We live in a world where everything is digital. You can now listen to your favorite album by speaking to a smart speaker. You can even have a pair of socks or shoes delivered to your front door in two days or less from Amazon.
What many people do not know is that there is a way to get your groceries delivered to your home with a swipe of a button. There is an app called Instacart that can do just that! This service can be convenient for anyone, especially those who are busy, have small children, or people with visual impairments. It’s one of the best apps for the blind because it helps to empower people with vision loss and give them more independence.
What is Instacart?
Instacart is an app that lets you shop for your groceries anywhere through any mobile device – like cell phones, tablets, or computers. It is available on both IOS and android devices. All you have to do is choose the food that you want, then schedule a delivery.
It’s one of the best apps for the blind because you can have groceries delivered to your doorstep in an hour or later in the week. This app allows you to request delivery up to six days ahead, which means you can have it delivered at your convenience.
Who shops for you?
One thing that worries many shoppers is who is going to shop for their groceries. Instacart uses personal shoppers who will do the shopping for you. They are attentive and ensure you get the best produce available. If you have a level of ripeness you would like your vegetables or fruits; the app allows you to leave a note.
How to use Instacart as a blind or visually impaired individual
- Setup an account and enter your zip code.
- While in the app, swipe through the available stores. Double tap on the store that you want to shop at and from then on that will become your current store unless you decide to change it.
- To add items to your cart. Double tap the search tab at the bottom of your screen and double tap the search field to type in the item you’re looking for. After you tap search, you’ll see a list of available items. If you find an item you want, you can swipe up on that item to add it to your cart.
- Double tap on the browse tab, where you can pick a category to choose from and add items to your cart from that category.
- As you tap near the top of your screen, you see your shopping cart with the number of items you shopped. You can double tap on the cart to view, add, and delete the items that are in your shopping cart.
- When you’ve finished shopping double tap on the checkout button. You can now swipe through the checkout details. The app will display your address then you can double tap on the delivery time to set up what works best for you.
- Swipe to the right to confirm your phone number and payment method. You must have a credit card on file to complete the order.
- Swipe to the right to see your total. You can also double tap on the driver tip option or button to change your tip.
- When you are satisfied with your order, double tap on the place order button.
- Instacart gives you updates regarding your order. During the process, you will see if some items are out-of-stock and you can swipe through a list of replacements.
- You can swipe through to see the items that have been shopped and double tap on the shopper to communicate with him or her through call or text.
- Instacart will notify you when your order is finished, and when the shopper is on the way with your delivery. You will receive a notification when your order has arrived.
How Outlook Nebraska can help
We have Adaptive Technology training for the blind and visually impaired that help you learn how to use instacart and the best apps for the blind. If you are not tech-savvy, we can assist you in learning how to use your mobile device using voice-over or magnification. Set up your one-on-one appointment to begin to reach your goal, whether that is to move independently or connect with your loved ones.
