Instacart grocery delivery debuts in Atlanta

Instacart, originally launched in San Francisco, the service allows you to select grocery items from multiple stores and have them delivered in an hour for $5.99 on orders above $35. Currently in Atlanta, you can order from Kroger or Costco and your first Instacart order (over $10) is delivered free.

You can save a few bucks if you're not pressed for time. Two hour deliver costs $3.99 on a minimum $35 order as does scheduling your grocery delivery for a one-hour time period later in the day, says Matt O'Connor who is launching the service in the metro area. If your order is less than $35, one-hour delivery costs $9.99 and two-hour or scheduled delivery is $7.99.

If you're not a Costco member, this is a great way around that barrier, since Instacart does not require a Costco membership to order items from the store. The company expects to add other stores in the future. Other cities have stores such as Whole Foods Market and Safeway available through Instacart.

Atlanta is the 12th city to have an Instacart presence and the first in the Southeast, says O'Connor. It is staffed by "Personal Shoppers" who shop for and deliver grocery orders using their own transportation. O'Connor said they are well-trained on how to choose the best produce, since bad produce is one of the biggest complaints about grocery delivery services. Any issues with your order can be resolved through the customer happiness team, he says.

Please visit www.instacart.com for more information.