Core Points - Instacart has agreed to pay $60 million to settle allegations from the Federal Trade Commission regarding deceptive practices related to its Instacart+ membership and free delivery offers [1][4] - The FTC claimed that the "free delivery" offer for first orders was misleading as shoppers were charged additional fees [1] - The company did not sufficiently inform customers that free trials of the Instacart+ subscription would automatically convert to paid memberships [2] - Instacart settled the allegations without admitting wrongdoing [3] - The company is currently under investigation due to a study indicating that different shoppers received varying prices for the same items at the same stores [3][6] - Instacart stated that retailers set prices and that its Eversight pricing tool conducts random pricing tests not based on user data [6]

Core Insights - Instacart is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its use of AI-driven pricing tools that reportedly charge customers different prices for the same items [1][8] Pricing Practices - An investigation revealed that prices for approximately 75% of surveyed items on Instacart varied by up to 23% among users shopping simultaneously, potentially costing the average household an additional $1,200 annually [2][8] - Instacart claims that its pricing strategies are controlled by retail partners and that the company does not employ dynamic or surveillance pricing, but rather conducts randomized A/B testing [3][5] Regulatory Response - The FTC has expressed concern over the pricing practices reported in the media and has issued a civil investigative demand regarding Instacart's Eversight pricing tool, which is designed to help retailers test consumer reactions to different prices [4][5] Market Impact - Instacart's parent company, Maplebear (CART), has seen its shares decline by about 1% recently and has lost approximately 9% of its value since the beginning of the year [7]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Instacart due to concerns over its AI-driven pricing tool, Eversight, which has been criticized for offering different prices to different shoppers for the same groceries [1][2]. Group 1: Investigation Details - The FTC has issued a civil investigative demand to Instacart, seeking information regarding the Eversight pricing tool [1]. - The agency has expressed concern over the alleged pricing practices of Instacart, reflecting a broader unease among consumers [2]. Group 2: Eversight Pricing Tool - Instacart's Eversight pricing tool enables retailers to experiment with various pricing strategies using artificial intelligence [3]. - A recent study highlighted that shoppers on Instacart received varying prices for identical grocery items, raising ethical questions about the pricing model [2].