Is Instacart charging its customers way more than they are supposed to? One customer is calling out the brand after her shopper left the store receipt in her delivery.
Ranked by CNET as one of the best grocery delivery services, Instacart has become a go-to company to provide shoppers a unique level of convenience.
That being said, the company has received a lot of backlash in recent times. One woman called out the brand for scamming her out of a $300 order. Another content creator exposed the company after her gift card was hacked.
And now, a third person has come forward with a negative experience after using the delivery service.
What happened with Instacart?
In a video posted on Oct. 12 that has now reached over 1 million views, TikTok user @incasethemayanswe shared her experience using Instacart.
She explains that she purchased a delivery order that totaled to $179. All was fine with the groceries she received, but everything changed when she discovered the receipt for the purchase.
According to her, the in-person shopper only spent $119, leaving a questionable difference of $60 on the customer’s total bill of $179.
“The last day I ever shopped with instacart…,” the customer wrote in the caption of the clip.
Commenters weigh in with similar experiences
Apparently, this TikTok user isn’t the only person who has felt scammed from using Instacart.
In the comments section, fellow consumers shared their negative experience using the brand and other food delivery services.
“Yea this happened to me too. Usually they take it out but they left it and I was like ugh,” one user shared.
“That’s why i stopped using the app, I was paying twice the retail price,” another commented.
“This is the same for doordash for groceries they specifically say to dashers not to leave the receipts in the bag people are getting ripped off so badly,” a third said.
@incasethemayanswe The last day I ever shopped with instacart … #instacart #scam #gouging ♬ 777 – ❦
Why does Instacart charge more than listed on receipts?
On the official Instacart website, the company assures its consumers that it is it’s store vendors that determine the price of goods, not Instacart itself.
“While many retailers offer everyday store prices* on Instacart, some retailers may set prices on the Instacart platform that are different than in-store prices,” the statement reads.
Checkout totals tend to be more expensive than if shoppers were to purchase in store. In addition to retailer’s changing prices for the online service, fees also play a big part.
The Instacart website also includes a section dedicated to the breakdown of fees. There are standard delivery fees for the cost of having a driver transport orders. A service fee is also involved in each purchase.
“The service fee helps support the Instacart platform and covers a range of operating costs including shopper operations, insurance, background checks, and customer support,” reads the official description. The brand also clarifies that this fee does not go to the driver’s pocket and goes directly back into the company.
It is unclear what percentage of each online delivery order goes into the shopper’s pocket and what remains with Instacart.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Instacart via email and @incasethemayanswe via TikTok DM and comment.
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