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Business accounts

Business accounts enable customers to keep their personal and business orders separate.

Previously, all Storefront accounts were personal accounts, but with the introduction of business accounts, customers now have greater flexibility in managing their purchases.

Account creation​

There are three different entry points for users to create business accounts: signup, conversion, and connection.

Signup​

During signup, customers may choose to create a business account instead of a personal account. Personal accounts remain the default.

The following table shows a signup flow on mobile devices:

Personal tab (default)Business tabLearn more dialog (Business tab)
Shows a sign-up page with options for Personal or Business, an email input field, a Continue button, alternate sign-in options, and a Skip for now link.Shows a sign-up page with options for Personal or Business. Includes a business section description, a business email input field, a Continue button, alternate sign-in options, and a Skip for now link.Shows a list of benefits for a business account, including order separation, shared membership, receipt exporting, invoicing, tax benefits, and spend limits.

Conversion​

Existing customers may choose to convert their personal account to a business account, while keeping their personal account information.

The following table shows a conversion flow on mobile devices:

Menu entry pointConvert optionConvert learn more
Shows a user account dashboard with savings displayed as $1236.45, options for orders, account settings, membership, family account, and a highlighted "Shop for business" section.Shows a page with the heading Get more out of shopping for your business, options to add a business account, convert an account to a business account, and a Learn more link.Shows a page detailing the benefits of converting to a business account, including smooth transitions, team management, shared membership, receipt exporting, access to business suppliers, and tax exemption benefits.

Connection​

Existing customers may keep their personal account, and create a business account which will be linked to their personal account.

The following table shows a connection flow on mobile devices:

Add / connect optionCreate / connectSign upLog in
Shows a page titled Get more out of shopping for your business, highlighting the option to add a business account or convert an existing account. Includes a Learn more link.Shows an Add account page with options to create a new business account or connect an existing one, emphasizing effortless switching and keeping orders separate.Shows a Sign up for a business account page with an email input field, a red Continue button, options to continue with Google or Facebook, and a Skip for now link.Shows a Log in to your business account page with an email input field, a red Continue button, and options to log in with Google or Facebook.

Switching accounts​

If a user has a personal and business account, they will have the ability to switch between the two accounts without needing to sign out and back in.

The following image shows the Switch to business button on the account menu screen:

Shows a user account page with Switch to business highlighted, savings of $1236.45 over the last 12 months, and menu options for orders, settings, membership, and family account management.

Managing teams​

Team management is a core component of the business features, allowing administrators to invite all of their employees to shop within a single shared business organization. When a customer with a business account uses a business feature such as Tax Exemption, they are prompted to create their business organization, and become the owner of that organization. As the owner, they can send invitation emails for others to join.

Business organizations can have an unlimited number of team members. There are three roles available within the organization:

  • Administrator. Places orders for the business, manages members, and views analytics.
  • Approver. Approves orders placed by team members.
  • Buyer. Places orders for the business.

The following image shows the member invite screen:

Shows an Invite Members page with role selection options for Admin, Approver, and Buyer, and a field to enter email addresses for invitations.

Instacart+​

If the business owner is subscribed to Instacart+, the subscription can be shared with 4 additional team members. If the business owner wants to share their subscription with more team members, higher tiers of Instacart+ are available by contacting business@instacart.com.

  • Instacart+ offers a business-specific benefit of 2% credit back on orders above $250.
  • For users with both a personal and business account, Instacart+ benefits are shared across both their profiles.

Dashboard​

Business account administrators can manage business spending by using the dashboard.

The following image shows the business account dashboard:

Shows a dashboard displaying 8 orders placed, a total spend of $301,769.31, and total savings of $1,236.45. Includes an order history table with columns for order date, status, who placed the order, item count, and total amount.

Exporting orders and receipts​

Receipts and order summaries can be exported from the dashboard or order history page.

The following image shows the Export order data screen:

Shows an Export order data page with fields to specify a start and end date, checkboxes to select file types (PDF or CSV), and an Export data button.

Tax exemption (USA-only)​

Many types of businesses are exempt from sales tax when buying for business-related purposes. Administrators can fill out forms and upload documents through their account menu to help identify their exemption category by state. Once the forms are validated, applicable taxes will not be charged on eligible orders.

The following image shows where to upload tax exemption forms from the account menu on a mobile device: Shows a Tax exemptions page with a validated New York form listed, a description of how to add forms, an Add form button, and a success message confirming form submission.

Currently, tax exemptions are limited to Marketplace Facilitator (MPF) states. For retailers in Non-MPF states, exemption is possible, however additional configuration is required. Contact the Instacart Business team for more information.

Order guides​

An order guide is a type of shopping list that outlines recommended items to buy for the business. Members can easily add all list items to their cart for streamlined buying. All team members can create order guides, but an administrator can create and share guides to team members to help facilitate what items should be bought for different purposes.

The following image shows creating an order guide and adding team members from a mobile device: Shows two screens. The first is a Create order guide page with fields for title, description, and cover photo selection. The second is an Add team members page with a search bar, filters, member list, and an Add 4 team members button.

Spend limits​

Spend limits restrict buying on an order, day, week, or month basis and are enforced at checkout. Post-checkout order changes are also validated against spend limits.

Administrators can configure spending limits for buyers. Spending limits can be added when inviting a member to the team, or when editing the member after they’re added to the organization.

The following image shows the screen for editing spend limits:

Shows an Edit spend limits page with fields for per order, daily, weekly, and monthly limits set at $100, $250, $1,000, and $5,000. It includes an option to disable spending and a Save button.

Approving orders​

Administrators can configure Buyer accounts to require approval for all orders submitted. If a Buyer requires approval for an order, all Administrators and Approvers are notified of the required approval.

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