Instacart expands marketing, loyalty offerings

Instacart is rolling out new capabilities for retailers designed to increase customer personalization and access to loyalty programs.

The grocery technology company is introducing a new solutions suite called Instacart Marketing Solutions, as well as introducing the ability for retailers to allow customers to sign up for their store loyalty programs directly from the Instacart app.  

Following are brief overviews of each new offering:

Instacart Marketing Solutions

This new platform is designed to create marketing campaigns that engage customers through tailored promotions, such as a percentage or dollars off select items, and "buy one, get one" discounts.

Instacart Marketing Solutions gives retailers omnichannel access to self-serve tools and expert assistance. Retailers including Bristol Farms, New Seasons Market, and The Save Mart Companies are among the first retailers to deploy campaigns through Instacart Marketing Solutions. It includes three tiers of service based on each retailer's needs:

• Self-Serve: Self-Serve allows retailers to create and deploy their own marketing campaigns for launch on the Instacart app or their Instacart-supported website. Retailers will be able to select from existing templates to launch custom campaigns across Instacart, starting with new customer acquisition. In the coming weeks, retailers will have access to additional campaign types to help them win back lapsed customers, promote specific categories or basket sizes, and incentivize loyalty linkage.
• Campaign Management: Campaign Management is designed to help retailers build more advanced one-off marketing campaigns across multiple channels, such as the Instacart app, their Instacart-supported sits,, and across digital channels like streaming audio. A dedicated Instacart marketing team handles tasks such as creative development, media buying, launch management, and measurement reporting,.
• Strategic Partnership: This fully customized solution allows retailers to launch creative initiatives such as custom video shoots, influencer programs, and custom advertising strategies, in partnership with a dedicated Instacart marketing team.

Loyalty sign-up

As of Monday, March 27, 2023, Instacart is offering native signup for participating grocers' loyalty programs. The Fresh Market will be one of the first retailers to enable loyalty account creation in the Instacart app.

This new integration allows customers to earn points and savings every time they shop on the Instacart app, just like they would on a retailer’s store. This new loyalty integration expands on its previous loyalty offering, where customers could link their in-store loyalty accounts to their Instacart app account.

According to the company, retailers that allow customers to use their loyalty account in the Instacart app have seen as much as a 10% increase in customer retention.

[Read more: Instacart expands omnichannel solutions offering for grocers] 

“We know affordability is top of mind for consumers across the country right now. It's also top of mind for our retail partners, who are looking for more ways to help their customers save when accessing the groceries and goods they need," said Chris Rogers, chief business officer at Instacart. "With the launch of Instacart Marketing Solutions and our expanded loyalty programs, we're developing new technology tools that empower retailers of all sizes to create strategic digital campaigns and unique loyalty programs that engage their customers, grow their business and, ultimately, help customers find more savings at checkout."