Instacart Rehire Policy (All You Need To Know)

One of the major benefits of the gig economy is that workers have the option to come and go as they please, working for one company or another, totally up to them.

But what happens if you are barred from working for a company? Take Instacart, for example. They deactivate shoppers for many different reasons, but do they take them back?

What is Instacart’s rehire policy? It’s a difficult path to tread if you have been newly deactivated and are wondering what your chances are of being brought back. I have the answer you seek.

What Is Instacart’s Rehire Policy In [currentyear]?

As a rule, Instacart is very particular about what shoppers they rehire after deactivating an account. Shoppers who feel they were wrongly deactivated can always appeal Instacart’s decision by contacting shopper support; any evidence is always helpful. Reactivation is always subject to Instacart’s sole discretion.

I’m going to cover whether and how you can attempt a reactivation with Instacart, some of the most common reasons why shoppers get deactivated and even discuss some techniques for getting around a deactivation. Keep reading!

Can You Get Reactivated With Instacart?

It is possible to get reactivate with Instacart, but there are no guarantees.

Deactivation occurs after someone has repeatedly broken more minor rules or broke one big one, once.

You might get deactivated after being caught shopping with your child a few times or dismissed immediately after being caught stealing once.

Or it might be something that was completely out of your control – like in this Vice article from 2021, where a woman was deactivated because of vague links connected to fraud.

As awful as that sounds, because she was permanently deactivated with no hope for reversal, Instacart did issue this statement:

“…if a shopper can prove they were deactivated for a reason beyond their control, they will be reinstated.”

Basically, you’ve got to have proof. For good earners, I would say the effort necessary to obtain this proof would be worth it.

How Can You Get Your Instacart Account Reactivated?

For some Instacart shoppers who get deactivated, they receive an courtesy email.

It may say that responding to that message “with any physical evidence or context to support your claim” is the first step.

If you know you were wrongly deactivated – say, a customer has complained that you stole their order, when you have photographic proof of it on their porch – advocate for yourself.

Fight for your earnings. Remember that there are people on the other end of that email message, and if you present a strong case, you could very well get your account back.

Why Was Your Instacart Account Deactivated?

Why Was Your Instacart Account Deactivated?

There are any number of reasons you might get your account deactivated. Some of them are certainly your own fault and others may be beyond your control.

Let’s take a look at the most common.

  • Theft – If you get caught stealing, it’s likely an automatic deactivation (unless you’re being accused of theft, but you have the proof that you didn’t)
  • Shopping with a buddy – Whether it’s your kid, a friend or your partner, it’s not allowed; Instacart does not allow shoppers to bring company while on a shift
  • Selling alcohol to minors – Not only it this against company policy, if you get caught, you might be on the hook with the police
  • Too many reliability incidents – Instacart takes the quality of its shopping seriously, and if you can’t be relied upon, they aren’t going to want you
  • Receipts – If you accidentally gave the customer the receipt from the store, that’s a huge no-no.
  • Bad ratings – If customers are regularly complaining about you, that’s another instance where Instacart isn’t going to want you on their team

You might remain activated if you commit some of the smaller infractions once or twice, but with a steady stream of shoppers ready to fill your place, I really wouldn’t push it with this company.

Can You Make A New Instacart Account?

If you were deactivated, had your appeal denied and now are wondering if you can just make a new Instacart Shopper account, the answer is: maybe.

Technically, according to Instacart’s terms and conditions (which you did agree to when you signed up), it is forbidden for one person to initiate a new account.

However – some people have done so successfully and managed to fly under the radar for a time.

The only problem with this is that if you run into some issue and have to reach out to Instacart support, you will be drawing attention to yourself.

And that could end in a second deactivation, if not a lifetime ban.

Can You Use Someone Else’s Instacart Account?

Using an Instacart shopper account registered to someone not you is entirely forbidden.

Not only can you end up with a black mark on your name, you will also get the other person deactivated.

Unfortunately, if you have been deactivated and couldn’t get rehired, you might either try sneakily using a different email address to create a new account.

Or you can try a different rideshare gig. Consider Uber (and UberEats), Grubhub, DoorDash or Shipt.

To find out more, you can also read our posts on what is Instacart,  does Instacart hire felons, and if Instacart pays daily.

Conclusion

It is possible to get rehired by Instacart after an account deactivation, but you will have to have proof to show their Shopper support.

If you cannot get reactivated after a “firing,” there are less-than-honest avenues to get shopping again, but your best bet might be to try a different delivery service.

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Cara Suppa

Cara Suppa has been freelance writing for over a decade and holds a BA in English and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. Outside of work, she is an avid cook, gardener, and discount shopper.

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