In 2021, canceling a subscription to an online membership should be a fairly simple exercise.
Surprisingly, it is a bit of a process for people with an Instacart shopper account.
Why is deleting the account so difficult, you ask?
Instacart accounts are free, yes, but many Instacart customers opt for money-saving Express Membership subscriptions.
This can make deleting the account problematic.
Because the effort to delete Instacart account information is somewhat complicated, you may want to pay close attention while doing so.
Being mindful of how you deactivate your membership ensures you won’t be continuously charged.
Yeah, that’s happened, but honestly, the issue is more likely due to a misunderstanding of Instacart’s cancellation policy.
Table Of Contents
Why Open an Instacart account in the First Place
Founded in 2012, Instacart got something of a boost with the unfortunate spread of the coronavirus.
The company had to add an astonishing 300,000 new employees to meet the demand of no-contact grocery deliveries as people began to shelter in place.
Instacart was among the many options people began to explore to get basic needs met at the height of the pandemic.
Consumers turned to other popular solutions, like UberEats, DoorDash and Grubhub as well, creating a huge spike in revenue for food delivery services.
Not all food delivery places are the same
The major difference between companies like UberEats and Grubhub is the fact that they deliver food from local restaurants.
Instacart, however, is used to bring groceries and goods from supermarkets via a personal shopper.
While it is fun to occasionally have a hot meal arrive at your door, grocery delivery is the most cost-effective option for many.
Other reasons people opened Instacart accounts
Even before the mention of a pandemic, Instacart enjoyed some success in the personal shopper field.
This was due to several factors that made grocery delivery beneficial to consumers.
To date, hiring a personal shopper via Instacart:
- Allows people with disabilities or busy schedules to shop for groceries.
- Offers the convenience of shopping from anywhere, at any time, through their mobile app.
- Lets shoppers choose exactly the items they want, without the need to walk through the store to see what’s available.
Shoppers set their own scheduled deliveries and have the food they need, at the time they desire.
Why Delete Instacart Account Data in 2021
Despite all the advantages of having an active Instacart account, there are just as many valid reasons for cancellation.
Top reasons to cancel your Instacart:
- Moving to a new Area — you may have started an Instacart express membership because the grocery store was too far away or otherwise inconvenient. Moving to a new home could grant closer access to a supermarket.
- Instacart was not available everywhere — a move or other life change may occur that removes instacart as an option for you.
- Negative experiences — disagreeing with, or having a negative opinion of, the company based on certain policies
The latter happens more frequently than you might think.
For instance, Instacart account holders were appalled to find there was a glitch in the ordering system.
The error made it possible for personal shoppers to be denied tips they were promised.
This occurred when some customers promised huge tips, then later changed the tip to zero after their groceries were delivered.
Other Instacart controversies
Instacart also found itself in the midst of controversy when it reduced a 10% default tipping rate to 5%.
Many consumers wanted to suddenly delete instacart account information as a way to show support for the subsequent boycott.
To their credit, Instacart eventually addressed the tip baiting issue, but they remained steadfast in their 5 % default tipping rule.
Disgruntled customers eventually decided to deactivate their Instacart accounts.
Many who tried to delete Instacart Express memberships soon discovered it was not as simple as they hoped.
What happens to Instacart account data?
As Instacart customers attempted to remove themselves from Instacart, many learned that their valuable data was being sold for $2 per person.
According to BuzzFeed and The Verge, the compromised data included “names, the last four digits of credit card numbers, and order histories.”
The breach included some possible 278,531 Instacart shoppers. The data also included users’ email addresses.
Instacart vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said they were investigating the breach.
Representatives from the grocery delivery service also blamed their own customers for the hack, claiming reused passwords were the cause of the cyber attacks.
Supermarket News reports that Instacart announced
“We take data protection and privacy very seriously. As a part of this commitment, we have a dedicated security team as well as multiple layers of security measures across common vectors designed to protect the integrity of all user accounts.”
Despite these efforts, Instacart still allows access by third-party agents and utilizes cookies to collect and store customer data.
Is data ever truly removed from the system?
The real answer to this is, it depends.
Once you reach out to a customer service rep regarding the fact that you want to delete instacart account information, you’ll have to explain why you are canceling.
If you appear hesitant, they may try to sell you on the idea of not fully deactivating your Instacart Express membership.
This could be a way of keeping your information on hand even after you leave.
If you know you don’t want to use instacart in the future, stand firm in your decision.
Make the rep walk you through the process to ensure your personal information is scrubbed from the system.
Can you archive or access your order history?
When you attempt to cancel your Instacart shopper account, there will be an option to receive payment reminders instead of cancellation.
If you decide to keep the reminders, you’ll have continued access but may still be charged full membership fees.
This is because the reminder lets you know about an upcoming payment three days in advance.
It does not, however, fully cancel your membership plan.
Deciding to fully deactivate your Instacart membership may lead to the inability to access your order history.
If in doubt, create a backup of your account info for your own records.
Can you get a full refund on Instacart Express?
You would have to cancel within 15 days of opening an Instacart account to cancel it.
The caveat here is that you haven’t placed any orders.
If you have placed orders, or 15 days have passed, then you will have to wait till the end of the billing cycle to cancel.
Here is when it would be a good time to set a reminder before being billed.
In such an instance, you won’t receive an Instacart refund.
How to Delete Instacart Account [Tutorial]
Some consumers who have desired to close their Instacart accounts have been stymied by confusing instructions.
Despite these issues, there are several tried and true methods for canceling your Instacart account and subscriptions.
1. Cancel via Email
You will have to first sign in to your Instacart account.
Access the drop-down menu and choose “Instacart Express”.
You will then be given the option to select “Change my plan” which will lead to the “End Membership” option.
- You can opt to set a reminder three days before the membership renews so you can have time to consider full cancellation.
- If you have paid a full annual fee for Instacart Express you will likely have to wait till your membership expires.
- If you do not completely shut down your account, you can always return and select “Renew my membership”.
2. Cancel via Phone
Customer support offers a toll-free number for Instacart which you can use to end membership quickly.
Simply call 1-888-246-722 and tell them you want to end your Instacart Express membership and would like your account information removed.
Listen carefully to what the customer service rep tells you here, as you will need to follow instructions precisely to stop further payments for the account.
3. Cancel via Live Chat
Instacart does not offer customer service via live chat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I end membership for a deceased loved one?
To protect the remaining assets or estate of a departed loved one, or prevent identity theft, you will need to stop any subscription services in their names.
If you can try obtaining their passwords via another family or a password manager, you will be able to go to their account settings and follow the necessary steps to deactivate the account.
To ensure the cancellation is complete and no further charges will be made of their card, you will have to contact the company directly, either by phone or email.
Call their toll-free number at 1-888-246-7822 or email [email protected]
Will canceling remove my credit card information?
If you wish to ensure your credit card info is removed before fully deactivating your Instacart membership, you will have to access your account.
1. After logging in, click your account icon.
2. You will find Payment methods on the left-hand menu.
3. Click the Payment method you wish to remove.
To remove it from the app, go to your account settings in the top left corner.
Tap Payment methods and either swipe your finger left and tap delete, or tap the pencil icon on the right-hand corner.
Tapping the pencil will reveal a red circle on the left hand of the screen.
Tap delete.
Double-check that your details have been removed by calling, emailing, or submitting a help ticket to Instacart’s Help Center.
Wrapping Up
Instacart did and does provide a very valuable service for people who may not have the ability to grocery shop in person.
Even so, individuals have the right to remove their information if they do not feel comfortable with Instacart business practices.
Or simply, just because they want to.
I read your article and found it very helpful. I called the number in your article, spoke to,a very helpful and polite young woman who not only promised she was doing as I ask but gave me a pro-rated cancellation, refunding the last three months of my annual fee. It was as easy as our, thank you.