Instacart enhances ordering features

Instacart continues to make adjustments during the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing two new enhanced features to how consumers order through the delivery service. 

The tech moves come on the heels of very recent programs it put in place to improve the safety and compensation of its shoppers, such as delivering health kits and a new tipping platform. 

As so many families throughout the U.S. and Canada, where it serves, deal with shelter-in-place to stay safe from the coronavirus pandemic, Instacart has reported that its overall order volume is up more than 300%, year over year, and that it has expanded its amount of shoppers from 200,000 to 350,000.

The new features include “Fast & Flexible” delivery. This option matches a customer’s order with the first available shopper, as opposed to scheduling a delivery window. The option automatically connects with real-time shoppers who might be available to take on more orders and speed up deliveries for consumers.

Instacart said a test of the feature demonstrated that 85% of delivery orders were delivered ahead of an estimated delivery range.

Instacart also introduced an “Order Ahead” feature to enable customers to place an order up to two weeks in advance. Previously, customers could only schedule up to one week out but the company found during COVID-19, customers are wanting to schedule further ahead.