

another time the shopper only had time to put a few things in the cart as the store was closing. He said the manager threw them out. Why do they shop just before the store closes? Unbelievable.

Re: Groceries
 

Bloody hell. What's happening?
Is this big town service (bad) vs small town service (good)? Or rubbish wages in general but people here see low wages going much further here than Toronto and don't resent it so much?

Re: Groceries
 

Supermarket delivery here is by volunteers so you need to be in quarantine, or a senior, or vulnerable to get a delivery. We are in theory two of those but so far we have just done our own shopping. We do a big shop then have to go to in between times for milk, bread. I think we should be more careful now though as there has been at least one local case of COVID.

Re: Groceries
 

Mix of cost of operating a car, higher insurance premiums possible (in BC anyhow) not exactly a well paying job, can make more doing the same job with Save On but an employee..... Demand just seems to be far higher here in Vancouver than they have drivers resulting in poor service.

Re: Groceries
 

I’ve used INSTACART probably in excess of a dozen times now and am satisfied with the service. It’s not perfect, but overall I’m pleased. The shopper keeps in touch with me via texts as to substitutions, so not too many issues there. I dislike traipsing around Supermarkets with a vengeance and I’m disabled, so delivery for me is perfection.

Re: Groceries
 

We did end up getting our order last night, showed up at 8pm, never got any indication though they were shopping or on their way, 85% of what was ordered arrived.



.

Re: Groceries
 

Decided to give Instacart another go. Ordered 4 items...4 to 6 of each item. Delivery time estimate...within 4 hours of order. I am very pleased to say everything was delivered as ordered, I stated no substitutes. It was delivered approx 3 hours after ordering. There were also slots available from tomorrow onwards. As Bristol recommended (Thanks Mr B), I logged onto my order in the Instacart app, then I could then see what the shopper had put in the cart as he was going through the store.

only problem is the shopper only got 5% tip. Normally you can change the tip after the goods are delivered. :(

Re: Groceries
 

:thumbup:
Wow that was late! Better late than never... it sounds like you were quite lucky with your order too :)

I got a message on the online order page (desktop) to say they were at the store queueing to get in - then another message to say the shopper was checking out and then on their way, with a map link to watch the progress of the vehicle.. I suppose it's up to the 'shopper' on how much they keep you updated. I might try the phone app next time to see if I get more interaction, my son used the phone app and said his shopper was constantly texting him with updates from in the store.

Re: Groceries
 

that’s what it was like before Loblaws started using Instacart. The shopper also kept in touch via text as he/she went through the store.

Re: Groceries
 

It's not clear immediately where one can do that. But when it shows completed I think the button is 'view rating' when you've not made one yet, which is odd. But it's in there where one can rate and change the tip.

Glad it went better

Re: Groceries
 

thanks.

I have already given the guy a 5 star rating but there was nothing about the tip.