Certified delivery

Certified delivery requires customers to sign for orders before the order is released into their possession. Certified delivery is used for high-value items. This delivery type provides you and your customers the peace of mind that comes with the successful delivery of high-value items.

Customers can use their device to sign for the items when the shopper arrives. The shopper secures a signature before releasing the order. After the order completes, retailers can access proof of a certified delivery.

By default, items that are $150 or more are considered high-value items and require certified delivery. To configure your threshold, contact your Instacart representative.

Some high-value items might be large items that require big and bulky fulfillment, such as outdoor furniture, appliances, or furniture. For more information, see Big and bulky.

note

Certified delivery requires customers to opt in to SMS messages to ensure that they can sign for the order.

Example journey

1. The customer visits the retailer’s e-commerce site and selects delivery.
2. The customer adds high-value items to their cart and places the order. Your site should disable or hide the Leave unattended option.
3. Instacart creates the order.
4. The customer receives an SMS with a link to the Order Status page.
5. The customer receives a notification that the shopper has checked out and the delivery is on its way.
6. The shopper arrives at the customer location.
7. The customer uses their device to sign for the order via the certified delivery confirmation page. For more information, see Certified delivery flow.
8. The shopper delivers the order to the customer.

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Shoppers are responsible for returning orders that aren’t signed for through the retailer's customer service.