This is Robbery: Woman Says Instacart Added and Extra $78 onto Her Bill and Didn’t Make It Right

Convenience apps like DoorDash and Instacart make life a lot easier for us, but they charge us a little extra for the privilege.  TikTok user Vanessa (@vane.sota) was surprised and appalled at what her Instacart receipt showed after delivery. Let’s see if she has a reason to be angry.

Taking a Big Slice of the Pie

Most of these delivery apps charge a bit extra for clients ordering stuff through them. The apps and their delivery people make their money on the difference between the paid price and what the customer pays for the delivery of their goods. However, many people simply glance at the receipt and get on with their day.

Vanessa decided to read the receipt Instacart gave her and compare it to the paper receipt included with her groceries. The total that the grocery gave her for the goods and what Instacart charged her was different. And it wasn’t a tiny discrepancy either. So, Vanessa decided to dig deeper.

Several Small Additions Later…

Naturally, Vanessa pulled out the receipt and what Instacart gave her and started comparing the values. None of them seemed to match, making her wonder what exactly was going on here. With each item, there was an added surcharge that the grocery didn’t include in their register record of the purchase.

Generally, when a company has an agreement with a grocery to upcharge prices, they tell the client. While the information might be buried deep within Instacart’s user agreement, it’s by no means easy to find. In this case, Vanessa spent a whopping $78 extra on a hidden surcharge.

Is This Robbery, or Is The Company In The Right?

Most companies that do delivery services or remote shopping services charge users a premium cost for doing their work for them. In some cases, this cost differs from app to app. Some online commenters even noted that they would sometimes pay an extra $100 per delivery with Instacart.

While it’s generally accepted that companies will charge more for delivery, tacking on an extra price at the end of each item may be a bit overbearing. As it stands, the company already charges a hefty delivery and service fee. Putting a surcharge on each item seems like rubbing salt into the wound.

The Internet Chimes In

As is expected on a TikTok post, the internet had its say. Some noted that these apps weren’t made for people who didn’t have the money to afford them. Others stated that they called and complained to the company that pointed out the clause in their fine print that says they don’t need to match the grocery prices.

Many people in the comments asked if it was Vanessa’s first time using the app. Several of them pointed out that these apps have been doing this for a long time, so they decide to do the shopping themselves. Even if that’s the case, what is she even paying a service fee for?

Making Money Hand Over Fist

Instacart and other businesses like them were built to bring convenience to users. During the pandemic, they were the only way some customers could get groceries. However, the cost of these apps has changed a lot over the last few years.

In addition to the fees they would tack on to items, Instacart also has several other expenses that most customers glance over. Among the hidden costs that Instacart adds to bills are a heavy item fee, long-distance shipping fee, and even a same-day orders fee. The app makes none of these fees abundantly clear to users.

Not Doing Anything Wrong

Instacart has been adamant that they are doing nothing wrong, and it’s up to the consumer to figure out what’s happening. According to Instacart, the extra fees they charge go towards helping the app and covering expenses they may have. Some charges are expected when using an app like this, but all the tiny costs add up.

Instacart has also stated openly that their retailers charge more through the app than they do in stores. However, when Vanessa contacted them, they told her they were not obligated to represent the same price as in the store. So, who is charging her extra?

Dodgy Practices And Hiding Information

Many people may have wondered how Vanessa even got access to her receipt. If you’re a regular shopper with Instacart, you might never have seen a receipt from the store, and there’s a reason for that. The reason is shocking and might make you rethink using the app in the future.

Instacart explicitly states that shoppers are not supposed to give receipts to customers. It’s been enshrined within the company as a policy, and the only way that customers actually get a glance at their bill is if the grocery slips it into the bag and the shopper misses its presence there.

A Bad Look For a Company

Most people would want to give Instacart the benefit of the doubt here. They have to cover the expenses of running a huge corporation, paying delivery drivers, and making their monthly quotas. But going to this level to hide what customers pay for their groceries is underhanded, to say the least.

Vanessa and a large portion of commenters on her video have vociferously stated that they are not ever using Instacart again, citing these reasons. It’s unsurprising that the company would lose out on clients when they find out that they’re being robbed.

Just Good Business?

Instacart is a public company, and their responsibility is to their shareholders. Over the last few months, Instacart users have been on the receiving end of a series of scandals. From wrongfully deactivated accounts to scam deliveries, these have not been a good look for them.

Despite all this, the company still has a solid core of users that don’t mind paying the extra for their grocery deliveries. Would you feel okay paying extra for grocery delivery if the company went to such lengths to hide the extra charges?