Reserve a time slot for a desired window

POST /v2/fulfillment/users/{user_id}/service_options/reserve

Reserves the selected time slot for a desired window (service_option_reference) for the specified user ID. Time slots are reserved for 10 minutes. If the reservation expires before you can create the order, you can attempt to reserve the same time slot. If the time slot still has capacity, the request is successful. For more information about desired windows, see Desired windows.

A user ID can have one reserved time slot at a time. If you send another reservation request for this user, even if it specifies the same time slot, the currently reserved time slot is canceled before the new reservation request is processed.

After a time slot is reserved, save the service_option_hold_id. You specify this ID when creating an order.

Best practice

To reduce the chance that the reservation expires before you can create an order, send the reservation request near the end of the checkout process.

Security

Name	In	Description
Authorization	header	The Authorization header with the bearer token acquired during authentication.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
user_id	path	string		The ID of the user.

Request

Field	Type	Required	Description
service_option_reference	string		The reference of the service option.

Request examples

cURL

curl --request POST \
  --url 'https://connect.instacart.com/v2/fulfillment/users/{user_id}/service_options/reserve' \
  --header 'Accept: application/json' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
  "service_option_reference": "string"
}'

Java

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://connect.instacart.com/v2/fulfillment/users/{user_id}/service_options/reserve")
  .header("Accept", "application/json")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .body("{\n  \"service_option_reference\": \"string\"\n}")
  .asString();

Python

import http.client

conn = http.client.HTTPSConnection("connect.instacart.com")

payload = "{\n  \"service_option_reference\": \"string\"\n}"

headers = {
    'Accept': "application/json",
    'Content-Type': "application/json",
    'Authorization': "Bearer <token>"
}

conn.request("POST", "/v2/fulfillment/users/{user_id}/service_options/reserve", payload, headers)

res = conn.getresponse()
data = res.read()

print(data.decode("utf-8"))

Go

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://connect.instacart.com/v2/fulfillment/users/{user_id}/service_options/reserve"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"service_option_reference\": \"string\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Accept", "application/json")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")
	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}

Response

Field	Type	Required	Description
service_option_hold	ServiceOptionHold		The created service option hold.

ServiceOptionHold Object

Field	Type	Required	Description
id	integer		The ID of the service option hold.
expires_at	string		The expiration time of the service option hold in ISO 8601 format.
service_option	ServiceOption		The held service option.

ServiceOption Object

Field	Type	Required	Description
id	integer		The ID of the service option.
service_option_reference	string		The reference of the service option.
date	string		The date the service will take place in ISO 8601 format.
handoff_time	string		The ETA for shopper to arrive at store.
window	Window		The time window when the service will take place.
availability	OptionAvailability		The availability of this service option.

OptionAvailability Object

Field	Type	Required	Description
available	boolean		Indicates if this service option is available for the user.
reasons	Array(string)		The reasons for unavailability of a service option. Currently, the reasons are related to the laws governing the sale of alcohol. For example, restrictions on quantity, delivery time, pickup, and matched city and county of stores and customers. The reasons are subject to change without notice.
item_codes	Array(string)		The item codes which caused the option to be unavailable.

Window Object

One of the following:

Field	Type	Required	Description
start_at	string		The start of the delivery window in ISO 8601 format.
end_at	string		The end of the delivery window in ISO 8601 format.
type	string		The type of service option. One of 'scheduled', 'eta', or 'priority_eta'. To enable 'eta' or 'priority_eta', contact your Instacart Connect representative.
asap	boolean		Indicates if delivery will happen as soon as possible. Only true when type is asap.

or

Field	Type	Required	Description
immediate_hour	integer		Indicates the number of hours after order creation that delivery will occur.
type	string		Indicates this is an immediate option. Defaults to immediate.

Reasons for unavailability of a service option

Reason	Description
State law restricts amount of {beer/wine/spirits} to {#} fl oz, cart quantity is: {#} fl oz.	The quantity of this alcohol type exceeds the state law limit.
Error validating alcohol quantities. Please try again.	The quantity of alcohol can’t be validated.
Unmatched city and county	The city and county of the store and customer must match.
Cannot deliver alcohol to this postal code	Instacart can’t deliver alcohol to this postal code.
State law doesn't allow delivery of alcohol in this window	Instacart can’t deliver alcohol in this delivery window because of state law.
Unfortunately alcohol pickup is not available at this location. Please remove alcohol from your basket or try delivery.	Alcohol pickup is not available at this location.

Response examples

200 Success

200 Service option hold returned

{
  "service_option_hold": {
    "id": 196,
    "expires_at": "2018-02-22T00:10:00Z",
    "service_option": {
      "id": 295,
      "service_option_reference": "PEluc3RhY2FydDo6QXZhaWxhYmlsaXR5OjpWMTo6T3B0aW9uOiBpZDogMjEs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\nZWRfdW5hdmFpbGFibGVfcmVhc29uOiBbXT4=\n",
      "date": "2018-02-22",
      "window": {
        "start_at": "2018-02-22T00:00:00Z",
        "end_at": "2018-02-22T02:00:00Z",
        "type": "scheduled",
        "asap": false
      },
      "availability": {
        "available": true,
        "reasons": [],
        "item_codes": []
      }
    }
  }
}

4XX Errors

Error responses return either a single error or multiple errors.

HTTP Code	Cause	Error Message	Error Code	Error Meta
400	Retry later	"Please try again in a little while"	2003	Not applicable
400	User Not Found	"User Not Found"	1001	{"key":"user_id"}
400	Blank service option reference	"can't be blank"	1001	{"key":"service_option_reference"}
400	Service Option Expired	"The requested ETA option has expired."	1001	{"key":"service_option_id"}
403	Inactive user	"User Not Active"	null	Not applicable
404	Resource not found	"Resource not found"	4000	Not applicable