Dive Brief:

• Continuing its rollout of tools for workers, Instacart announced on Tuesday several new features, including a revamped customer ratings system and the ability for Instacart Shoppers to block customers. 
• As part of the refreshed ratings systems, Instacart Shoppers now need to maintain a rating of 4.7 or greater for batch prioritization, which was previously based on workers "having the highest rating possible," according to the announcement. Instacart said it will also start removing ratings from from a customer “who consistently rates their shoppers below 5 stars.”
• The new features, which are focused on giving workers more visibility into their ratings and shopping experiences, mark the third installment of Instacart’s four-month rollout of tools for its workers.

Dive Insight:

Like the tools Instacart rolled out for its personal shoppers in April, the revamped customer ratings system indicates the company is responding to issues from customers that impact workers’ experiences and earnings.

“While we always encourage shoppers to strive for great customer service, we also know that sometimes things happen, and a few low ratings shouldn’t have a significant impact on their access to batches,” Instacart said in this month’s announcement.

Last month, Instacart announced tip protection and multi-store batching tools aimed at boosting workers’ earning potential. In March, Instacart unveiled in-store navigation, live phone support, and an in-app safety toolkit with safety alerts, 911 calling and incident reporting.

Among the latest offerings, Instacart is also giving workers access to in-app insights showing their average customer rating, customer feedback and statistics such as how many orders they’ve done. They will also be able to find information about batch accuracy, including details on substitutions. 

“A shopper’s accuracy information does not have any impact on their rating or access to batches, but it can provide valuable insights into their shopping experience on the app,” Instacart said in Tuesday's announcement. 

Other new features include store proximity alerts that let workers know if they can expect to see batches from that location in the near future and the ability for them to provide feedback on specific batches they’ve completed. Workers can let Instacart know if they had an issue with a customer and don’t want to shop for them again, even allowing them to block that customer. 

With a workforce of more than 600,000, Instacart is looking to streamline and improve the tools available to its personal shopper community. The company has said that all of the tools that are part of the multi-month rollout are based on feedback from its workers. 

As the gig economy booms, a host of other companies, from third-party providers to retailers, are offering new enticements like flexible pay and flexible scheduling, putting further pressure on Instacart to retain its workforce. 

In June — the last month in the rollout of new tools for workers — Instacart said it will release features focused on “recognition and rewards." 

Earlier this month, Instacart announced it filed a confidential draft registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential initial public offering.