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Word of advice re online food shopping

(53 Posts)
dragonfly46 Mon 13-Apr-20 13:37:14

Last week I managed to secure a slot on the Sainsbury site for this Wednesday. I duly ordered all my food. This morning I added a few things but got diverted and didn't check out within 2 hours.
When I next went on to the site it said I had no delivery slot.
In panic I rang them which of course was initially fruitless as they kept saying they could not take my call.
I used the house phone and my mobile and eventually got through to be told that if you don't check out within the allotted time the delivery spot would be cancelled even though I had had an email to say it was fine.
Fortunately the guy on the phone was able to give me a slot on Thursday.

Coolgran65 Sun 07-Jun-20 01:55:56

Last week placing my order with Asda there were no 2 litres of green top milk available which I find pretty incredible.
Apart from that I've found them excellent

Only difficulty was of my own making. As a newbie I didn't click on check out. Live and learn.

Elrel Sun 07-Jun-20 00:52:48

Sharon103 Exactly, the same advice as my DD gave me, repat the last order to secure my delivery slot and add and subtract later at my leisure.
I find Iceland fine for basics, have also used Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

annep1 Sat 06-Jun-20 23:54:45

Oh dear Mamacaz that's not good. Surely they couldn't possibly have been out of all milk. I hope you find a way to get some. Perhaps order some UHT in your next order for emergencies, although it won't help now.

MamaCaz Sat 06-Jun-20 18:15:49

Here's my word of warning: be aware that the supermarket (yes Tesco, I am talking about you!) might not have an essential item on stock on the day of delivery, leaving you to make other arrangements.

In order to leave deliveries free for others, I have been shopping for two weeks at a time.
Today, Tesco had no two litre bottles of semi-skimmed milk in stock and even worse, apparently had no suitable substitution to give me, meaning that I have no milk for the next two weeks!

annep1 Fri 05-Jun-20 13:39:34

Avalon sorry I have just got back to the nectar problem. Yes, when you are checking out it will tell you how much you have in points. Click on manage my coupons and convert your points to a voucher then continue as you do for other vouchers. Thanks for mentioning it because I hadn't thought of spending my points. Free shopping this weekend. ?

ladymuck Fri 05-Jun-20 11:36:47

Yes, you do need to check out again if you make changes to your order. On-line, we are dealing with computers not real people, so you have to follow the guidelines.

25Avalon Fri 05-Jun-20 11:33:56

Just googled it and Sainsbury’s say to get an evoucher from nectar and then you can redeem your evoucher online at Sainsbury’s.

Charleygirl5 Thu 04-Jun-20 15:06:17

MamaCaz that is strange because I have shopped online with Morrisons for years and always use a debit card with no problems.

I also add on a couple of bottles of wine to make up my £40. To date, I have not forgotten to return but last week there was a blip with their computer system, I could not log on temporarily so I was pleased I had not added anything I would not subsequently use.

I live outside an area in London where if the chauffeur was unavailable to pick up champagne and lobsters - I doubt if they would think twice about ordering online and paying the ridiculous delivery charges if not ordering eg £40 worth.
Admittedly we do have an upmarket supermarket within a stone's throw of these houses so I am sure they are well used to it.

MamaCaz Thu 04-Jun-20 14:00:15

In my last sentence, I meant debit card, not credit card.

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 13:57:51

I get that now Mamacaz. Thanks.

MamaCaz Thu 04-Jun-20 13:55:13

I admit that this online shopping can be a nightmare.

I often 'check out' only a few poundsworth of groceries with Tesco in order to secure a slot.
As yet, I haven't forgotten to go back to complete the order, but now that I also do online shopping for my mum (with a different supermarket), it might only be a matter of time before I slip up!
And I find Tesco's site very slow, too.

Mum's orders are from Morrison's.
With them, you do have to have over £40 of goods in your trolley to be able to check out and secure a slot.
I've found the quickest way to do this is to stick two bottles of spirits in there, which I take out again when I do the proper order nearer delivery day (Mum can't decide what she needs till as near that time as possible).
If one day I either forget or am for some reason unable to amend the order, she will be on a boozy liquid diet for the following week! grin

On several occasions, I have had problems paying on Morrison's site.
I've never managed to pay using the debit card, so have to do it on the credit card instead, and sometimes it has taken the best part of an hour to get the system even to accept that one.
I'm sure the problems with the credit card have been down to them, as it wasn't even possible to enter details of another card at that moment either.
Why I can't use the credit card is less clear - bank and supermarket blame each other!

MamaCaz Thu 04-Jun-20 13:35:53

Anner1
... I don't believe anyone would order two items that didn't meet the minimum spend of £4

I think you are mistaken - as I understand it, the minimum spend with Tesco is £40, not £4. The £4 is a charge that they add on if you order less than £40 of groceries.

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 13:17:53

Furret you did make me laugh. Yes its exciting checking the substitutes. .

Avalon I will look later. It doesn't look very straightforward. I haven't done it myself yet, I just checked the instructions.

TerriBull Thu 04-Jun-20 12:54:41

Pretty standard to get a 2 hour slot and check out within that time span. I've been able to secure weekly Tesco deliveries and would reiterate what a poster stated up thread, they don't take the money until it's delivered, but I imagine that's the same for all. I'm pretty sure that's how it worked for Ocado, those were the days sigh! when their slots were easy to obtain.

I think Tesco, not a supermarket of choice before the lockdown, have offered a good on line service, although I don't use if for everything, my local Marks have better quality produce, particularly for meat and fish. I went there today at 9.30ish a good time for my local store, very quiet no queues and their fresh fruit and veg counters were heavily laden with the very best. Also managed to get plain flour, baking powder and golden caster sugar, all unavailable at Tescos on line at the moment.

Furret Thu 04-Jun-20 12:42:55

Well I’ve mastered the art of online shopping but I wish the pickers were less slapdash.

Fresh salmon sell by date the next day. Sausages ditto. Pesto out of date. Carrots all broken in half (I got the top halves and presumably someone else got my bottoms), leek was fat and all leaf, frozen beef missing completely but charged for, and diet ginger beer replaced with a piece of fresh ginger.

It’s quite exciting getting these deliveries!

25Avalon Thu 04-Jun-20 12:38:41

I did that annepl and linked my card but still couldn’t see how to do it as when I get to check out although it tells me I have a certain amount of money from nectar to spend it will only let me put credit card details in.

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 12:35:34

I get your points MawB but I didn't get the usual text so they are partly responsible.
I don't think it's trivial to complain about paying £7 for 2L milk. I can afford the loss but many pensioners couldn't.
Also I don't believe anyone would order two items that didn't meet the minimum spend of £4.
But, no matter......not important enough for a debate ?

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 12:27:04

25Avalon go into your account and then Nectar details and link your card.

MawB Thu 04-Jun-20 12:20:05

Every sympathy Annep1 but the system is automated, including the confirmatory emails and text messages so you cannot decide it is “bad service” by Tesco to deliver what you ordered - but no more. If every order or even 1% were queried and followed up on, no way could they deliver the quantities they do.
There are people, hard as it is to believe, who will have placed an order for a couple of items!
It is not a supermarket’s job to second guess what their customers want.
In fact to add in extra items would have been extremely bad service as if unwanted, once delivered they cannot now by law be returned for reasons of hygiene.
Not fair to moan “Bad service”

BlueSky Thu 04-Jun-20 12:13:24

Annep I was surprised you could check out with Tesco with such a small amount. Sainsbury's and Iceland won't proceed through to checkout unless you have the minimum order of £40 and £25 to qualify for delivery.

25Avalon Thu 04-Jun-20 12:06:39

Similar happened to me at Sainsbury’s as well. I booked the slot, ordered and paid for it. I went in the day before delivery to add an item but did not pay again at checkout so the whole order was cancelled and the delivery although I was able to get another delivery within a couple of days but when the delivery fee was higher. I have learnt the lesson the hard way!

Btw it keeps telling me I have loads of nectar point to spend but it won’t let me although I am registered. Anybody know if there is anyway round this so I can pay for my groceries with them?

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 12:05:02

Kittylester I don't have a problem getting a slot with either Sainsbury or Tesco. I think we must be on their vulnerable list. But I would never waste a slot like that on purpose.

Wibby Thu 04-Jun-20 12:03:46

You have a limited time to change your shopping on Sainsburys website. If its not completed by the time set you lose your shopping and slot.

annep1 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:56:51

Of course it's my responsibilty MawB but there's a thing called common sense and using your initiative.
Tesco have a policy of texting the day before to remind people their order will be delivered next day and they have until 11pm to amend it. They didn't do that this time.
I have memory problem associated with ME. I usually book then when I get a text the day before I look to see what I need. I do a Saturday order and a midweek order as it means cleaning the food is easier than one huge shop. Again, limited energy.
My granddaughter packs orders for Tesco, whilst at uni, along with other workers. How do you think its done? She would think it odd if she fulfilled an order for 2L of milk. The young lad who delivered it thought it odd too that no one had texted me.

Charleygirl5 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:40:43

I agree, although I am registered with Iceland it is easier to get a slot for tomorrow or Saturday rather than 5 days in advance. I lack freezer space- that is one of my problems.