Many of us prefer using a digital grocery service because it saves us time, energy, and stress compared to going out and getting groceries. But many people ask us why Instacart, like a tortoise, is.
What does “Instacart no delivery times” mean in the Instacart app?
“Instacart no delivery times” notification in the Instacart app refers to the situation when no shoppers can take items from the grocery shop and deliver items to customers’ doorstep. Instacart wants to warn customers that they are busy instead of being late.
Why is Instacart So Slow?
Instacart was slow latest months because of the increasing demand for online grocery delivery services. As a result, it was tough to find Instacart Shoppers. However, based on recent data, more than 90% of all orders were delivered on time. Off-peak delivery times were an excellent scheduling solution. When Instacart can not guarantee on-time delivery, customers get a message in the Instacart app “Instacart no delivery times.”
We’ll be diving deep into Instacart in this article to learn more. We’ll also tell you how Instacart delivery works in real life if they provide you with set delivery carts and what you can do when there is no available delivery time. Last, we’ll also look at the mean delivery times and things you can do to ensure your order is delivered on time.
How fast does Instacart deliver?
Instacart offers same-day delivery within a five-hour window for customers who need groceries sooner rather than later based on the regular schedule. In addition, Instacart is adapting to the pandemic with a flexible delivery option focused on speed over fixed plans.
Let us see the reasons why Instaforex can be late in delivery:
- High demand: If many people order groceries simultaneously, it can be difficult for Instacart shoppers to fulfill all the orders quickly. This can lead to longer wait times and delayed deliveries.
- Limited availability: Some products may be out of stock or unavailable at the stores that Instacart partners with. If a shopper cannot find a requested item, they may need to contact the customer to suggest a replacement or ask for further instructions, which can slow down the process.
- Traffic or distance: Depending on the customer’s location and nearby stores’ availability, it may take longer for shoppers to travel to and from the store. Traffic or road conditions can also cause delays.
- Order complexity: If a customer’s order includes many items or specific instructions, it may take longer for a shopper to navigate the store and find everything on the list. Additionally, if any issues or questions arise during the shopping process, it may take time to resolve them.
- Shopper availability: Instacart relies on a network of independent contractors to fulfill orders, so if there are not enough shoppers available in a particular area or at a specific time, it can cause delays.
- Delivery window selection: Some customers may choose a high-demand delivery window, such as during peak hours or on weekends. This can cause delays if there are not enough shoppers to fulfill all the orders within that time frame.
- Communication issues: If there are any issues with communication between the shopper and the customer (e.g., incorrect address, unclear instructions), it can cause delays as the shopper may need to contact the customer for further clarification.
- Technical issues: Instacart relies on technology for many aspects of its service, so any technical problems with the app or website can cause delays or glitches in the ordering or delivery process.
When is the best time to order Instacart?
The best time to order Instacart groceries is during off-peak delivery, before noon, or during working days. However, the most prominent peak is Sunday and Saturday, when Instacart orders can be late.
The brand states ‘’in as rapid as an hour’’ in some states for same-day delivery. One can also mention the time at which they want their grocery to be delivered. But like the other businesses, it depends on the supply of Drivers and the demand for delivery orders. Peak delivery orders can also make you wait for up to 5 hours.
However, you can expect your groceries to be delivered in less than hours at off-peak hours.
You also get an option to place your orders before the time, which is an excellent idea if you like to plan. This also saves you the worry of having to wait at the last moment for your stuff to get delivered if you don’t get ample of it at any point in time.
Instacart is one of the largest and best delivery services one can find, but sometimes the delivery times can leave you wanting more. DoorDash is also a good option if you’re considering other delivery services. Now that we know the median delivery times, it’s time for us to interpret how Instacart works in a compact nutshell.
Working Mechanism of Instacart
While using Instacart, you get everything in one place, i.e., ordering, setting a delivery setup, payments, and even giving tips! You can finalize which store(s) you want to get the order form and add major items to your cart. Instacart employees, also known as the particular shoppers, will buy the order, pay on their behalf, and deliver it or stage it for delivery, depending on your chosen option.
Instacart is present in almost five thousand cities in the US at the moment. So, you can buy groceries on a laptop using their App or Website.
Instacart shoppers arrive at the grocery store, pick up the items, pay, and then drive down to your place in their vehicle to deliver the commodities to you. You may also note that the shopper would have to visit multiple stores if they can’t find everything on the list in one place.
Also, some items aren’t delivered by Instacart, such as nicotine, Tobacco.
The Instacart platform permits you to create a virtual cart, which is a usual way of ordering most products and services we need. Also, as the products cannot be delivered virtually, a human gets everything you’ve purchased to your doorstep!
A Quick Step-by-Step pace of using Instacart:
- “Download the app, or visit the website.
- Choose a location and store.
- Fill your cart with whatever you’d like to buy.
- Select your item, if any, and the delivery time.
- Finalize your order and pay virtually with your preferred mode of payment
- You can also track the progress of your order.
- Make sure that you’re there to have your order.”
The rates of most products are usually higher than you’ll find in stores. Also, you’ll have to pay a delivery cost.
You can also tip your delivery person either virtually or in person. But how much is reasonable to list?
Instacart recommends a tip of more or equal to 5%.
How late does Instacart deliver?
Instacart delivers till midnight. Instacart provides customers a set delivery plan, primarily within 5 hours, from 9 am to midnight. While the advertisement says ‘’as quick as an hour’’, that doesn’t hold during rush hours. The more advanced you place your order, the chances you receive on time go up.
Instacart deliveries on time or not?
Instacart deliveries are on time. Even though the need for Instacart orders increased by 300% in 2020 and the average has grown by 35%, Instacart can still deliver on time most of the time. This surge in demand and need is the highest the company has experienced in history. That is enough to affect any company’s efficiency, but they tend to fail only 10% of the time in their appointed time.
To cooperate with the ever-increasing demand, Instacart introduced two innovative features to deliver groceries on time.
The demand was the highest in mid-2020 when delivery times were as long-termed as five days!
Even though it has become very normalized, the company has planned to employ around 500,000 more. Many people would have been involved by now, as it’s pretty uncommon to see many people complaining about delayed deliveries anymore.
What to do when delivery times aren’t available!
Suppose the app says that the delivery times are unavailable. In that case, it means that there aren’t any shoppers to buy and deliver your items as they would rather deny having your order than take it as they know that the order wouldn’t be assisted promptly. This is infrequent and only happens when the orders surpass the multiple shoppers who can all serve you. They have various custom stores picking and delivering items to different directions within the city.
Thinking to Speed Up Instacart!
Instacart, during Spring 2020, announced two new services to amp up the order and delivery steps for their customers. First, the ‘’Fast and Flexible’’ program lets customers have their order delivered immediately by the first reliable shopper instead of scheduling it for later hours and windows.
The ‘’order ahead’’ program comes in handy if you plan to place your orders well in advance and helps you schedule your orders by up to 2 weeks before time, which is double the previous delivery counter, i.e., seven days. In addition, one can also create their delivery cart well in a before-action cart, which wasn’t an option before.
You can also choose the ‘’leave at my door’’ option that permits spontaneous delivery as the driver doesn’t need to wait for anyone to get home.
Also, if you are a promising Instacart user, you can consider joining Instacart express. It helps you avoid pet shop delivery charges, assists in faster deliveries, and is available at a nominal cost of $99 a year. But it justifies the price if you are a regular Instacart user.
After leaving Wells Fargo Bank in 2014, Daniel began a career as a finance consultant, advising companies and individuals on economic policy, labor relations, and financial management.
At Promtfinance.com, Daniel writes about personal finance topics, value estimation, budgeting strategies, retirement planning, and portfolio diversification.
Read more on Daniel Smith's biography page.
Contact Daniel: daniel@promtfinance.com