Instacart shops multiple markets, delivers groceries to your door

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- A new grocery delivery service called Instacart promises delivery in as little as one hour, and the cost can be as low as $4.

Rachel Bryan of Santa Monica is neither rich nor lazy, but she does have a personal shopper who does her grocery shopping and then delivers all the goods to her front door. And why not? It costs the busy mom just $4.

"I thought, well, if I could just have the groceries brought to me, then that would take all the fuss and stress and make life more manageable, and it really did," Bryan said.

There are several grocery shopping and delivery services out there including AmazonFresh and Vons. Bryan uses Instacart, because they can drop off the goods in as little as one hour while using a variety of local grocery stores, including Ralphs and Whole Foods.

Instacart shops Costco, too. Membership is not required, but there is a slight mark-up.

"For Costco, there is a slight mark-up on some items, just because a shopper has to go there, it's a larger store and items, but it's not excessive at all," said Justin Reevers with Instacart.

Instacart says grocery orders are filled by a screened and trained shopper. If for any reason an item is out of stock, the shopper will call to see if there's a substitute the customer will accept.

Shopping and delivery is free for your first order. After that, it starts at just $3.99 for two-hour delivery and $7.99 for one-hour delivery when you spend $35 or more.

Instacart says it's not able to honor coupons and rewards cards, but Bryan says the convenience is worth it.

"I think the added benefit of choosing everything online and selecting my list that I used last week, because I generally order the same things, is more of a benefit," Bryan said.

Access to Instacart is available through its website or an app. Delivery is available 9 a.m. to midnight depending on local store hours.

For now, Instacart service is available from Santa Monica to Pasadena, but the company is expanding. The South Bay area is next.