I ordered a vacuum cleaner through…Wrong item delivered, no real support, and I’m being told to fix Instacart’s mistake myself
I ordered a vacuum cleaner through Instacart and received a mop instead. This was not an approved substitution, and it was not remotely the same type of product. Before the order was completed, I became concerned because the shopper appeared unable to understand my written English instructions. The shopper showed me the item they intended to purchase, and I specifically told them not to buy it. I contacted Instacart support before delivery, and support told me to reschedule the order so I would get a different shopper. I followed that instruction, but Instacart assigned the same shopper again. I did not realize this until after delivery. Since then, I have been stuck in a support loop. Chat support gives scripted responses, the timeline keeps changing, and nobody seems able to actually issue a refund or credit. I was told I would hear back in 24 hours. After 24 hours, I contacted them again and was told to wait another 24 hours. Instacart then emailed me instructing me to return the mop to Home Depot for a refund. I also called customer service, and they told me the same thing. That is not a fair or reasonable solution. I ordered delivery because I cannot travel to the store. The mop is also cheaper than the vacuum, is not the item on my original receipt, and may not scan for the amount I was charged. Asking me to bring a cheaper incorrect product back to a store to try to get a refund for a more expensive product puts me in a very uncomfortable position. I paid Instacart for a vacuum cleaner. Instacart delivered the wrong item. Instacart should refund me directly or issue a credit for the amount I was charged, instead of making me resolve the error as if it was my fault to begin with.