Tipping Etiquette for Instacart: How Much Should You Tip?
Figuring out how much to tip on Instacart is an important part of being a good customer. It's easy to get frustrated when you don't know the etiquette, but luckily, we've got you covered! In this blog post, we'll break down all the factors that go into proper tipping etiquette while shopping on Instacart so that you can move forward with confidence and show your appreciation for your delivery person in the best way possible. Read on to make sure you understand what goes into Instacart tipping – from order total considerations to special cases where extra gratuity might be necessary.
Instacart began facing legal issues in July 2018 when D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against the company for allegedly misleading customers about its tipping policy. The suit claimed that the San Francisco headquartered company collected millions of dollars by failing to use customer gratuities as payment for delivery workers, instead directing those funds to the company itself and later giving some of it back to delivery workers as a bonus. This move was heavily criticized by both customers and drivers who felt that their tips were being taken away from them without their knowledge or consent.
The scandal sparked outrage amongst Instacart users, with many taking to social media to voice their disapproval. Delivery drivers also spoke out against the practice, arguing that they should have been receiving gratuity payments directly from customers instead of having them siphoned off by the company first. Public pressure mounted until February 2019, when Apoorva Mehta - Instacart’s founder- announced a new tipping policy, which would ensure that shoppers keep 100% of tips given which would go directly towards delivery workers’ pay.
The new policy meant that all orders placed on or after February 2, 2019 had their service fee remitted back into customers’ accounts as a form of credit for future purchases – meaning shoppers could now use it as a tip for delivery workers if they chose to do so. Additionally, all pre-existing orders with service fees still on account were automatically credited back into shopper accounts in the form of an “instapayment”.
Instacart also implemented additional measures following this scandal, including raising its minimum base pay rate for drivers and providing more transparent information about how tips are handled across platforms. However, some argue that these changes do not go far enough in addressing underlying problems within the gig economy such as low wages and lack of job security – something Instacart is yet to address adequately.
As more customers turn to online grocery delivery services, they are often left wondering if they should tip their driver, and if so, how much? It's an important question to consider given the growing demand for these services and the economy of gig workers that power them. Rewarding your your full service shopper(s) is a great way to show your gratitude for their hard work and dedication in helping you get the items you need. It's completely optional, but when you choose to leave a gratuity, 100% of that money goes directly to the person who is shopping and delivering your order.
Find below some of the main reasons why you should tip your grocery delivery driver.
In many ways, it can be seen as a way to show appreciation for excellent service. Many people who use Instacart are conscious of this fact and want to support their drivers by giving them a generous tip. This is especially true when there are special circumstances, such as unexpected difficulties encountered during the delivery process or when there is an extra-large order or difficult items in it.
It is important to note that Instacart doesn't pay its drivers a minimum wage based on local regulations and other factors such as distance traveled. The Instacart base rate may not always be enough to cover the cost of gas, vehicle maintenance expenses, and other associated costs with making deliveries.
Furthermore, since delivery jobs are often done by independent contractors rather than full-time employees, they do not enjoy employee benefits such as health insurance or vacation days. Therefore, tipping can be seen as an incentive for good service and also provide additional income to make up for lost earnings due to these costs of being self-employed.
Ultimately deciding whether or not to tip an Instacart delivery driver is a personal decision that should take into account both your own budget and feelings about rewarding quality customer service with gratuity; but no matter what your decision ends up being know that every little bit helps ensure that these hardworking individuals have incentives for continuing providing top-notch grocery delivery services now and into the future!
To understand how much you are supposed to tip your Instacart shopper, it’s important to consider the value of their services first. An Instacart shopper does much more than simply walking into a store and grabbing your groceries; they must also ensure that you receive quality products and accurately follow all instructions provided in your order. Additionally, they may be required to put together custom orders or wait in line while other customers finish checkout ahead of them. All of these tasks require time and effort that should be rewarded with a generous tip from customers.
So, how much to tip instacart?
A general rule of thumb, the appropriate tip for delivery person is 10% - 15% of the total bill amount; however this can vary depending on what you feel comfortable with giving or if there were any issues during the delivery process that warranted additional compensation.
It should also be noted that if you leave a tip in cash rather than through the app itself then make sure you have exact change ready – most drivers prefer cash tips because this allows them to avoid credit card processing fees which can reduce their overall earnings significantly over time.
Instacart offers its customers the option of leaving a default tip of 5% when ordering groceries online, which allows them to recognize the hard work and commitment of their shopper in providing quality service amidst difficult circumstances. The 5% is an effort to show gratitude for the Instacart workers' effort while also making it easy and convenient for customers to express their appreciation.
If you feel like you received great service from your Instacart driver then the proper tip for grocery delivery would be in the 10%-15% range; Furthermore, although individual tips may seem small on their own they can really add up over time when compounded across multiple orders – so remember: even though it’s no obligation at all; tipping your Instacart driver can go a long way towards showing your gratitude for their hard work and dedication especially if you get free delivery
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To ensure that your shopper is rewarded for their efforts, it’s important to know how to do it appropriately.
When you first place an order using the Instacart app, you can add a tip and choose how much you'd like to leave your shopper before the delivery arrives. You can choose from a 10%, 15%, 20% or other custom amount, which will be added onto your total order cost. It's easy to change this selection at any time if you decide that a different amount is more appropriate, as long as you make sure to save the changes before checkout.
Once the delivery has arrived, you're able to add or edit your tip through the app itself. To access this feature, open up the order summary page in the app and look under “Your Tip” section. Here you'll be able to enter in a new or additional amount that will be added on top of any amount already given before checkout. You'll then be asked to confirm this selection and once it's confirmed, your transaction will then process with the new total price including the gratuity.
If payment was made in cash upon delivery (or if cash was used for any other reason) then it’s good practice to give an envelope containing an appropriate amount of money directly to your shopper as a token of appreciation for their services. Generally speaking, 10-15% of what was spent on groceries is considered an adequate tip – though some shoppers may suggest otherwise depending on quality or difficulty of delivery, so it’s always best practise to ask them if they would prefer a larger or smaller sum than what was originally offered.
When tipping in cash directly with no previously stated percentage in mind (either before or after delivery) then it’s best practice not only take into consideration what was spent on groceries but also factor in mileage costs and wait times incurred due to traffic delays etc too; after all even small amounts can make all difference when put together throughout multiple orders over time!
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Instacart shoppers do see tips. When a customer orders groceries or other items through the Instacart app, they have the option to leave a tip for the shopper before the delivery. The gratuity amount is shown on the order page, and customers have the ability to add or adjust their tip amount.
When an Instacart shopper begins working on an order, they can see all of the details of that order including what items are being purchased and how much of a tip was left by the customer. Depending on the situation, they may or may not receive any notifications when a customer adds or changes their gratuity amount. For example, if a customer adds a large tip after an order has been accepted by a shopper but before it is completed, the shopper may not be made aware until after delivery of that order.
There have been some controversial issues and reports from some shoppers about customers taking advantage of them during times of high demand such as during the COVID-19 pandemic by adding very large gratuty after accepting their orders in order to make sure their orders get filled quickly so they can receive their groceries sooner than later. In some cases, these customers have then changed the amount back down to something lower after receiving their goods due to feeling guilty about taking advantage of someone else’s misfortune in that way.
Keep in mind that while you can always delete your account if you do not want to use the delivery service anymore, Instacart tip baiting may result in customers' accounts being deactivated right away.
On top of this, some reports have also indicated that there may be issues with Instacart’s ordering system causing shoppers to unknowingly accept orders with no tips associated with them at all because those orders were never presented as having no tips in the first place (the default setting seems to be “$0” in many cases).
This issue appears to be affecting primarily small-order jobs so it’s likely that most shoppers would still see any tipped orders prior to accepting them but it’s still something worth noting nonetheless especially due to its potential impact on both sides (customer dissatisfaction plus loss in income for any impacted shoppers).
It can be difficult for Instacart shoppers at times with customers not always leaving tips even when they should be doing so based on standard industry practice (10-15% is typical).
Overall though, it's important for customers not to take advantage either by adding excessive gratuity only to reduce them back down again afterwards since this could lead directly or indirectly towards worse experiences overall (both customer satisfaction-wise and financially) - understanding everyone's collective responsibility here is key!
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Yes, you can change a tip on Instacart. With the app, users are able to modify their gratuity either while placing an order or after delivery has been completed. If you would like to increase your tip amount, you have up to 14 days after the delivery is complete to do so.
However, recently Instacart modified their controversial policies. If you decide that you would like to reduce or remove your tip, then you have up to 2 hours after the delivery is completed to adjust it. This flexibility allows customers to make changes based on the level of service they experienced and their opinion of it.
No, delivery fees are not tips. Delivery fees are a separate charge that covers the cost of having food delivered to a home or business. These charges can differ based on the grocery store and the delivery window, but they will almost always be listed separately on the receipt. It's important to note that these delivery fees do not go to the driver.
With these guidelines in mind, go forth and get your groceries delivered with the peace of mind that you’re following proper tipping etiquette. Don’t forget, a little extra something for good service is always appreciated so if you have a great experience feel free to add an additional dollar or two to the total tip. Thanks for reading!
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