Making Online Grocery More Affordable: Introducing the Deals Hub, Reduced Cost and Free Delivery, and New Savings Features in the Instacart App

Today, we’re announcing a number of new features that will help people get more out of their Instacart experience and make grocery shopping more affordable. From a Deals Tab and exclusive savings for Express members to a new reduced cost and free delivery option and a new “Dollar Store Hub” destination on the Instacart marketplace, we’re rolling out more ways for customers to save when shopping from their favorite retailers. 

This new slate of features come at a time when grocery costs are continuing to rise across North America ahead of the holidays and amid increasing global supply chain challenges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for groceries and other food prepared at home increased by 2.6% over the past year — and that’s on top of a 3.5% increase from 2019. Many consumers will feel these increases on items like corn, dinner rolls and cranberry sauce as they prepare for Thanksgiving, and even frozen turkey prices are already 25 cents more per pound than they were a year ago, according to the USDA’s Turkey Market News Report. 

Giving people more access to food — and more time to enjoy it together– has always been core to our mission. For most Americans, when it comes to grocery shopping we know that every dollar matters. Outside of rent and transportation, groceries are one of the largest monthly budget expenditures for most households. Roughly 60% of offline grocery transactions in the U.S. include coupons, and across our own marketplace customers have already saved more than $400 million this year.

That’s why we’re proud to roll out these new savings features that help customers get exactly what they need, while also saving along the way:

• New Reduced Cost and Free Delivery:  In select markets, we’re testing a new delivery option for which we’ll reduce or waive the delivery fee on orders placed more than 24 hours in advance of the desired delivery date and time. No two grocery shops are created equal – whether it’s a bulk buy for the week ahead or just a few ingredients for tonight’s dinner. For some customers, every minute counts when they’re in a pinch and need something in a hurry. Other customers are weekly planners who place their orders in advance. For those customers, this new option provides another way to plan ahead and save even more. 

• Millions in Savings with the Deals Tab: We’re reimagining the grocery circular for the digital age, making it easier for people to quickly find the best deals from their favorite retailers and brands with the new Deals Tab. We already run hundreds of thousands of deals and coupons across its marketplace every day, and the Deals Tab will offer millions of dollars in savings  with daily coupons from retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Customers can visit the tab to browse sales in their area and save on weekly staples, bulk products or special occasion items, with discounts on everything from birthday cakes and steaks to seasonal decor and electronics. 

• Offering 5% Credit Back on Express Pickup Orders: Instacart is also bringing additional savings to Express members who use the company’s contactless curbside Pickup offering, one of the most affordable ways to shop at Instacart. All Pickup customers already save on service fees and do not pay delivery fees. Over the next few months, Express members will get even more savings with 5% credit back on their eligible Pickup orders, usable on future orders placed via Instacart. The company has expanded Pickup to more than 4,500 stores nationwide across 120 grocery partners, including ALDI, Food Lion, Gelson’s, Publix, Price Chopper, Schnucks, Shop ’n Save, Sprouts, The Fresh Market, Wegmans and more — giving customers the option to save time and money by ordering online and picking up their groceries when they’re on the go. 

• Introducing the Dollar Store Hub: In addition to offering food and essentials from value grocers like Grocery Outlet, ALDI, Save Mart, Price Chopper and Food Lion, we’re also introducing a new Dollar Store Hub in the Instacart app. Customers can now browse dollar store deals and discover more savings from ~14,000 dollar stores – including the Dollar Tree, which now offers nationwide delivery from more than 6,800 stores – as well as the 99 Cents Only Store, Five Below, and Family Dollar.

We believe that online grocery shouldn’t be a luxury for just some people, and we’re committed to making Instacart the most affordable way for families across North America to get the food they need from the retailers they love.These features are just the beginning and we’re excited to introduce even more ways for consumers to save when they shop online.

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.