Having your groceries delivered is one of modern life's great conveniences, especially if it's raining or you just don't feel like walking into a crowded store. Instacart has become a household name when it comes to these deliveries, having partnered with big-name and regional stores like Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Costco, and Walmart. Through the Instacart app or website, you can easily check off items you'd normally buy in-store, and before you know it, they're being dropped off at your front door. But now, the delivery service is making a major upgrade to your orders, and it could change what you use the app for. Read on to find out about what's next for Instacart.
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Instacart doesn't just deliver groceries.
Sharaf Maksumov / ShutterstockYou might use Instacart as your go-to for food shopping, but the service also delivers general necessities via drugstores like CVS and Walgreens, and office supplies and electronics from Staples and Best Buy. Depending on where you live, you can even have White Claws or Coronas delivered to your Labor Day barbecue.
The service is also working to make delivery that much more convenient. Earlier this month, Instacart introduced OrderUp, a new feature that allows you to add items from additional retailers to you original order, while still paying just one delivery fee.
The sky's really the limit when it comes to placing orders on Instacart, but one major category has been missing. That is, until now.
There's a brand new delivery option.
oatawa / ShutterstockWhen you open your Instacart app, you'll notice something different—the "Big and Bulky" section. The company announced the nationwide launch of the new fulfillment category in an Aug. 24 press release, and the title means just what it says—you can now have big and bulky items delivered to your home.
Instacart says that Big Lots, Container Store, Mastermind Toys, Office Depot, Staples, and even Spirit Halloween are the first retailers that will implement this service, filling orders for outdoor furniture, larger office supplies, and electronics.
You can order both large and small items together.
Roschetzky Photography / ShutterstockThe beauty of the new Big & Bulky designation is that you can have your grocery and household items delivered alongside your more sizable purchases. Need a new desk chair and toner for your printer? You can place one order for both, and they will be delivered either that day or at a scheduled time, depending on your preference.
"By introducing Big & Bulky, consumers can now access an even wider selection of items for same-day delivery," Daniel Danker, chief product officer at Instacart, said in the press release. "With football season just around the corner, Instacart's Big & Bulky solution can provide customers with items like portable grills and tents for a tailgate or a 55" TV in case they're watching from home—all in as fast as an hour."
Jamie Columbus, vice president of eCommerce for Office Depot, notes that items like bookshelves, file cabinets, office chairs, and desks can now be delivered with the Instacart service, offering "a quick and convenient way" to receive both large and small office supplies.
The move is also beneficial for Instacart shoppers.
ShutterstockThose who shop for Instacart—meaning the people who pick out your items and deliver them to you—are able to "opt-in" to shop for bigger items, if they drive a large vehicle.
These orders, called "bulky batches," offer higher earning potential for shoppers. In a statement to TechCrunch, Instacart confirmed that shoppers will be paid based on the number and weight of items, including "heavy pay when applicable."
Speaking to the earning potential, in trial runs, Instacart noted that 97 percent of those with eligible vehicles opted to shop for these bulky orders. TechCrunch also reported that Instacart is providing new delivery options for shoppers. Instacart orders are often large and include several shopping bags that can't be transported without a car. To allow those with electric bikes or mopeds to deliver orders, Instacart said it will now be giving them smaller orders with shorter delivery distances and fewer items.
