Service offers choice between delivery and store pickup

SAN FRANCISCO — Instacart said Wednesday that will be rolling out its Instacart Pickup grocery click-and-collect service nationwide.

Instacart will be working with existing and new retail partners to add the Instacart Pickup service to participating partner stores nationwide over the coming months and throughout 2019, according to the company, which said that the rollout follows a successful multi-month pilot of the program.

“We want to make grocery shopping effortless by helping our customers get the groceries they need from the retailers they love,” said Instacart chief business officer Nilam Ganenthiran.

Instacart Pickup allows customers to choose to have their orders delivered to their home, or opt instead to pick them up at the store.

“Our customers want choice and we’re excited to now offer the pickup option they’ve been asking for,” Ganenthiran said. “In our house, sometimes the ritual of going to the grocery store is inspiring and helps us meal plan for the week. Other times, we’re busy and can’t get to the store, so delivery makes life easier for us. For families that are out and about and running errands, a pickup solution might be a better fit for their family rhythm. I’m excited to work with our existing retail partners to now offer Instacart Pickup and look forward to adding more beloved grocers over the coming months and expanding this service to even more families.”

Based on their positive response to the Instacart Pickup pilot, the company has deepened its partnerships with such retailers as ALDI, Cub Foods, Food Lion, Price Chopper, Publix, Schnucks, Smart & Final, Sprouts, Tops Friendly Markets and Wegmans to offer the Instacart Pickup service in nearly 200 stores across 25 key markets near Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Nashville, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

“We’re proud to offer our customers more ways to get the groceries they need when they want them,” said Ed Rick, director of consumer marketing and digital at Tops Friendly Markets. “Instacart Pickup is the perfect option for busy Tops customers who are on-the-go and want the flexibility and convenience to shop when and how they want while still getting access to the Tops groceries they love.”

Instacart customers in participating cities and retail locations will now be able to place their order and pick up their groceries at their retailer of choice. To access Instacart Pickup, customers can go to the Instacart web site  or open the Instacart mobile app, select their city and store, add groceries to their Instacart grocery cart, then choose either a delivery window or pickup window before they check out. Instacart Pickup customers will receive an in-app notification when their groceries are ready. Pickup customers then send an in-app notification to their Instacart personal shopper letting them know they’re on the way to the store. As soon as they arrive, an Instacart shopper or retailer employee will bring the groceries out to the customer’s vehicle. Instacart’s Pickup service is free for Instacart Express members.

Instacart is currently accessible to more than 70% of U.S. households and in all 50 states, as well as to more than 50% of Canadian households, the company said.