Instacart Complaints: How They Work & How To File

Most of the time, service through platforms like Instacart is excellent.

But, the contractors behind the shopping and delivery sometimes make mistakes.

When that happens, filing Instacart complaints is the best way to correct your orders and get refunds.

What is the process of submitting a complaint like, and to what extent are they valid?

Let’s talk about Instacart complaints, their limitations, and how to make one.

You’ll find information on common problems, processes, and solutions for shoppers and customers.

What Is an Instacart Complaint?

An Instacart complaint is a formal notice to the company of your dissatisfaction with an order.

It can be a missing grocery item, horrible customer service, or a hateful patron.

Complaints exist so that the Instacart business can refine itself through customer feedback.

Don’t leave a complaint unless you deem it necessary.

Can You File a Complaint With Instacart?

You can file a complaint with Instacart by reporting a problem with your order.

Anyone can send a notice of missing items, expired or spoiled groceries, improper replacements, or untimely service.

You have to submit a valid complaint within one week of the grocery delivery date.

If your complaint is valid, Instacart will award you either account credit or a refund.

Although, you can choose just to give feedback if you prefer.

Common Complaints Against Instacart

What circumstances constitute a valid complaint?

Let’s review some of the things customers and shoppers often file for.

Wrong Orders

As a shopper, you must pay attention to what each customer orders.

Mistakes happen, but it is a shopper’s responsibility to double-check each item before delivery.

If they fail to do so, the customer may issue a complaint, resulting in a full or partial refund.

Wrong orders don’t happen often, but they are more likely when stores issue double or triple batch orders.

In these instances, shoppers buy for many customers at once, which might result in confusing one patron’s order for another’s.

Payment Issues

Both customers and shoppers experience payment issues.

Customers must almost always pay before their orders are sent, except in the case of Instacart’s buy now pay later promotion.

If an error occurs with a customer’s payment method after placing an order, a shopper may cancel the order, resulting in a complaint.

Once Instacart receives the complaint, a customer representative will contact you.

They will inform you about refunds, credits, and how to resolve the problem.

Shoppers sometimes experience payment issues, too.

Instacart shoppers use a special card to buy customers’ groceries.

The card sometimes has errors and outages, making it impossible to complete the order.

If the shopper cancels the order because of payment issues, a customer would be left confused and may report a complaint.

This situation is outside the shopper’s control, so Instacart would most likely reimburse both parties.

Technical Errors

Anyone who has used Instacart for a long time has experienced rare technical errors.

Even after customers place orders, outages, website issues, and app problems can occur.

If the system cannot process orders due to a technical error, they may go unnoticed or automatically canceled.

Gift Card Problems

Instacart gift cards are convenient gifts, but they can cause errors.

Typically, users have trouble redeeming them during checkout.

The card might be usable on a different account, or the code was written wrong.

Either way, customers cannot file complaints about gift card problems through standard methods since there’s no way to order with a faulty card.

Reaching out directly to Instacart Care is the way to file a complaint in this situation.

Inadequate Supply

Instacart’s partnered retailers continually update their stock listings for shoppers.

But sometimes, grocers make mistakes, leading to inadequate supply issues.

In other instances, there may not be enough available shoppers to fulfill an order.

To file an inadequate supply complaint, report a problem through standard means on the app or website.

What Happens When You Make an Instacart Complaint?

Let’s look briefly at the aftereffects of filing Instacart complaints.

Instacart Analyzes the Issue

When you send a problem report, you will get an automatic email confirming that Instacart received it.

However, it may take a few business days before customer service workers examine your issue.

When Instacart begins to analyze your complaint, they will examine the corresponding order.

They will verify your payment method, validity, replacements, and other batch details and cross-reference them with the company’s quality standards.

The standards include the terms of Instacart’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, which means customers are eligible for refunds under certain conditions.

Instacart Responds

If your issue warrants a refund, you will receive an email after a customer service worker verifies your transaction.

If your complaint is deemed valid for a refund or store credit, it will apply to the items in your specific problematic order.

Customers may also choose credit, which is subject to Instacart terms and expires over time.

If the reason for a complaint is unprofessional service on behalf of the shopper, Instacart may privately assess the situation and respond.

Can You Report Customers on Instacart?

Yes, shoppers can report customers, though they must do this through Instacart Support.

For example, if a buyer accuses a worker of stealing, failing to deliver, or other causes, they will need proof.

Instacart will look at your receipts and purchase history to confirm the integrity of the order.

After your report, the company will take care of responding to the accuser on your behalf.

Do Customers See Complaints?

Customers do not see specific complaints against them, but if many shoppers report the same patron, their account could be flagged.

Flagged accounts have limited or permanent bans depending on their severity.

Bans come with warning emails detailing why they happened.

Can You Complain About an Instacart Shopper?

Yes, you can complain about an Instacart shopper.

One of the eligible reasons for a refund in Instacart’s 100% satisfaction guarantee is unprofessional service.

You should report if your Instacart shopper acted rudely, made threats, used hate speech, or caused other problems.

You can contact Instacart customer service via phone or report your specific order through the app or website.

Do Shoppers See Complaints?

Unlike customers, Instacart shoppers do see the complaints on their accounts.

They can also see their ratings out of five stars.

The reporting individuals’ names and addresses are kept anonymous for their safety.

Customer ratings gravely impact the worker’s ability to find high-paying batches.

Even a slightly under-perfect rating can limit a shopper’s earning potential.

Only report an Instacart shopper who demonstrated highly unprofessional behavior during the job.

Instacart’s review system removes the lowest rating and any bad reviews that fell out of the shopper’s control.

How Effective Is Instacart With Handling Complaints?

Does Instacart handle complaints well?

Let’s look at the Consumer Affairs rating and Complaints Board rating to find out.

Consumer Affairs Rating

Instacart scores a 2.7-star rating on Consumer Affairs.

Many reviews on the site show the weaknesses of its customer service system.

Some reviewers are upset by refunds that never occurred and problems Instacart failed to resolve.

Complaints Board Rating

Instacart’s Complaints Board rating paints a far more unreliable picture at only one star.

The reviews suggest that Instacart struggles with account reactivation and issuing proper refunds.

The site lists over 200 unresolved issues.

How To File Instacart Complaints

There are two ways to file a complaint as a shopper or customer.

The first method is to find the problematic order on the Instacart app or website and report an issue.

Click or tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner and navigate to “Your Order.”

Then, select “Get Help” on the proper transaction and specify the issue.

You’ll receive a confirmation email and a follow-up once Instacart examines the problem.

The second method is to call Instacart customer service at 1 (888) 246-7822.

The helpline is the best method for shoppers to report customers and handle work disputes.

Wrapping Up

Complaints are a tool Instacart implements to refine its offerings across the country.

It will take lots of feedback to improve customer service.

Instacart still has issues with responsiveness and resolution.

If you have a problem with Instacart, report it until the company takes action.

If you have questions about Instacard complaints, leave them in the comments below!

Instacart is working to streamline its complaint system and improve the experience for customers like you.

Your feedback could have a substantial impact on the future of Instacart.