Instacart Benchmarks 
& Insights Report

From the MikMak Shopping Index

Instacart is relevant across categories, and plays an important role in commerce right now

Instacart has seen consistent growth YoY; recent research from Reuters showed that total orders rose 5 percent to 70.1 million in the reported quarter, as the grocery-delivery company also grew among its newer customer base

 

Instacart is a retailer on the cutting edge of commerce, utilizing retail media and AI capabilities such as their “Ask Instacart” feature to connect consumers with brands

 

Statista shows that online Grocery delivery, Instacart’s primary service, is expected to display a robust compound annual growth rate of 12 percent between 2024 and 2029, resulting in a projected market volume of $1.38 trillion by 2029



MikMak Instacart Guide_Grocery Delivery Revenue 2024 - 2029



Consumer preference for Instacart is evolving

According to Statista, US eCommerce Grocery Sales on Instacart are projected to reach $40.54 billion this year

 

Instacart and other Quick Commerce delivery options are predicted to absorb much of the Alcohol eCommerce market share since the Drizly sunset in March of 2024

 

Meta channels currently drive the most in-market traffic to Instacart

 

 

Access the Complete Report

MikMak's 2024 Instacart Benchmarks & Insights Report

 

Be sure to bookmark this PDF so you can access the link whenever you need it:

 

MikMak Instacart Vertical Cover

Meta Channels lead with Instacart shoppers

Meta channels, Facebook (61.7 percent) and Instagram (26.4 percent), continue to lead in driving Purchase Intent Clicks*, or in-market traffic, to Instacart, when compared to other social channels. As many brands place the majority of their ad spend into these Meta channels, it is expected for them to see the most traffic. However, Facebook did see an increase of 2.5 percent in traffic, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Instagram saw a 0.3 percent decrease when compared to the previous year.

Third is YouTube, which drives 6.2 percent of Instacart shoppers from social media. Snap follows with 3.4 percent. TikTok and Pinterest also drive some traffic to Instacart at 1.2 and 1.1 percent, respectively.

 

Purchase Intent Clicks*:
The number of times a shopper has clicked through to at least one retailer during a single session.

 

Social Platform Share of Purchase Intent Clicks to Instacart

 

MikMak Instacart Guide_Social Platform

 

BRAVE COMMERCE logo

Nuun Hydration's Ingrid Cordy on attracting the mass consumer while staying true to your brand

 

“We have talked about the COVID pandemic moment as the great accelerator in so many ways, and certainly in digital. People are buying through Instacart; people are much more comfortable with eCommerce.”

 

What brand categories matter most?

Instacart offers a wide array of product categories, and its fast delivery options make it an attractive place for consumers to look for necessities. 

Right now, the category seeing the most Purchase Intent Clicks to Instacart is Grocery. Closely following is the Alcohol category, a category we expect to grow since the shutdown of Drizly this past March. Following Alcohol are Health Care, Personal Care, and Pet Care products.

 

Top Categories for Instacart Shoppers

 

Top Categories for Instacart Shoppers

 

 

BRAVE COMMERCE logo

Chris Rogers of Instacart on Developing Strong Retailer Relationships, and Utilizing AI for Commerce

 

"All of our sales on our platform that we are driving, everything flows through our retail partners. They directly benefit; our incentives are completely aligned. If we run a thriving ads business that gets more items in the basket, our retailers win, our brands win, and we win."

 

Instacart shoppers are buying Candy, Liquor, and Grocery Items

Top Products for Instacart Shoppers

(by Purchase Intent Rate*)

MikMak Instacart Guide_Top Products gray bg

Purchase Intent Rate*:
The percentage of shoppers who clicked through to at least one retailer.

 

 

 

Grocery spotlight

Given that grocery is the top product category Instacart shoppers are active in, here are a few tips for brands to consider when advertising to shoppers.

 

  1. Feed-Based Video Ads
    • Design with sound off in mind.
    • Capture attention within the first few seconds
    • Showcase your brand early and consistently throughout the video
    • Optimize for the 4:5 aspect ratio to maximize screen real estate
    • Experiment and try new approaches to engage viewers effectively
  2. Reels (and Story)
    • Keep it simple and highlight a single benefit or product
    • Try unconventional angles or perspectives to make your content stand out
    • Use varied layouts and interesting compositions 
    • Create a focal point in the foreground to guide viewers' attention
  3. Image Ads in the Feed
    • Consider the mobile best practices mentioned earlier
    • Tailor the messaging to resonate with the target audience's needs
    • Focus on your core products that drive the majority of omnichannel sales
    • Pay attention to merchandising to enhance the appeal of your ads

 

SabraCS_Instacart Pillar Page

 

Shoppable Recipes

 

BRAVE COMMERCE logo

Chris Rogers of Instacart on Developing Strong Retailer Relationships, and Utilizing AI for Commerce

 

"One of our main objectives is to make sure that our platform is not a luxury. We are investing heavily in ways for consumers to save. There are already so many ways to save on our platform like next-day delivery, we have enabled EBT SNAP, there are hundreds of retailers on our platform with seamless in-store pricing. “

 

Alcohol Spotlight

Recent Research from the MikMak Shopping Index made Instacart the top retailer alternative for Alcohol shoppers since the Drizly shut down in March of ‘24, with 40.3 percent of Purchase Intent Clicks, when compared to the other Top 5 Retailers.

For brands looking to reach Alcohol shoppers, including Instacart in your retailer options could help increase sales.

 

Top 5 Checkout Options for Alcohol Brands

 

MikMak Instacart Guide_Checkout options

 

Garrison Brothers CS_Instacart Pillar Page

 

Compliance Controls

Where are Instacart shoppers, and when are they shopping?

The majority of shoppers in the MikMak Shopping Index who select Instacart as their retailer of choice reside in New York. Following New York are Florida, California, Texas, and Illinois in that order.

 

 

US MAP instacart guide 2024 teal vers-01

 

When do they shop the most? According to the MikMak Shopping Index, Saturday evenings see the most shopping activity from Instacart shoppers. In general, after-work hours seem to be best. This could be due to consumers wanting to be in their homes when their deliveries arrive.

 

Most Popular Shopping Days of the Week, Instacart

 

Shopping Days of the Week, Instacart

 

Most Popular Shopping Time of Day, Instacart (ET)

 

Shopping Time of Day, Instacart (ET)

 

Your eCommerce Marketing Checklist

So you’ve got the insights, now what? Here’s a list to help optimize your Instacart marketing initiatives for 2024.

  • Get the basics down. Are Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube a part of your marketing mix? Are you marketing to Instacart shoppers in the right regions, at the right time, and day of the week?
  • Collect first-party data. Your website and organic media audience are worth gold. Drive this qualified shopper base to purchases at their preferred retailers, don’t let them go search elsewhere. Gather insights, with an “always on” shoppable strategy, about their shopping preferences all the way through to check-out at retailers, and build look-alike audiences to target via your media campaigns. Your data from all year round will help you optimize your high-season media campaigning to target and use your budgets more wisely. This will allow you to make your investments more profitable.
  • Get the most out of your brand website. Does your website offer Instacart checkout as an option? The MikMak Shopping Index sees high Purchase Intent Rates from brand websites. Make sure your products are shoppable at this important touchpoint.
  • Pay attention to pricing and consumer behaviors in tandem. Run tests to determine which audience segments are most price-conscious and find ways to appeal to them. In many categories, consumers will wait until the price is right, or switch to private-label or competitor products if your product is not competitively priced.
  • Don’t stop spending. Consumers might be trepidatious about splurging on high prices, but they will still buy your products. The economic backdrop emphasizes the need for brands to look for efficiencies in their marketing and media spend. The brands that can keep investing despite this backdrop will gain share and withstand the test of time.
  • Get creative in your media design, in your media mix, and in your partnerships. Test and learn discount messaging.

We're here to help.

MikMak x Circana-01

MikMak has partnered with Circana for a first-of-its-kind report measuring the impact of digital marketing on offline sales. Brands can now confidently understand the influence their digital marketing has on brick-and-mortar sales.

 

 

Did you know your brand can gain exclusive first-party consumer insights and multichannel analytics by partnering with MikMak? Use MikMak Insights to access data that helps your brand develop and apply eCommerce strategies that work, with a complete understanding of consumers' behavior and preferences.

We're here to help. MikMak helps multichannel brands gain deeper consumer insights to grow and protect market share. Contact us at marketing@mikmak.com!

 

  • ACCESS THE COMPLETE REPORT

  • ACCESS THE COMPLETE REPORT

  • ACCESS THE COMPLETE REPORT

close chapters modal

 

 

Access the Complete Report

MikMak's 2024 Instacart Benchmarks & Insights Report

 

Be sure to bookmark this PDF so you can access the link whenever you need it:

 

MikMak Instacart Vertical Cover