Don't assume you can order groceries for delivery.

[Grasswire2]

After waiting a week for the only grocery delivery window I could get (expected at 11 p.m. on Saturday night) -- I got a text at 11:15 p.m. telling me the order was cancelled.

They have not yet refunded my money.

The customer service phone line tells me the wait to talk to someone will be 55 minutes on hold.

Insta-Cart for my local Kroger's store.

[appalachiablue]

1. Thanks for the report, sorry you're having difficulties but I

figured the grocery delivery system was being deluged in the last days and week. Best.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. I can't even get online to Schucks to even try to set up a delivery outside the doors of the store.

Kind of irritating being that I used the service before all of this happened, and now, w/ the CV going on, the quality of my service has gone down due to the overflow of new customers using this service. What about those that have used the service way before the CV happened? I feel like I got screwed. And it pisses me off to no end that my long term loyalty didn't count for crap. For anyone wanting to sign up for these services, good luck. I don't think you're going to have much luck, and if you do, you're lucky.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Call your credit card company and ask them to void the charge,

If you paid by credit card.

[Arkansas Granny]

4. I placed an Insta-Cart order last week with no problem.

I had to wait a little longer, but I got it the same day. I don't know if things have gotten worse.

[inanna]

5. Guess I'm pretty lucky this way

I am at home self isolating right now. Just to be safe. I am showing no symptoms, but had contact about two weeks ago with my brother who is now showing symptoms - and recently had to get the test.

My adult daughter has been doing a lot of shopping for the family. She's practising safe social distancing. In my case, drops off the parcels in my lobby entrance, then texts me to go down and fetch my stuff.

Or dropping off items on my father's doorstep.

She's been tested for the covid - and the results came back negative.

Still, I wish the delivery option was available. I don't like daughter putting herself in harms way either...

No delivery slots available here for at least ten days.

[Historic NY]

6. Sams Club if your a member...

I figured a day the next morning it was supposed to be 10am they texted it was ready at 740 am. You pay when you arrive but they do offer delivery or curbside pickup. You don't go to a cashier.

[Sedona]

7. I had very good luck.ordering from Whole Foods

Thru Amazon very early this morning. Got delivery within a few hours.

[Grasswire2]

9. wow

I've been trying for an amazon fresh pantry delivery window for two weeks now. NOTHING. They say they release new windows periodically, but I have tried at night, early morning, afternoon.

NOTHING.

[stopwastingmymoney]

11. Me too

I did an amazon Whole Foods order about ten days ago with no problems

I’ve been trying for several days now and nothing

And you have to spend time building your cart before they tell you no delivery available

I went to the local market yesterday in full get up and spent way too much on enough fresh for a week or so, still no paper or disinfectants

I’m going to try Costco next, looks like that will take almost a week

[Grasswire2]

18. I gave up and went to my local Kroger today....bought a whole month's worth of stuff..

...and called a cab to come home. Took me two hours to shop and three to clean everything before bringing it in the house. But it's done.

[LisaL]

19. What you have to do is to load up your cart and then keep checking for delivery windows to open up.

They open them up throughout the day, and then you have to quickly check out what you have in your cart. I managed to get a bunch of orders this way. I guess you have to check a lot because windows open up and then very quickly they are gone.

[Sedona]

23. I used Whole Foods, not Amazon Pantry

Two different things.

You're right. Amazon Pantry is sold out of just about everything.

[LizBeth]

8. What state?

[Chainfire]

10. Since I am five miles past nowhere

deliveries are out. My wife and I just got through placing a three week order to Florida's finest grocery chain, and the soonest pickup time is Thursday afternoon. It is fine. I have to drive 40 miles to pick them up, but it beats the hell out of going in the nearest grocery store (12 miles away) rubbing elbows with those that still think that this thing is a personal attack on Trump. The local store managers think that their store is clean if you can't smell rotting meat when you walk in the door. Sometimes they meet their standard, sometimes they don't.....Since we only have four confirmed cases in this County, everyone still believes it is a hoax, so no one is exercising any safety measures.

The clerk at the store we are picking up from will load the groceries in the back, pick up his/her tip and I will be on my way. When I get home I will decontaminate the car, and the groceries. The stuff I use to kill the virus is so strong, it will even kill time.

My wife and I have been in a serious lock-down for two weeks now. If we have to stay in our self imposed prison until Christmas, so be it. I don't look good in formaldehyde, and I am not ready for an early move-in to a home six feet underground. If the virus gets me, and it may, I will not have made it easy.

[eleny]

12. Aren't the Insta-Cart workers still on strike?

If so we surely hope an agreement is reached very soon!

[Grasswire2]

17. not striking here

Just very disappointing.

They haven't refunded my $$$ yet.

[budkin]

13. If you live in an area in Texas with HEB, they have partnered with Favor to prioritize seniors

https://www.kens5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/h-e-b-and-favor-team-up-to-deliver-groceries-to-seniors/273-2c4d989a-acbd-439f-8dfa-a87bf3823c0c

[Jersey Devil]

14. We order online, then Harris Teeter shedules a pickup

Last week my wife ordered on Tues and it was ready for pickup on Sat. We go to the parking lot into a special "pick up" lane, push a button on a speaker, give our name (or order number) and someone comes out, loads the groceries in the trunk, and then we leave. We never have to get out of the car or get anywhere near another person. Pickups between 12-1 pm are for seniors only. When we get home we sanitize everything in the garage before bringing groceries inside, then wash up.

This system is working very well for us here in NC and we've used it for 3 weeks now.

[royable]

15. Hopefully you're avoiding contamination when pressing the speaker button.

Sounds like you’re being very careful. Stay safe!

[mainer]

16. Do you have Dumpling delivery in your area?

My daughter in law had the same thing happen to her with Instacart. She now uses Dumpling. (She’s in upstate NY) and likes it better.

[fishwax]

20. I've been out of luck trying for about a week now

I've got carts built up on amazon, target, and a few other places, but I haven't been able to get a delivery window.

Fortunately I've got plenty of food to get by if necessary--these are mostly just topping off some pantry items and trying to get some fresh fruit and dairy. I can get milk from the corner store if need be, but I'm a single parent and don't want to haul my kid to the grocery store under these circumstances.

[Grasswire2]

22. I felt lucky to have the option of going to the store today, finally...

....although I certainly didn't want to do so. I took the city bus, and then called a cab to go home with my loot. Nearly every one was wearing masks that I saw.

The food delivery system is obviously inadequate in this situation. I really feel for frail or elderly or disabled who have few avenues for shopping.

[Tink41]

38. Try middle of night

My sleep schedule is whacked. I'm up 1,2,3,4 in the morning diff times diff days. Anyway I take advantage of it by checking my loaded cart. I've been most successful Pantry, Fresh, Whole Foods in the middle of night. Also they seemed to have things in stock this morning that were out on Sunday

[Yavin4]

21. I had problems at first, but I was able to break through on Sunday morning for some reason.

You just have to keep trying throughout the day.

[Keth]

24. Aldi

I just submitted an order for delivery from the local Aldi store - never really shopped there and was surprised at how low their prices were on things. Although, eggs were almost $3 dollars a dozen - I did get cage free. The earliest delivery time was Thursday from noon to two - hopefully nothing goes wrong and my delivery makes the time spread. I'm wanting lasagna so bad so I pretty much ordered everything I needed to make it. Going to make a lot and freeze. And enjoy with a nice cabernet.

[Grasswire2]

26. No Aldi here. Gee, I wish TraderJoe's had delivery!! nt

[Grasswire2]

25. My money still has not been refunded.

The grocery store says they have nothing to do with Instacart transactions (even though the money ends up with them)

Insta-cart is unreachable.

Paypal, which is the mastercard debit I used, takes 30 days to resolve any disputes.

A cautionary tale.

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. Normally they dont CHARGE you until it is delivered, you will have a PENDING but not

completed charge, normally.

Make sure this is not pending still...

Pending can stay on for up to a month before dropping.

[Grasswire2]

32. It is "pending"

That's robbery. Hanging on to a customer's $$ for a month.

[Eliot Rosewater]

35. Pending means they did not charge you yet, it is RESERVED in case you reach your

limit on your card but it is not charged to you yet..

[Grasswire2]

40. no, it has been deducted from the balance on my debit card.

The money is gone.

[Eliot Rosewater]

41. Oh , you are using debit...that is different. always use a credit card if you have one.

If you are a Costco member, get their VISA that provides excellent cash rewards.

If you stay at Marriot hotel chains, their AMEX gives rewards but there is a fee...

Each major airline also has cards connected to frequent flyer miles. I pay for everything on a CC if it is an option which most things are...then pay it off.

[Grasswire2]

42. nope. I don't do that. But thanks. nt

[snowybirdie]

28. I've been trying

for five days to just get an appointment! Tried two stores. No luck. It's now a cruel joke

[Tucker08087]

29. Our grocery store had to close.

Most of the staff had CV19. I know quite a few decided it wasn’t worth the risk, and walked away. The public was not following CDC recommendations. We normally don’t have delivery or pickup. They did this to keep the public safe, but the public was not respectful enough to do the same. They are now reopened with a skeleton crew. They count. Only 10 people allowed in at a time. It must have at least 30 aisles.
Perhaps your store has similar issues with illness and staffing.

[SoCalNative]

30. I placed 2 online orders this week

One with Vons (Albertsons) for delivery Saturday morning and one with Ralph's (Kroger) for delivery Sunday afternoon. We'll see if anything gets canceled from or the whole orders get canceled.

[Nululu]

31. It takes about a week to schedule

We have a pickup window next Monday at Fred Meyer.

Safeway delivery also takes about a week. You need to check several times over several days to schedule a pickup or delivery. Both have no contact options.

Try to stay safe out there and be persistent. Expect out of stock on items.

[Grasswire2]

33. I HAD a delivery scheduled, for the only time offered. 11 p.m. Saturday night.

I got a text at `11:15 that it was cancelled.

They still have my money and I'm told it may take a month to retrieve it.

[Nululu]

36. That bites

Especially with long waits.

They should at least offer another time.

[Green Line]

34. I just cancelled my Instacart account and got a refund of my express account.

I told them I was going to report them for scamming to every agency that would listen. It took hours for someone to reply to my chat.
They're the absolute worst, try Shipt if it's available for you, they have tight windows, but they did a good job.

[Grasswire2]

37. oh, there's an Instacart chat?

Hmmm. Where can I find it?

I'm about to inform my local TV station of this problem for people who need delivery.

[Tink41]

39. Ive been very creative

With my shopping. My Menards (home improvement) store carries quite a bit of jarred, canned, packaged food. Ive ordered and had delivered some items I couldn't get from Amazon Pantry. Right now I have on rotation 3 amazon carts, because things become unavailable in one I place order in other where a delivery slot opens. It has been a little time consuming.