Aldi Instacart: The Complete Guide to Using Instacart at Aldi
Beloved German grocery chain Aldi has partnered with Instacart since 2017, but if you’ve never shopped on their site before — and you want to start — it might be a little daunting at first.
Here’s your complete guide to using Instacart at Aldi, with all the answers, tips and tricks you need to get the most out of every order and ensure every transaction goes smoothly!
A quick overview of using Instacart at Aldi
Aldi customers can opt for Instacart delivery, which costs $4 to $10, or pickup, which costs $2 to $5. Aldi also has Instacart Express, with a $9.99 monthly membership and free shipping on orders over $25. In some cases, Aldi groceries can cost more on Instacart.
To find out more about how to place an Instacar order with Aldi, whether groceries are more expensive, whether home delivery is a must, and more, keep reading!
How do you place an order with Aldi via Instacart?
First, you need an Instacart account. Download the app from your app store or sign up online at www.Instacart.com and follow the instructions to set up an account.
You will need to have a debit or credit card on hand to add to your account and, if you want to use it, your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.
Once Instacart has your location, it tells you which stores you can shop at. Select the one you want, and when it moves to the main shopping screen, double check the middle of the screen (mobile app) to make sure it’s set to your chosen location.
After that, you can start making lists. Both the app and website are organized by shop section, so your baked goods, your produce, your frozen meals, and more are already grouped together.
After your first order, you’ll get a list called “Buy Again” with previous items for easy reordering, and the app will add to that list every time you place an order.
If you bought something a few weeks ago and you can’t remember what it was, Buy Again is a good place to look, with headings at the top of the menu to help you search by department.
Another tip when shopping: pay attention to the quantity of items. For example, bananas can be purchased by item quantity or weight in pounds. When you click on the item, options to change the quantity and size appear.
You might think you’re ordering 10 bananas, but if you’re not paying attention, you’ll end up with 10 pounds’ worth of bananas!
Once your list is complete, you can head to the checkout. There is a minimum fee of $35 to place a delivery order and only $10 to place a pickup order.
The little green and white card icon in the upper right corner of the app is your shopping cart; click it and you can either view your card or “go to checkout.”
At checkout, you can confirm whether you want delivery or self-pickup and choose among available timeslots; make sure your contact information is correct; confirm your payment method; and look at your shopping cart one last time before placing your order.
(This is also where you can enter delivery notes, like where they should leave the bag or if you want them to knock on the door.)
If you scroll down past the total, you’ll also see “Add a promo code or gift card.” It’s important not to miss this, especially if you’re a first-time shopper, as there are many promotions available to you (just do a Google search), the most common being free shipping.
After submitting your order, you will receive a confirmation message on the app (or website), a confirmation email and a confirmation push notification on your phone.
Then you wait for your Aldi shopper to start. You’ll get another notification when someone starts; it’s your sign to keep an eye on your cart.
Aldi’s shoppers are so friendly, they often offer to introduce themselves via the chat function right from the start.
Due to the fluctuating nature of Aldi’s restocking, it’s best to keep your phone off or your web browser open while shopping; that way, if they run out of something or have a question about an item, you can answer them promptly.
This ensures that if you don’t get everything from your cart, the shopper can actually get you close or refund you.
Also note, if your pickup or delivery time is set between 5pm and 6pm but your shoppers start at 1pm, don’t worry about your items!
All Aldi items are kept in a suitable cooler/freezer until the items are bagged and delivered or brought to your vehicle.
The app notifies you every step of the delivery and pickup process, so there are no surprises. If you opt for home delivery, your driver will usually send you a photo of the item he or she left behind.
Are groceries more expensive on Aldi Instacart?
Aldi is even aware of the extra fees charged by grocery stores when using Instacart. According to their website, “In some cases, items on Instacart may be priced higher to cover the cost of personal shopping delivery.”
Instacart’s website explains, “While many retailers offer everyday store prices on Instacart, some retailers may set prices on the Instacart platform that differ from in-store prices.”
So yes, some groceries are more expensive on Instacart than your local Aldi in-store, but Aldi is still trying to keep prices below rival supermarkets.
How do you pay for your Aldi Instacart order?
When you sign up for Instacart, you’ll be prompted to add a debit or credit card, or you can use Apple or Google Pay. Aldi also recently launched EBT payments through Instacart, which you can choose to add right away when you sign up.
It’s worth noting that while customers can use EBT to pay for SNAP-eligible groceries, delivery/pickup fees and other service fees must be paid separately with a debit or credit card.
For more information on Aldi Instacart and EBT payments, see the section in the guide here.
You cannot pay with cash, Venmo, PayPal, or using the WIC program.
Will Aldi pick up your bags with Instacart orders?
Aldi does give you bags with your Instacart order; however, just like in stores, they do charge for it.
You can see this on the final receipt where it says “Checkout Bag Tax or Fee”.
While this is an additional fee, you can expect it to be under a dollar, or even as low as 10 cents or 25 cents, depending on how many bags your order requires.
Do you have to be at home to receive an Aldi Instacart delivery?
You don’t have to be at home to pick up an Aldi Instacart delivery, but Aldi can’t keep your refrigerated/frozen items cold until you get home.
If you can’t be home for a few hours, either order non-perishable food or plan to be there when your driver delivers.
How do you pick up your Aldi Instacart order?
Aldi and Instacart really simplify the pickup process. Before you leave, you can open your app and mark yourself as “On the Road”. This lets the staff know to collect your bags, so you’ll have less wait time when you arrive.
When you get there, you’ll park your car in the designated pick-up area. These are the bright blue numbered parking spaces (it doesn’t matter which one you take); each space also has a sign indicating it’s a curbside pick-up point.
After parking, you can select the “I’m here” button.
You’ll also enter your vehicle’s make, model, and color into the app so shoppers know who to place their order with.
The app guides you every step of the way, from “a shopper is carrying your bag” to “a shopper is carrying your bag”.
Roll down your car windows so they can ask where you want your luggage. Once they tell you it’s all set, that’s it! You should get a notification from Instacart on your phone thanking you for your pickup order.
Should you tip Aldi Instacart shoppers and drivers?
When doing curbside pickup, do not tip the person carrying your luggage. However, there’s nothing stopping you from tipping cash after they’ve packed your bags.
Delivery notes are another matter entirely. Tipping is absolutely essential, as 100% of the tips go to the delivery guys, which make up the majority of their wages.
You can tip in the app or in cash. The app is set at 5% of the total order as a tip, but 15-20% is extra thoughtful good service (in any business).
What if you have questions about your Aldi Instacart order?
I can personally attest that Instacart has a robust system for correcting issues quickly.
On the Instacart side, you can easily submit questions using their app.
If you haven’t rated a recent transaction, a popup will appear in the app asking you to rate it. From there, you can select “Get Help” for that order; the app will walk you through the steps.
If you become aware of a problem with a past Aldi order after a week (or more), you can still submit a problem. Just go to the main page of the Instacart app and select the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner.
Select “Your Orders” (the first one in the list that appears) and your previous transactions will appear. Each one has a “Get Help” button that you can choose. The app will guide you through the process.
If you lose an item, Instacart tends to refund you pretty quickly. If you receive an item that you did not order, it is yours (the store cannot take it back) and no further action is required other than to inform Instacart.
If some time has passed and you want to return the item for any reason (be it quality or expectations), you can easily return it at your local Aldi store.
Take your phone with your digital receipt to the cashier, where the cashier can assist you. (Read Aldi’s full returns policy here.)
Why are there no Aldi items on Instacart?
Some items are too large for Aldi to offer through Instacart, especially Aldi Finds.
For example, an entire patio set might not fit in a shopper’s car, so they can’t put it on the app (no way to make an item available for pickup only).
Does Aldi Instacart accept coupons?
Like the store itself, Aldi’s Instacart mall doesn’t accept manufacturer coupons, however – Instacart itself may offer weekly deals on items.
You can look them up in the app as you shop, or keep an eye on your email because Instacart sends transaction notifications that way.
Instacart will also be running app-wide promotions like $20 off any order of $100 or more. They did this around holiday 2020, and it applies to all stores that sell through Instacart, including Aldi.
These don’t happen often, but when they do, they’re a great deal, especially at a store like Aldi, where items are already cheap.
in conclusion
Aldi’s Instacart store is a handy extension of the company’s low-price, no-frills business model, and if its popularity is any indication, online ordering and delivery…
