Beloved German-based US grocery chain Aldi has partnered with Instacart since 2017, but if you have never shopped online with them before – and you’d like to start – it can be a bit daunting at first.
Here is your complete guide to using Instacart at Aldi, with all the answers, tips and tricks you need to make the most the most out of each order and ensure a smooth transaction every time!
Key Takeaways
A Quick Overview Of Using Instacart At Aldi
Aldi customers can choose Instacart delivery, which comes with fees of anywhere from $4 to $10, or pick-up, which varies between $2 and $5. Aldi also has Instacart Express, which is a $9.99/mo membership and offers free delivery for orders over $25. In some cases, the prices on Instacart for Aldi groceries can be higher.
To learn more about how to place an Instacar order on Aldi, whether or not groceries cost more, if you have to be home for the delivery, and more, keep on reading!
How Do You Place An Order At Aldi On Instacart?
First, you’ll need an account with Instacart. Download the app from your app store or sign up online at www.Instacart.com, and follow the instruction to set up an account.
You’ll need to have a debit or credit card handy to add to your account, as well as your electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card if using.
Once Instacart has your location, it will show you from which stores you can shop. Choose the one you want, and when it moves to the main shopping screen, double-check about midway down the screen (mobile app) to make sure it’s set to the location you picked.
After that, you can begin making your list. The app and website are both organized by store sections, so your baked goods have been grouped together, your produce, your frozen items, etc.
After your first order, you will get a list called “Buy It Again” with previous items for easy reordering, and the app adds to it every time you place an order.
If you purchased something a few weeks earlier and you can’t remember what it was, Buy It Again is a good place to look, and that menu has headers at the top to help you search by department.
Another hint while shopping: pay attention to quantity on items like product. For example, bananas can be purchased by the quantity of items or by weight (pounds). When you click on the item, the option to change quantity and measurement appears.
You might think you’re ordering 10 bananas, but instead, you end up with 10 pounds worth if you’re not paying attention!
Once your list is complete, you can head to the check-out. There is a $35 minimum to place a delivery order, and only a $10 minimum to place a pick-up order.
The little green and white card icon in the upper right corner of the app is your shopping cart; click on it, and you can review your card and also “Go to Checkout.”
In check-out, you can confirm whether you want delivery or pick-up and choose from the available time slots; make sure your contact info is correct; confirm method of payment; and look over your cart once last time before placing your order.
(This is also where you can enter delivery notes, like where they should leave the bags or whether or not you want them to knock.)
If you scroll down past the total, you will also see “Add promo code or gift card.” That’s important not to miss, especially if you are a first-time shopper, as there are many promos available for you (just do a Google search), most commonly for free delivery.
After you submit 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 receive another notification when someone begins; that’s your sign to keep an eye on your cart. Aldi shoppers are very friendly and will often reach out at the onset to introduce themselves, via the chat feature.
Because of the ever-fluctuating nature of Aldi’s restocking, it is a good idea to keep your phone close or your web browser open while shopping is taking place; that way, if they have run out of something or have a question about an item, you can answer them in a timely fashion.
This ensures that, if you can’t get everything from your cart, the shopper can get you really close or issue you a refund.
Also of note, if your pick-up or delivery is set between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., but your shopper starts at 1 p.m., don’t worry about your items!
Everything at Aldi is kept in the appropriate cooler/freezer until the items get bagged and delivered or brought out to your vehicle.
The app notifies you about every step of the delivery and pick-up process, so there are no surprises. If you opted for delivery, oftentimes your driver will send you a photo of your items where he or she left them.
Do Groceries Cost More On Aldi Instacart?
Aldi even recognizes an upcharge on groceries when using Instacart. Per their website, “In some instances, prices of items on Instacart may be higher to cover the cost of personal shopping for delivery.”
Instacart’s website explains, “While many retailers offer everyday store prices on Instacart, some retailers may set prices on the Instacart platform that are different than in-store prices.”
So yes, some groceries cost more on Instacart than in-store at your local Aldi, but Aldi still endeavors to keep prices lower than in rival supermarkets.
How Do You Pay For Your Aldi Instacart Orders?
When you sign up for Instacart you are prompted to add a debit or credit card, or you can also use Apple or Google Pay. Aldi also recently rolled out EBT payment via Instacart, and you have the option of adding that right away at sign-up.
It’s worth noting that while customers can pay for their SNAP-eligible groceries with EBT, delivery/pick-up fees and other service charges must be paid for separately with a debit or credit card.
For more about Aldi Instacart and EBT payment, see the section in our guide here.
You cannot pay with cash, Venmo, PayPal or use the WIC program.
Does Aldi Give You Bags With Instacart Orders?
Aldi does give you bags with your Instacart orders; however, just like in stores, they do charge for them.
You can see this reflected on your finalized receipt, where it says “Checkout Bag Tax or Fee.”
While it is an added fee, you can expect it to be less than $1, and even as low as a dime or a quarter, depending on how many bags your order required.
Do You Have To Be Home For Your Aldi Instacart Delivery?
You do not have to be home for your Aldi Instacart delivery, but Aldi has no way of keeping your refrigerated/freezer items cold until you get home.
Either order non-perishables if you can’t be home for hours or plan to be there when the driver drops off your order.
How Do You Pick Up Your Aldi Instacart Order?
Aldi and Instacart have really streamlined the pick-up process. Right before you leave, you can open your app and mark yourself as “On My Way.” This lets employees know to collect your bags, so your wait time is shorter once you arrive.
When you get there, you will park in the designated pick-up area. This is marked with bright blue numbered parking spaces (it doesn’t matter which one you take); each space also has a sign designating it a curbside pick-up spot.
Once you’re parked, you can choose the “I’m Here” button.
You’ll also enter the make, model, and color of your vehicle into the app, so that shoppers know who to bring the order to.
The app guides you every step of the way, from “A shopper is collecting your bags” to “A shopper is bringing your bags out.”
Roll down your window so they can ask where you’d like the bags. Once they tell you you’re all set, that’s it! You should get a notification on your phone from Instacart thanking you for the pick-up order.
Should You Tip Your Aldi Instacart Shoppers And Drivers?
When it comes to curbside pick-up, tipping the person who brings your bags is not expected. However, there is nothing to stop you from offering a cash tip after they have loaded your bags up.
Delivery orders are another matter entirely. Tipping is absolutely expected, as 100 percent of the tip goes to the deliverer and it makes up the bulk of their pay.
You can tip either in the app or in cash. The app is set to 5 percent of your total order as a tip, but 15-20 percent is especially considerate for good service (in any industry).
What If You Have A Problem With Your Aldi Instacart Order?
I can personally attest that Instacart has a robust system in place for rectifying issues in a speedy manner.
On Instacart’s end, you can use their app to easily submit an issue.
If you haven’t rated your most recent transaction, a pop-up will appear in the app asking you to do so. From there, you can choose “Get help” for that order; the app will walk you through the steps.
If you’re realizing a week later (or more) that there is an issue with a past Aldi order, you can still submit a problem. Simply go into the Instacart app’s main page and choose the three horizontal lines at the top left corner.
Choose “Your orders” (first in the list that appears), and your previous transaction will appear. Each one will have a “Get help” button you can choose. The app will navigate you through the process.
If you were missing an item, Instacart tends to be very quick about refunds. If you received something you didn’t order, it’s yours to keep (stores can’t take them back), and no further action is needed besides letting Instacart know.
If some time has passed, and you’d like to return an item for whatever reason – be it quality or expectations – you can easily do so at your local Aldi store.
Bring your phone with the digital receipt to a register, where the cashier can assist you. (Read about Aldi’s full return policy here.)
Why Isn’t That Aldi Item On Instacart?
Some items are simply too large for Aldi to offer via Instacart, especially Aldi Finds.
An entire patio set, for example, might not fit inside the shopper’s car, so they can’t put it up on the app (there’s no way to make an item available for purchase only as a pick-up).
Does Aldi Instacart Accept Coupons?
Just like the store itself, Aldi’s Instacart shopping hub does not accept manufacturer’s coupons, however – Instacart itself may offer deals on items week-to-week.
You can look for them in the app as you shop, or pay attention to your email, because Instacart sends out notifications of deals that way.
Instacart will also run app-wide promotions, like $20 off any order of $100 or more. They did this in 2020 around the holidays, and it applied to all the stores that sell through Instacart, Aldi included.
These don’t occur often, but when they do, it’s a great deal, especially at a store like Aldi, where items are already so cheap.
Conclusion
Aldi’s Instacart shop is a convenient extension of the company’s low-priced, no-frills business model, and if its popularity is any indication, online ordering, plus delivery and pick-up at Aldi, should be here to stay.