Overview
- Effective immediately, retailers can no longer run item price tests on Instacart, and Eversight-powered experiments are disabled on the platform.
- A study by Consumer Reports, Groundwork Collaborative and More Perfect Union reported that 74% of items appeared at multiple prices, with up to 23% swings and roughly a 7% average basket difference.
- Instacart says previous trials were short-term randomized A/B tests, not dynamic or surveillance pricing, and did not use personal, demographic or behavioral data.
- The Federal Trade Commission has questioned Instacart about its Eversight pricing tool, and regulatory and legislative scrutiny of algorithmic pricing continues.
- In a separate case last week, Instacart agreed to $60 million in customer refunds to resolve FTC allegations over deceptive fee and delivery claims.