Is Instacart’s Publix Home Delivery A Safe Option For Grocery Shopping in a Coronavirus World?
Let’s face it, with the uncertainty surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, avoiding crowded areas is becoming the new normal. It’s for this reason that I thought that I would give Instacart a try.
For those who find the need to avoid personal contact, an option is available that allows the delivery to be left at your door
In case you’re not familiar, Instacart is a grocery delivery service that works with local stores to allow you to place your order online and have it delivered at a time that’s convenient for you. In this, my first test of the Instacart service, I placed an order for nine items ranging from a bagged salad mix to sour cream and even a pack of Lucy’s favorite dog treats and pressed the order button at 1:50pm while requesting a delivery within a two-hour window. Considering that I live around 15 minutes from my local Publix supermarket, a two-hour delivery window seemed more than reasonable as it would take me at least half that time to do this myself.
While there’s an option to select alternative items should my selections be out of stock, I declined those suggestions as the items I selected are typically in stock and I simply want to see how this service performed.
The online shopping process was simple and the website worked without a flaw. The total price of this order came to $58.99 and that includes tax as well as a $2.64 service fee and a $2.64 tip.
For those who find the need to avoid all personal contact, an option is available that allows the delivery to be left at your door. Of course, if you have perishable items in your order, you may need to take that option into consideration.
While I chose Publix, a you can see from the graphic below, I had multiple stores to choose from. I’ll note that online shopping/delivery options will vary based on your location. Another service that’s offered is a Free Pickup, where you place your order via the Instacart website and simply drive to the designated pickup area of your local store where your order will be delivered to your waiting vehicle.
Per Wikipedia, “Instacart is accessible to more than 85% of U.S. households, and in all 50 states, and 70% of Canadian households. Instacart partners include Albertsons, ALDI, Costco, CVS, Kroger, Loblaw, Publix, Sam’s Club, Sprouts and Wegmans, among others. The company serves more than 25,000 different grocery stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America.”
During the process through text messages I learned that my personal shopper is Raul and he kept me posted as to his progress along the way. At 3:59pm, just two-hours and nine-minutes after placing the order, Raul arrived at the door.
Taking an inventory of the ordered items, I’m happy to say it was 100% correct.
My conclusion is simple. Instacart is a wonderful service and, if there’s any reason you want to avoid going to the grocery store, based on my first experience, I can say it’s highly recommended.
Next time, I’ll give it a try using Costco. So, stay tuned.
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