All posts tagged: Instacart

Angie Harmon ‘traumatized’ after Instacart driver ‘shot & killed’ her dog during delivery

Angie Harmon ‘traumatized’ after Instacart driver ‘shot & killed’ her dog during delivery

Published by skeptic

Angie Harmon says her ‘precious’ dog, Oliver, has been killed by an Instacart delivery driver.  Taking to Instagram over the holiday weekend, the Rizzoli & Isles actress, 51, detailed the horrific event that happened at her Charlotte, N.C. home.  Alongside several photos and videos of the German shepherd, beagle mix, Angie wrote a lengthy message which described how the man “got out of his car, delivered the food & THEN shot our dog.” © Getty ImagesAngie Harmon said she’s devastated by the loss of her dog However, he was let go by police claiming self-defense.  “This Easter weekend a man delivering groceries for Instacart shot & killed our precious Oliver,” the Law & Order alum wrote. “He got out of his car, delivered the food & THEN shot our dog.  “Our ring camera was charging in the house, which he saw & then knew he wasn’t being recorded. The police let him go b/c he claimed “self defense”.  He did not have a scratch or bite on him nor were his pants torn.” Angie continued: “He was …

Instacart driver fatally shoots dog belonging to actor Angie Harmon

Instacart driver fatally shoots dog belonging to actor Angie Harmon

Published by skeptic

Actor Angie Harmon, known for roles on “Law & Order” and “Rizolli & Isles,” said Monday that an Instacart driver fatally shot one of her dogs during a weekend stop at her home. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police confirmed elements of her story, saying in a statement that no arrests have been made, no charges have been recommended, and further witnesses will not be sought. The department said the driver told officers the dog attacked him when he arrived at Harmon’s home on the southern side of the city shortly before noon Saturday, and that he fired one shot in self-defense. “Another dog was present at the residence but did not attack,” police said. The driver was at the residence to deliver “consumable goods,” according to police. Instacart said in a statement it suspended the driver, reached out to Harmon’s household, and is cooperating with police. “We were deeply saddened and disturbed to hear about this incident,” the company said. “We have no tolerance for violence of any kind.” On Instagram Monday, Harmon, 51, said she was home …

Grocery-delivery firm Instacart forecasts strong Q1, plans 250 job cuts

Grocery-delivery firm Instacart forecasts strong Q1, plans 250 job cuts

Published by Sam

:Instacart forecast its first-quarter gross transaction value and core profit above analysts’ estimates on Tuesday, and said it plans to cut 250 jobs, or about 7 per cent of its workforce, to focus on “promising” initiatives. Shares of the grocery-delivery firm, formally known as Maplebear, reversed course to rise 2 per cent in extended trading, after the company also authorized an additional $500 million share repurchase program. The shares had fallen about 10 per cent after the company’s fourth-quarter revenue missed analyst estimates. “This (job cuts) will allow us to reshape the company and flatten the organization so we can focus on our most promising initiatives that we believe will transform our company and industry over the long term,” CEO Fidji Simo said in a letter to shareholders. As of June 30, 2023, it had a total employee count of 3,486, according to a regulatory filing. With Instacart’s pandemic-driven boom slowing, it has been relying more on selling advertisement spaces on its platform. However, its ad and other revenues increased only 7 per cent in …

Instacart Caught Using Revolting AI-Generated Images of Food

Instacart Caught Using Revolting AI-Generated Images of Food

Published by skeptic

How about some demonic chicken wings for dinner? Instacontent We’ve already come across countless companies attempting to use generative AI to save a buck on human labor or skirt around copyright, with often unintentionally hilarious and at times infuriating results. But in the case of grocery delivery app Instacart, the results are mainly just nauseating. Users on the Instacart subreddit caught the company seemingly using image generators to create pictures that accompany entries for common ingredients or recipes on the app. A simple search for “AI” on the forum results in a number of users complaining about the company resorting to AI for images. Even many of the recipes accompanying the questionable pictures of horrific foods were AI-generated, with the company noting that they were “powered by the magic of AI” and therefore “may not be perfect.” However, following Business Insider‘s damning report on the trend, the company appears to have deleted a number of these AI-generated recipes. It’s only the latest example of companies making use of the tech in an apparent effort to …

How well did Klaviyo, Arm and Instacart actually do in their first test on the public markets?

How well did Klaviyo, Arm and Instacart actually do in their first test on the public markets?

Published by skeptic

Speak to any CEO on the day their company goes public, and they will tell you that the IPO is just another step on their journey; the company is not done yet; we’re just getting started. This is true. It is also true that going public is also a major milestone for any company. The Exchange explores startups, markets and money. Read it every morning on TechCrunch+ or get The Exchange newsletter every Saturday. CEOs like to downplay the moment as more incremental than transformational. You, on the other end of the phone or video call, nod your head knowing that you are being told a bit of spin, and knowing that the CEO also knows that you know. It’s a dance. Still, that CEO is right that going public is not the end of their journey. Now they’re the CEO of a listed company, and have to sit down with analysts and investors regularly to answer for their company’s performance. That’s a change. To that end, three recent tech IPOs just reported their financial …

Instacart now accepts EBT SNAP payments in all 50 states

Instacart now accepts EBT SNAP payments in all 50 states

Published by skeptic

Instacart now accepts Electronic Benefits Transfer for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (EBT SNAP) in Alaska, the company announced on Thursday. With this expansion, Instacart now accepts SNAP in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Today’s announcement comes a year after Instacart committed to making EBT SNAP payments available nationwide. Instacart now offers online SNAP acceptance from more than 120 retail banners across more than 10,000 stores. “Our mission is to create a world where everyone has access to the food they love. By expanding online SNAP acceptance to all 50 states, we’re delivering on our mission by modernizing access and connecting more communities to affordable and nutritious foods,” said Dani Dudeck, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Instacart, in a statement. “Now SNAP families in every state can enjoy the benefits of online grocery from a variety of local retailers that meet their unique tastes, needs and personal budgets. Instacart first started accepted EBT SNAP payments back in 2020. SNAP participants can shop for groceries on Instacart from local retailers for delivery or pickup. Instacart offers …

Glean operational advice from Airbnb and Instacart at TC Disrupt 2023’s Builders Stage

Glean operational advice from Airbnb and Instacart at TC Disrupt 2023’s Builders Stage

Published by skeptic

What does it take to turn an unknown startup into a household name? The ability to scale. It’s the Holy Grail that every early-stage startup founder chases. Scaling internal operations may lack the glamor of funding rounds and founder profiles, but it’s essential heavy lifting for startup success. Founders looking for inspiration need look no further than Airbnb and Instacart. These two respected companies share important similarities. They scaled to massive size, and each added to their initial wins: Airbnb Experiences and Instacart ad network. We’re thrilled that Naba Banerjee, director of trust product and operations at Airbnb, and Asha Sharma, COO at Instacart, will join us for a session called “How to Build Intelligent Startup Ops that Will Scale with Your Business.” You’ll find it on the Builders Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, which takes place on September 19–21 in San Francisco. Scaling is no simple feat — if it were, every startup would be a unicorn. Both Banerjee and Sharma are consummate leaders with visibility into two companies that have practically turned scaling …

Instacart launches new in-app AI search tool powered by ChatGPT

Instacart launches new in-app AI search tool powered by ChatGPT

Published by skeptic

Instacart is launching a new AI search tool powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the company announced on Wednesday. The new “Ask Instacart” search tool is designed to help customers save time and assist them with with shopping questions by offering personalized recommendations. The new tool is starting to roll out today and will be available to all U.S. and Canadian customers over the coming weeks. The new search experience is directly embedded in the search bar in the Instacart app and provides customers with product recommendations, as well as additional information about food preparation, product attributes, dietary considerations and more. Ask Instacart incorporates personalized question prompts, reminds users about their their needs based on their shopping history and encourages them to discover new products. With Ask Instacart, users can ask questions like “What kind of side dishes should I serve with lamb chops” or “What fish is similar to salmon” You can also ask questions like “What are good sauces for grilling chicken” or “What are dairy-free snacks for kids.” “A simple question like ‘What’s for …

Instacart rolls out new ways for users to find deals on its app

Instacart rolls out new ways for users to find deals on its app

Published by skeptic

Instacart is introducing a few new ways for users to find deals on its app, the company has announced. The app will now surface a new “You Items on Sale” section on a store’s page that will leverage Instacart’s AI recommendation systems to help users find personalized deals based on their past orders. There’s also a new “Stores to Help You Save” section on the app’s home screen that makes it easier to find stores that offer discounts or loyalty saving. New “Stock Up and Save” promotions offer discounts when you meet a certain dollar or item threshold. Instacart notes that users can take advantage of in-store deal perks at certain retailers while shopping online by adding loyalty cards to their account. “Instacart has helped customers save more than $2 billion on Instacart orders with deals, discounts, and membership benefits,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Access to affordable fresh groceries and everyday essentials has never been more important, and we want everyone to be able to take advantage of the more than 20,000 …