Instacart Native Component
Role:
UX/UI
Research
Monetization
Product Date:
Launched 2024
Affiliate commerce is a major revenue driver for Well+Good and Only In Your State
Most traditional shopping integrations lack immediacy users read about a product, click through an affiliate link, and then may or may not complete a purchase.
The Instacart Native Component was designed to bridge this gap by offering a seamless, same-day shopping experience directly within editorial content. Unlike traditional shopping modules, this integration allowed users to instantly add curated product lists to Instacart, where they could customize, select their preferred store, and check out for same-day or even within-the-hour delivery.
By embedding this high-intent shopping functionality into recipes, wellness guides, and travel checklists, the Instacart component created a frictionless commerce experience while driving engagement and affiliate revenue.
Identifying the Opportunity
We analyzed user behavior and commerce trends, finding that readers of recipe content, wellness guides, and travel checklists had high purchase intent but often abandoned their shopping journey due to friction in traditional affiliate experiences. The solution? A native, instant shopping experience embedded directly into content.
Instead of a standard product recommendation module, we designed a flexible shopping list component that:
• Allowed users to click a curated shopping list within an article and be taken directly to Instacart
• Let users modify their store and item selections before checkout, making it more customizable than traditional commerce modules
Was tailored for different editorial contexts:
• Well+Good: Beauty kits (Sephora, Ulta), wellness essentials (fitness gear, first-aid kits, supplements), and recipe-driven ingredient lists
• Only In Your State: Travel kits (road trip gear, camping essentials), picnic kits, and local Instacart-supported farmers market products
The Instacart component UI was designed to be minimal yet intuitive, seamlessly integrating with existing content without overwhelming the reading experience. Users could:
• Click a shopping list CTA to preview curated Instacart items
• Be redirected to Instacart where they could modify, switch stores, or check out instantly
• Benefit from same-day or within-the-hour delivery, making the shopping experience feel effortless and immediate
Unlike standard affiliate commerce where users purchase later, this model capitalized on impulse-driven, real-time shopping. Revenue opportunities included:
• Curated, high-intent product lists that encouraged bundled purchases rather than single-item clicks
• Deep-linking to Instacart partners (Sephora, Walmart, CVS, Target, etc.), increasing commission-earning potential
• Expanding beyond groceries, incorporating wellness, beauty, and travel products to diversify revenue streams
Sponsorship opportunities
Project Highlights
Unlike traditional affiliate shopping, the Instacart Native Component enabled same-day or within-the-hour delivery, making it a frictionless, impulse-friendly commerce tool
Shopping lists were curated based on editorial themes, ensuring users saw relevant products within articles they were already engaged with—whether it was a baking recipe, a wellness guide, or a travel checklist
Built to support both Well+Good and Only In Your State, this flexible shopping list model could expand to more commerce-driven content opportunities in the future
