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Original poster

Ocado delivery missing items

212 replies

burntheleaves · 23/12/2024 15:31

Is it reasonable to expect that a grocery delivery company figures out how to ensure customers get what they order?
Out of 6 packets of fresh sausage meat stuffing (2x3 different kinds ordered to ensure we got something) ALL of them have been removed from my delivery today as being out of stock.
Seriously? It's not that difficult. It's a PRE-ORDER. The order went in weeks ago. Cut off for the order was 2 days ago. How in gods name are they so crap that they ran out of ALL the stuffing FOR A PREORDER?

OP posts:
pepperaunt · 23/12/2024 16:40

Oh no - big Ocado order arriving tomorrow morning. Guess I should budget so time to go grocery shopping before we go out to lunch

TheDowagerCountessofPembroke · 23/12/2024 16:39

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:34

Yeah I don't know why people think it's some sort of guarantee that they'll get what they ask for. It's A appointment not a reservation

Show quote history

Ocado work differently. When you do your Christmas order you are preordering. Unlike a regular supermarket where essentially someone else is walking the aisles for you, Ocado are warehouse only.

VegTrug · 23/12/2024 16:39

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:34

Yeah I don't know why people think it's some sort of guarantee that they'll get what they ask for. It's A appointment not a reservation

Show quote history

It is and it isn’t…. If you edit your shop within the last 3/4 days, it updates your shop based on their current stock levels. So if your shopping is due Friday and it includes Tiramisu but you edit your shopping on Wednesday but Tiramisu is out of stock at that moment, then Tiramisu will be removed from your shopping. So unless you keep checking to see if Tiramisu comes back into stock so you can re-add it, before the cut off on Thursday night, then you won’t get Tiramisu, even if it comes back into stock on Friday morning.

Hope that makes sense 😵‍💫

LittleBearPad · 23/12/2024 16:38

AdviceAdvice123 · 23/12/2024 16:25

It’s not a preorder. You book a slot. The website has the facility to enter your order in advance but it is not put aside for you.

Yes, it’s crap, but that is the risk of online grocery ordering. Same as going to the supermarket, sometimes they’ll have underestimated how much of something they need, just that in the supermarket you can make a plan b as you go around!

Generally, I’d recommend finalising your order as late as possible. I always do my Tesco ones the night before, so the stock count is as up to date as it can be. I very rarely have anything missing or substituted (big order arrived yesterday with every item).

That’s not how Ocado works.

CasperGutman · 23/12/2024 16:38

YANBU to be annoyed, especially if you'd ordered several different kinds to (try to) ensure you at least got something. I usually find Ocado much better than other supermarkets, presumably because they can control stock levels as they don't have random members of the public popping in and buying unexpected quantities of the things they need to fulfil online orders. They clearly try to control stock levels, as I wasn't able to add more of some items in my own Christmas order, including items that did turn up. I think myself lucky that only three of our things were substituted, and they were all acceptable subs (e.g., M&S cauliflower instead of an Ocado one).

MereDintofPandiculation · 23/12/2024 16:37

Ocado market themselves on their stock reliability / computer systems. It's one of the main reasons for picking them over delivery from a traditional supermaket. My Morrisons pre-Christmas order arrived with no substitutions or missing items. As did last week’s order.

VegTrug · 23/12/2024 16:35

@ImRonBurgandyNoted, thanks good luck. 🙏

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:34

snowyglobe · 23/12/2024 16:18

Surely an online shop is not a ‘pre-order’. It’s an appointment for someone to pick your shopping from what they have on the day. You’ve not reserved the items.

Yeah I don't know why people think it's some sort of guarantee that they'll get what they ask for. It's A appointment not a reservation

AdviceAdvice123 · 23/12/2024 16:25

It’s not a preorder. You book a slot. The website has the facility to enter your order in advance but it is not put aside for you.

Yes, it’s crap, but that is the risk of online grocery ordering. Same as going to the supermarket, sometimes they’ll have underestimated how much of something they need, just that in the supermarket you can make a plan b as you go around!

Generally, I’d recommend finalising your order as late as possible. I always do my Tesco ones the night before, so the stock count is as up to date as it can be. I very rarely have anything missing or substituted (big order arrived yesterday with every item).

Roselilly36 · 23/12/2024 16:23

Ocado have had technical issues according to Daily Mail Online.

Fireishot · 23/12/2024 16:21

QuestionableMouse · 23/12/2024 15:32

Just buy some sausage and take the skins off. Stuff sells out, it's not the end of the world.

How empathic

ImRonBurgandy · 23/12/2024 16:20

Oh and I only have smoked salmon subbed for another type of smoked salmon so all good.

ImRonBurgandy · 23/12/2024 16:19

VegTrug · 23/12/2024 16:10

Oh god. I’ve a £205 order coming tomorrow and I’m panicking now. May I ask how soon before arrival, you were notified of the missing items please? 🙏

My slot is today 5-6 (and we're the next stop now) and I got my receipt at 3pm. So much later than normal.

NoWordForFluffy · 23/12/2024 16:19

snowyglobe · 23/12/2024 16:18

Surely an online shop is not a ‘pre-order’. It’s an appointment for someone to pick your shopping from what they have on the day. You’ve not reserved the items.

Ocado works differently as it's a warehouse. In theory, they shouldn't over-sell.

Calamitousness · 23/12/2024 16:18

Mines arriving tomorrow morning. I’m dreading what is not going to arrive or be substituted. I’ll end up in MandS first thing I bet.

snowyglobe · 23/12/2024 16:18

Surely an online shop is not a ‘pre-order’. It’s an appointment for someone to pick your shopping from what they have on the day. You’ve not reserved the items.

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:17

NoWordForFluffy · 23/12/2024 16:15

I feel compelled to keep vegetable spring rolls from Sainsbury's, subbed for salt and pepper chicken ones, as they're the 3 of the 2 for 3, and it's either keep them, or get no refund, as they're the 'free' ones. First world problem, but annoying all the same!

Show quote history

They're really nice spring rolls tbf

TotallyTwisted · 23/12/2024 16:17

Tricho · 23/12/2024 15:35

As opposed to the OP who did what?

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Pressed a few buttons. Not the same.

NoWordForFluffy · 23/12/2024 16:15

GCAcademic · 23/12/2024 15:33

The one that annoys me (and it happens every year) is the 4 for 3 party food offer. Every single time, one of the four items isn't available (and nor, apparently is any substitute), so you pay full price for the other three items. Something which no one would choose to do, because they're overpriced.

I feel compelled to keep vegetable spring rolls from Sainsbury's, subbed for salt and pepper chicken ones, as they're the 3 of the 2 for 3, and it's either keep them, or get no refund, as they're the 'free' ones. First world problem, but annoying all the same!

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:11

theeyeofdoe · 23/12/2024 16:08

Mine came this morning, only missing thing was the cucumbers!

Ah no one needs those so you're alright

theotherplace · 23/12/2024 16:11

My Tesco order was missing LOADS.

VegTrug · 23/12/2024 16:10

Oh god. I’ve a £205 order coming tomorrow and I’m panicking now. May I ask how soon before arrival, you were notified of the missing items please? 🙏

cuteyfluff · 23/12/2024 16:10

Because everyone is doing the same and ordering 6 packets of fresh sausage meat stuffing of 2 or 3 different kinds in the hopes they get something so a lot of people now have 6 packets when they only wanted 2

theeyeofdoe · 23/12/2024 16:08

Mine came this morning, only missing thing was the cucumbers!

MissAnthr0pe · 23/12/2024 16:07

I had an ocado christmas delivery today and this was the first time in maybe 10 years that I had no missing items. And the driver was early! I feel your pain, OP - I've had similar with them over the years.