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Original poster

to turn supermarket delivery away when they ring on my door bell two hours early?

232 replies

BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:10

Sort(ish) question: If the supermarket delivery driver turns up at 9am rather than 11am because he's delivering across the road anyway (with no phone call to ask if I could accept an early delivery which is usual) would I be unreasonable to tell him to go away and come back later?

(Long background) It's played on my mind all week so could do with some advice please.

There is a v. small care home opposite my house that also gets the same supermarket to deliver, generally on the same day, but at different times (sometimes around the same time, sometimes earlier, sometimes later).

The reason I order a slot later in the morning is that I have a reasonably severe disability that means it takes me a while to get going in the morning e.g. the ablutions and the getting dressed, breakfasting etc.

Due to the fact that my disability makes me more prone to infections like covid and it takes a lot longer for me put stuff away , I always ask the driver to unload the crates into bags I supply in my porch. I then take my time, decanting those bags into the kitchen cupboards/fridge/freezer etc.

Driver last week clearly had a 9am-ish delivery at the home across the road so rang on my doorbell around that time. I was still in my dressing gown (and wrapped in a towel underneath because I was drip-drying having not long got out of the bath).

I told him he was too early but maybe he could give me five minutes to get dressed then I can accept the delivery. He said yes I'm early, but I've just delivered over the road so if you get your bags, I'll put your order in them and put them in the porch so I won't need to come back.

I felt so coerced (and still bleary-eyed and getting to grips with the day), I went and hid in my skanky dressing gown in the living room for a bit until I heard him call from the porch that it was all done. Got to the porch and the outer porch door is wide open and the bags are all preventing it from being closed.

So I had to deal with it then and there until I was able to close the outer door which left me in a bit of a state for while.

What would you have done?

OP posts:
MartinsSpareCalculator · 14/05/2024 21:42

I had it with Ocado once where the driver put all the shopping on my doorstep 3 hours before my delivery was due then rang the bell. Then he ranted at me when I answered the bell and said I wasn't home and wouldn't be home until my delivery was due.

I also complained to Ocado. I don't mind them phoning me to ask if they can deliver early, but don't just unilaterally decide that it's OK, and certainly don't start shouting and ranting at me because you have to put my shopping back into your van.

Original poster
BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:39

ItsFuckingBoringFeedingEveryoneUntilYouDie · 14/05/2024 21:37

Wasn't he still there when you went to close the door/called you to say he was done? At that point, I would have asked him to move the bags so I could shut the door.

Nope, by the time I got to the door (my mobility is really bad) he was already climbing into the cab of his truck...

OP posts:
dancinfeet · 14/05/2024 21:38

I sometimes book a late 9pm delivery slot on a weekday because I work until 8.15pm and get home around 8.40pm. Numerous times I have had the driver phoning me at 8pm when I am still
working, asking why I’m not answering the door - when I’m not even at home. Ten/ fifteen mins either way not a problem but not a whole hour early! I agree, it’s really annoying.

Original poster
BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:37

daffodilandtulip · 14/05/2024 21:32

Asda by any chance? I've stopped using them. They repeatedly arrived whilst I was still out, up to two hours early, then phoned to shout at me for not being in, demanding to know when I'd be back, and piling my shopping on the doorstep and driving off as soon as they saw me.

Nope, not ASDA - it's Mr T...

OP posts:
Fallingforwards · 14/05/2024 21:37

I work from home some days and have had Tesco try to delivery early. It is really, really annoying. I was running a zoom meeting and presenting about a new project at the time. I’d ordered it for 6pm and it came at 4pm. They persisted in ringing the bell so I ended up having to explain and make my apologies/put everyone in a breakout rooms for a few minutes whilst I dealt with it. I don’t know why they think you’re just waiting at home with nothing else in your life going on.

ItsFuckingBoringFeedingEveryoneUntilYouDie · 14/05/2024 21:37

Wasn't he still there when you went to close the door/called you to say he was done? At that point, I would have asked him to move the bags so I could shut the door.

Original poster
BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:34

StormingNorman · 14/05/2024 21:24

He’s obviously a regular delivery driver as he knows the bag routine. He wasn’t expecting you to do anything at that time.

It wouldn’t have bothered me at all to let him drop of the shopping and leave it on my porch until I was ready to put it away.

Yes he's a reasonably regular driver so he knows the routine. BUT he's the only one who always objects to touching my alcohol (think a couple of bottles wine) because of his religion so I pack them. But, on this occasion he was more than happy to not hold to that tenet...

OP posts:
StormingNorman · 14/05/2024 21:33

Toxicinlawz · 14/05/2024 21:30

But the driver turned up two hours early so that means the shopping could potentially sit there for two hours, not great if op has fridge and freezer stuff. Two hours is too early to turn up with the shopping.

Show quote history

Fridge stuff can sit at room temp for a couple of hours. Freezer stuff you can whip away a bit sooner - the driver knew OP was home. He didn’t dump and run.

Like I say, I just couldn’t get worked up about it. Substitutions on the other hand are the reason I don’t shop on line!

daffodilandtulip · 14/05/2024 21:32

Asda by any chance? I've stopped using them. They repeatedly arrived whilst I was still out, up to two hours early, then phoned to shout at me for not being in, demanding to know when I'd be back, and piling my shopping on the doorstep and driving off as soon as they saw me.

Toxicinlawz · 14/05/2024 21:30

StormingNorman · 14/05/2024 21:24

He’s obviously a regular delivery driver as he knows the bag routine. He wasn’t expecting you to do anything at that time.

It wouldn’t have bothered me at all to let him drop of the shopping and leave it on my porch until I was ready to put it away.

But the driver turned up two hours early so that means the shopping could potentially sit there for two hours, not great if op has fridge and freezer stuff. Two hours is too early to turn up with the shopping.

Original poster
BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:30

doitwithlove · 14/05/2024 21:22

Do you have to request for the driver to help pack your shopping bags or it is something the driver will do if asked when delivering?

I have a note on my order explaining that I am CEV so ask that the delivery driver puts my order in the bags that I supply in the porch rather than come into the house. They do that...

OP posts:
Silveroaks · 14/05/2024 21:28

Mine are always really late now and I’ve had to stop getting deliveries as if I have an appt or school run I can’t be there

Onelifeonly · 14/05/2024 21:27

PS Once when I accepted an early delivery - 2 hours early, like you - I asked what they would do if I'd said no and the driver said he would wait. On reddit I've seen posts by people who deliver groceries saying they often spend hours reading in their cabs between deliveries.

Original poster
BasilParsley · 14/05/2024 21:26

Ridiculous24 · 14/05/2024 21:21

You don't have to accept it, but I'd say if he wanted to deliver early then he'd need to carry it to my kitchen as I wasn't ready.

Thanks for the suggestion @Ridiculous24 but I really don't want them in my house when I'm still dishabille and the probability of the dog escaping through open doors.... The current system works fine - when it's to time!

OP posts:
Onelifeonly · 14/05/2024 21:25

I use Tescos. They always text or phone to ask if I want the delivery early. Sometimes I've missed the text or call, having been at work, and as far as I know, they have not just turned up anyway. DH works at home and daughters work shifts so someone is failrly likely to have been in if they had.

Needmorelego · 14/05/2024 21:24

I doubt it the driver would have cared/even noticed that much if you are in a dressing gown.
When I get my delivery (Iceland) they hand the bags over and it takes about a minute.
Isn't that the joy of home delivery - you don't need to be dressed and ready for the day to get your food ?

StormingNorman · 14/05/2024 21:24

He’s obviously a regular delivery driver as he knows the bag routine. He wasn’t expecting you to do anything at that time.

It wouldn’t have bothered me at all to let him drop of the shopping and leave it on my porch until I was ready to put it away.

Springtime111 · 14/05/2024 21:22

I book a time that is convenient to me for a reason. YANBU to tell him you understand his train of thought, but this time isn't convenient for you, hence why you booked a later slot. He's trying his luck, but people book slots for a reason!

doitwithlove · 14/05/2024 21:22

Do you have to request for the driver to help pack your shopping bags or it is something the driver will do if asked when delivering?

Ridiculous24 · 14/05/2024 21:21

You don't have to accept it, but I'd say if he wanted to deliver early then he'd need to carry it to my kitchen as I wasn't ready.

LadyThistledown · 14/05/2024 21:20

ClonedSquare · 14/05/2024 21:17

I wouldn't answer the door, and I'd put a complain into the company if they were refusing to return later.

Ocado kept delivering our stuff up to an hour early and it drove me insane. It was booked for 8am and we had a tiny baby so genuinely weren't awake or available earlier than that. The annoying fucker would unload all the bags onto the doorstep before he rang the bell so I didn't even really have the option to ask him to come back later.

Yes you can - tell him to shove the bags back onto the lorry! I'm shocked to hear that it happens with Ocado, I've used all the major supermarkets at one time or another, they're the only ones I've never had an issue with.
They always call ahead/text before arriving early, when it happens!
I'd be ringing up and demanding my delivery money back + compensation every time this happened personally.

YANBU OP. You've bought and paid for delivery ('free' delivery is obviously worked into the prices of the products), at the time slot of YOUR choosing. Not for their convenience.

Macbeff · 14/05/2024 21:20

I wouldn’t have answered the door if I was in a dressing gown, not long out the bath. However, if I was up and dressed and there was no other reason not to, I’d have just accepted the delivery.

SabreIsMyFave · 14/05/2024 21:18

If you have a slot, it is annoying and daft for them to come 2 hours early for their convenience. What if you're not in?! I would complain @BasilParsley

Danikm151 · 14/05/2024 21:18

I once had Asda attempt a delivery 4 hours early. Called them to say i was at work so needed my delivery at the time slot selected- they oked this.
delivery didn’t arrive. They said the next day then claimed he couldn’t find it.

then another time- same scenario. Haven’t ordered from Asda since.

ClonedSquare · 14/05/2024 21:17

I wouldn't answer the door, and I'd put a complain into the company if they were refusing to return later.

Ocado kept delivering our stuff up to an hour early and it drove me insane. It was booked for 8am and we had a tiny baby so genuinely weren't awake or available earlier than that. The annoying fucker would unload all the bags onto the doorstep before he rang the bell so I didn't even really have the option to ask him to come back later.

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