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 red 3-minute 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 3 minutes before leaving the order at your door. However, they can’t leave orders with alcohol, prescriptions, or certified delivery items unattended.

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, you can still 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, cheks, 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.