Has Instacart shopper ever said can’t come inside your place?
Loading reactions…
Katya
I know they scan the orders before leaving. Bonding is an interesting idea. Have had a delivery since the incident: no problems. With each I guess we’ll just see what happens. 
🍌Johnny
Makes me wonder about how there needs to be a more inclusive approach to this issue on behalf of instacart and other businesses that deliver. Like a vetting system that insures and bonds delivery workers, if that’s not too much to ask. Perhaps their delivery people could get paid a little bonus for being insured and bonded similarly to security guards that work for alarm companies, as they have keys to the premises of stores and jewelry stores to investigate ringing or silent burglar alarms. Perhaps be my eyes could come up with a solution for helping with delivery people, including taking video of the delivery, the same as uber and taxis that photograph all of their customers fir their own safety. If the delivery drivers knew that they were being recorded, with their prior knowledge of course, they may feel that they would be known and might not try anything at the time of delivery or afterwards.
Artemis
Pumpkin pie spice latte
2ARTEMIS, I thought about that. Thanks for your suggestions. I thought about that but I sometimes hear that we need to be careful in certain situations that is, saying we are blind because we would not want anyone to come back and try to take advantage of us or in the worst case scenario just mentioning it to a friend and a friend may have some ill will or some ill intentions. I remember telling someone about the nextdoor app.  they told me to say that I was blind and I needed some help with whatever that was. then someone else told me oh no no no don't put that on Next Door that you are blind because you would not want anyone to know that you are blind. Of course I use the word blind and all that stuff when I'm out and about but I hesitate even on these delivery apps to put that in my delivery instructions. I could put it in there. I'm blind, please hand me my bags, etc. but I was reminded to be careful about doing that and it frankly makes me uncomfortable as well telling this stranger, oh I'm blind, I don't know what you're thinking. They're just strangers to me. Like I said it may not even be them but they could be just mentioning it to someone and they can say oh, there's a blind person that lives alone, or the delivery drivers don't know that you live alone but you know. I don't want to feel like blind people are particularly targeted for crime because I don't believe that. But obviously there's some risk involved. But thank you again for your suggestions and I'll think about it. 
Artemis
Katya
Pumpkin pie spice latte
For Instacart, my delivery instructions are to not put my bags on the ground, ring my bell and then when I answer the door hand me my bags. For the most part it goes OK. Now, I'm not sure about them putting bags on the ground and I suspect they do sometimes. I have a little vision but I can't see well enough to know if a bag is actually put on the ground or not. And I say this because I reuse the bags. Paper  or plastic. So I don't want to be storing away dirty bags. That's gross. Most of the time they do not announce themselves. When I get the notification saying that they are close by, I will go and open my door. I live in a house that is very low to the ground and there are only two steps outside. So the shopper does not even have to come up the steps. They can just reach over and hand  me my bags. But I go to the door and I can hear a  car and sometimes I can hear the bags  shifting around. Then I believe that they're standing there in front of me  but I can't see them. I can see a tiny bit but I really can't see them. So I guess they're looking at me like I'm crazy and that I should understand it they're the shopper and they're standing out there with bags. But I can't see that. But they don't know I can't see that. So I have to say, who is it. And again I guess they're looking at me like, woman, you see that it's the shopper, don't you see me, don't you see these bags??? So I ask again. Then they say oh it's your delivery. Sometimes I'll say delivery from where??? And then they are really confused at that point, lol. And they will say, Walmart or whatever. Then I feel a little better that this is a legitimate transaction and that I should open my door, my screen door of course. Sometimes it's pretty awkward. And I'm pretty sure many of shoppers have walked away and said, oh goodness, what the hell was wrong with that lady??? You know, sometimes I don't see the handles that they're shoving my way. And I'm feeling all over the bags trying to find their handles or whatever. Or sometimes they go to hand me a box like a case of soda or something, and of course I don't know that they're handing me a box and I'm reaching for handles of a bag. So yeah, it can get pretty awkward sometimes especially for them I'm sure. But I'm just trying to get my stuff and close my door as soon as possible. Lol I do feel a little uncomfortable sometimes with that close interaction with a stranger but, I don't have any other options at this point. One time a driver, when I walked away to put some items down on the floor to come back to the door for more items, the driver actually stepped up onto that top step. The next step up would've been inside my house. That was really weird because he was practically in my house. But he was trying to explain to me why he didn't get a particular item. He was being nice but I did not like that because he was Practically inside of my home. Yeah, the struggle is real for blind folks!!! Hang in there everybody 
Katya
Artemis
Meg
Yeah, thanks for addressing me in the comments so I know whom you’re speaking. Either way I’m just trying to contribute my help. 
Meg
For me, the delivery people usually leave the items right next to my apartment door, or sometimes they will call on their cell phone, Meno speak English, open door, and then they will want me to go out to the porch and find them and get the food from there and carry it back Which I can try to do, but I’m also using a white cane and sometimes there’s loose containers of drinks and I need to be careful so sometimes I just asked them to take it back anyway it’s really awkward 
Meg
Oh no, no not in the middle of hell your power failure at all. Makes me thankful for food in the house. It’s just that I haven’t been feeling well so my appetite has been off. 
Katya
Landon 205
Katya
If the policy like the chat bot said was Long standing, I never knew. If OK to ask, where do the shoppers typically leave your items? 
Pumpkin pie spice latte
Well, I did not know Instacart shoppers can do this. I use Instacart but of course I've never requested that. That's a shame that they're not accommodating you like they used to. And I don't think you're asking for too much either. I hope it works out 
Katya
@Meg it disappeared, but somewhere I saw you are hungry. You’re not in the midst of a power failure are you? We were out once for 18 hours! I got into fridge sparingly to get what would be cold but edible apart from pretzels or whatever.
Meg
Mental health is also off so it’s an adjustment to get dressed and be right there when they deliver and also it’s not safe for contactless delivery where you have to meet the driver either. I don’t know. It’s just a big panic right now for everyone it seems. 
Meg
Yeah, you mentioned that before. I’m very thankful because my delivery service also is required to just leave it outside the door a lot of the time, but they do buzz in and they are very kind to be able to leave it beside my apartment door. I don’t like it when they leave it in the porch. I can go and get it in or outside of the porch where the lobby if I have to, but it is a major inconvenience for me as a blind person. I need them to drop it off by my apartment door, but I would be happy to get it after they leave. 
Katya
Katya
The following came from a chat with their bot: Instacart shoppers are expected to deliver groceries to the customer at their desired address, but they are never required or expected to enter the residence. They have the right to decline any request to enter your home. This ensures safety and is a standard policy, not a new change.