After your shopper finishes shopping for your items, they'll start the delivery process.
To make sure you get your delivery as expected, we recommend:
- Turning on notifications for the Instacart app
- Keeping an eye out for text messages and phone calls from your shopper
- Leaving helpful instructions for parking, gate codes, or other tips to find your home
Some orders may require you to share a 4-digit PIN with your shopper before they can deliver it.
Shopper drop-off guidelines
Shoppers deliver to your door. Do not ask them to enter your home or adjust a tip based on their refusal to do so. This goes against our Community Guidelines and might result in us canceling your order or suspending your account.
Shopper can’t find your location
If the shopper can’t find your location, they'll contact you via text or phone call. For some orders, you might also see a countdown timer in the app and feel your phone buzz when your shopper is nearby or at your door. Use that time to share a buzzer code, add a drop-off note, or head to the door before the window closes.
Shoppers wait up to 10 minutes before leaving the order at your door. If the shopper can’t reach you, they may leave the order in the most secure location available, such as a mailroom, leasing office, or front desk, and take a photo of the delivery. However, they can’t leave orders with alcohol, other products that require age verification, or certified delivery items unattended. Prescriptions may be left unattended only if you opted in to unattended delivery at checkout. If you did not opt for unattended delivery, or it was not available for your delivery, you must be present to accept the delivery.
We may cancel the order if the shopper can’t find or contact you. You may be charged a $15 cancellation fee.
Issues receiving delivery
If you can't receive your delivery in person, ask a friend or neighbor to get it for you. Just let the shopper know by adding a note in the delivery instructions or sending them a message.
Alternatively, you can ask them to leave the order unattended in a designated spot. We recommend adding the specific location you want them to leave your order in the instructions to ensure your delivery goes smoothly.
If your order is marked as delivered but you can’t find it, check any common or secure areas first, such as a mailroom, leasing office, or front desk. You can also chat with your shopper for up to 20 minutes after delivery. Try chatting with them first before you reach out to us.
Wrong address on order
Place an order and realize too late that it’s headed to the wrong address? You’ll need to select Get Help at the bottom of any article in the Help Center for live chat.
Payment issues
All payments for your Instacart order occur in the Instacart app or website. External payments such as cash, checks, or 3rd-party apps (Venmo, Zelle, etc.) aren't necessary. You don't need to reimburse your shopper for any reason.
Contact support if you have issues paying for your order.