Instacart Expands Online Food-Stamp Payments, Challenging Rivals (bloomberg.com) 10
Instacart is increasing the number of stores where it accepts online payments for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants, moving the online grocery delivery giant into competition with Amazon.com and Walmart for a growing pool of consumers using federal assistance to buy food online. From a report: The San Francisco-based startup is partnering with three retailers, Publix Super Markets, The Save Mart Companies and Golub's Price Chopper/Market 32, to allow Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments in more than 1,500 additional U.S. stores. The expansion is about a 60% increase in availability for SNAP online purchasing through Instacart, which began in October with a partnership with ALDI. Food-stamp recipients will be able to order same-day delivery or pickup through the Instacart website and mobile app in more than 4,000 stores across 38 states and Washington D.C.
on another note ... (Score:2)
Re:on another note ... (Score:4, Informative)
It'll depend on if they clear the USDA guidelines. [usda.gov] Considering they would be a 3rd party facilitating the transfer, they'd need to partner with a currently established retailer PLUS provide the require TPP. That's the important catch there, is that the FNS requires the retailer to ultimately be the provider of benefits. So this is just a wee bit more than just shuffling money around. Instacart has to partner with the retailer meaning the retailer can end the partnership if they so like. Likely because if Instacart messed something up with benefits, it would be the retailer, not Instacart, who would have to deal with the fallout from FNS, since ultimately they're the provider of benefits.
But if this program is a resounding success, perhaps Congress will readjust the language to make benefits more "flexible"? Maybe have a healthy competition for benefit facilitators? I don't know, some people get a certain "way" when talking about benefits and making payment options more flexible might trigger that in them. So this may just be something that just stays on the fringe of things.
New economy firms and government (Score:2)
It's interesting to me how the 'new economy' companies
I don't fault them for this, nor the government programs utilized, but this is rarely captured in the narrative of 'innovation'. The usual story is that entrepreneur has great idea, maxes out their personal credit card, and voila a billion dollar company is born. But very often there is a government program of one sort or another buttressing these lone innovators
Tesla, SpaceX, Solar City...even Uber/Lyft...basically all pharmaceutical companies, would
Re: (Score:2)
While Bigger != Better. Cutting == worse.
In the US Hunger is still a problem for many people. Unlike say from 150 years ago, it isn't from problem with supply, but from gaps in the working of our economic system.
A grocery store, doesn't want to open up shop in a poor neighborhood, because its customer base wouldn't have a lot of money, to buy products. many of the people are poor because of their poor nutrition made them perform poorly at school, not be productive at work, and if they need to eat they ma
One and the same (Score:2)
Considering some people working for Amazon and Walmart are on federal food assistance, that's a mighty fine circle they have. Don't pay them enough to fend for themselves, then get these same people to shop at these places to help drive up profits while still not paying their people enough to fend for themselves.
The rise of the poor ? (Score:2)
It's interesting that poor Americans are finally able to do something useful with their technology. Around the world, the poorest people are becoming tech wizards. Although they may not have access to reliable electricity or toilets or even a McDonald's restaurant, they can do magical things with their low priced cell phones. They can use their phones to easily transfer money from anyone to anyone else. Banking, of course, and social stuff, but many have access to micro loans and business services and all t
Re: (Score:2)
In the rich countries, we have a lot of laws and regulations that make such activities illegal or expensive.
Lets say I was poor. I wanted cheap transportation. So I may find an old lawnmower engine, and hook it up to a bicycle. I am clever and handy, so it works well. Now if I was in a poor country, other people will be doing this, and all is fine and good. But if I would do this in the United States, I can get pulled over, arrested and/or fined for driving an unsafe vehicle, which it is.
So if I am poo
EBT covers there fees? and tip? what about wic? (Score:2)
Or do the drives get $0 tip EBT runs?
Re: (Score:2)
EBT is just the transfer of authorization of benefits. Doesn't cover the delivery fees or anything like that, since none of that is a prescribed benefit. Hence the reason why when you sign up, you have to give your EBT information along with a credit card of bank issued card.
While the benefits will pay for most groceries, users will need to add a debit or credit card to pay for delivery and service fees, bottle fees, taxes, tips and any items that are not EBT eligible.
- Source [forbes.com]