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- Locked-up merchandise at retailers is turning off delivery workers for services like Instacart.
- Shopping and delivering orders on-time is a struggle with so much locked up, workers said.
- Retailers from Walmart to Walgreens have items under lock-and-key in an attempt to prevent theft.
Locked-up bottles of dish detergent and water at retailers like CVS and Walmart isn't just a headache for customers doing their own shopping: It's also hampering deliveries through services like Instacart.
Unlike regular shoppers, delivery workers who pick up orders at stores usually have to shop and deliver their orders on a deadline. That means they often say no to taking orders at stores that are infamous for having a lot of items locked up.
An Ohio-based shopper who delivered for Walmart's Spark delivery service until earlier this year recalled waiting 10 minutes once for an employee to unlock a case containing baby formula. He and other workers that Business Insider interviewed declined to be identified in this story, citing potential retaliation from the delivery services. BI has verified their identities and work histories.
Gig delivery workers in most states are paid for each order that they deliver. Many also rely on tips from customers for prompt service, so waiting around in a store can be costly, the Ohio worker said.
"Drivers make money per order, not per hour, so every second counts for us," the driver added.
Retailers have increased the number of products under lock and key over the past few years, citing ongoing problems with shoplifting. But the strategy is also turning off some consumers, who seek out what they need elsewhere, including online at retailers like Amazon.
The Ohio-based worker said putting more locked-up items at the front of the store, such as behind the checkout kiosks, could be one way for retailers to improve the system.
"That way, there is always someone to unlock the case and watch that it is actually purchased," he said.
One Nevada-based shopper for Instacart recently told BI she refuses to take orders from one particular Walgreens near her where orders often contain multiple locked-up items.
Spokespeople for Walgreens and CVS previously told BI that the chains started locking up products based on shoplifting trends at specific stores. Representatives for the two stores didn't immediately return a call for comment for this story.
Avoiding locked-up merchandise completely is tough, and some workers have to improvise. One Spark shopper in Idaho recounted finding a cosmetic product that a customer had ordered at Walmart.
The shopper told BI that they pressed a button on the shelf to request help from an employee, but no one showed up after several minutes.
"I ended up ripping the cardboard of the packaging and taking it off the hook" where it was locked up, the shopper said. The order they were shopping had perishable groceries, and they worried that Walmart would cancel the order — and their pay — if they took too long.
"I really didn't want to just wait forever for someone to finally come unlock the thing," the Spark shopper said.
An Instacart spokesperson said shoppers can message customers through the app to let them know if they face delays while shopping an order. Shoppers do not receive less base pay if an order takes longer than expected, the spokesperson said.
Walmart declined to comment to BI.
Do you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com