Instacart tightens rules to crack down on 'tip baiting'

Instacart shopper earns more than $3K since April

Instacart shopper Sarah Hlad on grocery shopping during high coronavirus demand.

Instacart is revising its tipping policies to crack down on customers who take advantage of the system through "tip baiting," where shoppers are lured in with a big tip which is changed or removed by customers after delivery.

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"While the number of customers who frequently remove their tip is very low, we feel it’s important to address those who inappropriately use the platform," the company said in a blog post. "We take the well-being of our shopper community very seriously, and it's important to us to maintain the integrity of the Instacart platform for all members."

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Starting Monday, Instacart will require customers to leave feedback if they decide to remove the tip after delivery and share it directly with shoppers in the coming weeks. The company will also deactivate the account of any customer who repeatedly engages in "tip baiting."

In addition, the company will reduce the tipping window from three days to 24 hours starting Monday to allow Instacart shoppers to earn their money faster while continuing to give customers flexibility.

"In virtually every instance where a customer adjusts their tip after delivery, they increase it," the company said. "For this reason, we feel it's important to continue giving customers the opportunity to change their tip after delivery to ensure shoppers can receive an extra tip for exceptional service. However, we also want to enable shoppers to access earnings as quickly as possible, without needing to wait longer for a tip to be finalized."

RITE AID, INSTACART TO MAKE CORONAVIRUS DELIVERIES AFTER NEW PARTNERSHIP

Instacart will also expand its Instant Cashout feature to let shoppers cash out tips 24 hours after a delivery and waive all related fees for shoppers using Visa cards through the end of July. The feature will also roll out in Canada next week, making it available for all shoppers on the Instacart platform.

"These changes were designed to help shoppers access your earnings — including tips — as efficiently as possible, and to ensure we're always keeping the platform balanced and fair," the company added. "As always, we're grateful to the shopper community for your continued role in bringing customers the groceries and household essentials they need."

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According to Instacart, less than 0.5 percent of all tips on the platform are removed after delivery. The company also noted that since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, shoppers' earnings have nearly doubled.

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