Introducing New Shopper Perks For A More Holistic Shopper Experience

In the last year, the shopper community has nearly tripled from 50,000 to over 130,000 active shoppers. Every day, shoppers are choosing Instacart as a flexible way to increase their income and earn on their own terms. These individuals shop for different reasons and play many roles outside of being a shopper — they are parents, entrepreneurs, and students, and they are as diverse as the items in the grocery store.

We’re constantly working to build better products, resources, and programs to make the shopper experience better tomorrow than it is today. It starts with learning about who Instacart shoppers are, listening to their feedback, and making incremental changes to improve over time. That’s why, earlier this year, we surveyed shoppers to understand why people are using the platform, learn why women in particular are drawn to the opportunity, and identify perks that would best support this community. Here’s what we found:

Instacart Shoppers: The Shopping Cart & Everything In-Between

Shoppers are Diverse

• Women make up a majority of the community: 73% of shoppers are women.
• Shoppers are all ages: Most shoppers are either 25 to 34 (34%) or 35 to 44 (30%), with about one quarter over 45 years old.
• Many shoppers are parents: 51% of shoppers have children.
• Shoppers are college educated, and use Instacart for supplemental income: More than 74% of shoppers have some college education or a degree and use Instacart for extra income.

Instacart Offers the Flexibility to Meet their Needs

• Flexibility is key for shoppers: 82% said they value shopping with Instacart because of the flexibility the platform offers.
• Shoppers enjoy being household heroes: 64% of shoppers said they value being able to help people who can’t get to the store.
• Shoppers fit Instacart around their lives: More than 74% of shoppers shop fewer than 10 hours a week.
• They use earnings for expenses and leisure activities: Most shoppers are using their Instacart earnings to help pay for everyday expenses. But more than a third are using their earnings to add to savings or treat their families or themselves.

We also asked shoppers what they wanted most when it came to unique perks and discounts that Instacart can offer. More than 70% of shoppers said they would most value insurance, health, and family care offerings. Additionally, shoppers have told us through focus groups, forums, and in-person sessions that a more holistic approach to the Instacart experience would be beneficial. This means providing programs and perks that go beyond pay and giving shoppers the support and resources they need to thrive.

With that in mind, today, we’re launching a new set of perks that — for the first time — provide access to offerings specially catered to Instacart shoppers.

Announcing New Shopper Perks Program

We care deeply about all aspects of shoppers’ lives, from their personal health and well-being to their financial goals and the needs of their families. Starting September 3, 2019, the Instacart shopper community, regardless of how much they work, will have access to the following perks, including Shopper Injury Protection, family care, and resources to help them reach their health and finance goals.

Introducing Shopper Injury Protection

Shopper Injury Protection is insurance designed to protect shoppers in the event of an accident. We believe shoppers deserve the opportunity to be protected in the rare occurrence that they suffer an injury while shopping and delivering with Instacart. This comprehensive coverage will apply to all U.S. full-service shoppers and includes up to $1 million to cover medical expenses, along with disability payments, and survivor’s benefits for eligible dependents. In-store shoppers remain covered through workers’ compensation for workplace accidents.

Finding Help for Family with Care.com

Care.com is a service that can help shoppers find qualified caregivers to support their families. With a Care.com membership, shoppers can get support for childcare, senior care, special needs care, pet care, housekeeping, and tutors — all from one platform. All shoppers will get access to the platform free of charge, to help find the caregivers that best support their needs.

Managing Health and Finances with Stride

The brand-new “Stride Benefits Platform” offers more than just access to insurance. Instacart shoppers can not only access the best offerings for health, dental, and vision insurance, but now a customized, robust suite of health and financial tools. New offerings include additional insurance options, online doctor visits, prescription discounts and more to ensure shoppers’ physical well-being, as well as financial management assistance such as tax filing and online banking. The full suite of health and financial savings and deals, along with expense tracking, is available for all shoppers through the Stride app.

Paying Down Student Loan Debt with Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter offers a student loan assistance program that can help shoppers navigate student loan repayment, including reporting, debt counseling, and refinancing. With access to this platform, shoppers can get professional assistance on the best next steps for paying down student loan debt.

Creating a More Holistic Experience

This is one step in a longer journey to creating new programs and offerings that support shoppers. By introducing these perks, we hope that we can continue to deliver a holistic experience for the shopper community, enabling shoppers to do their best work and stay engaged as part of the Instacart family for years to come.

Instacart

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.