To expect online food shops to arrive within allocated time?

I think you need a sit down and a cup of tea. You’re clearly very triggered by this very benign thread and attacking random pps for having a different opinion to you. 😵‍💫

YANBU. The slots are an hour long, they should be able to get to you within those slotts.

To be fair to Ocado, when their driver was early he rang ahead to check I could receive the delivery and I agreed as I was in anyway. And I think they've only been late once. So not a bad track record.

I find people like the PP, who think everyone (especially women) has to take on the cares of the world and apologise for the temerity of expecting people to do what they said they would do; unbelievably tiresome.

I have the opposite experience with Sainsbury's. Very first delivery was late, driver did call as was due to take her break and was 20 mins late outside my 1 hour slot.
They have never been on time since and she was the only one who ever called.

What is it that you think I was saying was privileged? Because it sounds like you think I was saying having your shopping delivered is a privilege and that’s not what I said at all.

We had an Asda delivery due between 8.30 and 9.30 on Sunday evening and had a text saying it would be delayed. By 11pm we knew it wasn’t coming but had no further comms. DP rang on Monday morning and it came about 10am then. So over 12h late. We actually don’t have a car so do two big online shops a month then top up shops - usually it’s fine, sometimes it’s a bit late or a bit early, which is also fine, but this was taking the absolute piss!

I don’t think it’s about privilege. The supermarkets offer a service which we choose to buy into and pay for, and staff are paid to deliver (ha).

Sainsbury’s are middle of the road as far as driver pay goes. More than some, less than others. I’ll ignore the bit about the quality of staff because it’s bloody offensive. I have no idea how many vehicles they have for each particular area but it’s a completely irrelevant point because it’s not what the OP’s post is about.

You’ve found a company who delivers your shopping on time? Great! Good for you. For whatever reason, the company that the OP was referring to obviously does things slightly differently to your local branch of Sainsburys. Whether that’s less vehicles or more customers in a shorter time frame, I obviously don’t know. But the drivers are clearly facing challenges in her area that the drivers in your local Sainsbury’s aren’t facing.

And (like a pp) I said that in my experience Sainsbury's manage to avoid this (in a local area that definitely has its fair share of traffic, new build estates etc etc).
If they can achieve it when other companies can't, either
a) they are a magic supermarket that isn't affected by the above
b) they put more vehicles on the road and build more slack into the drivers' schedules than the others (and possibly pay better to encourage staff retention/quality)

I've used sainburys for years. I choose 1hr slots and they are on time 99% of the time and if they they want to come earlier, they always called to check. The one time they didn't call, I happened to be hosting a meeting and couldn't just leave, but otherwise its always fine.

yanbu. I once turned the delivery driver away because he was half an hour early and made him wait. I had booked a delivery for my lunch break and was in a meeting when he arrived early. Just because I am at home doesn’t mean it’s a good time to take a delivery. You contract with them for a specified spot for a reason.

Having worked in multi drop haulage deliveries for the last 20 years there are so many factors to what can make a driver early or late. You can never route a vehicle and be completely precise. On my Tesco home delivery in the comments box I have "can sometimes take delivery earlier, please call ahead if required". Strangely enough they do ring ahead if early and ask politely if OK to do so. I do also not book my slot too close in time to other commitments. If I need to be on the school run from 3pm I don't book anything for after 2pm for example.

People who have comprehension issues … 🍿

I explained why in my initial post. First paragraph. I assume you understand that it won’t be the team from Head Office who came up with the delivery slots who will be battling traffic, out of date sat nav’s, new estates and awful customers to get your shopping to you without being too late or too early.

I’d also hope you’d be aware that if you complain to a supermarket that you’ve paid your £3 but your shopping hasn’t arrived within the promised hour it is, in fact, the driver who will be dealing with the consequences of that.

Asda are marvellous. Their delivery drivers are so lovely and chatty. I think they often arrive 15 mins before or after. I’ve had the odd one call
and ask to come early.

I've been using Tesco home delivery for at least 6 years. My delivery has been late once in that time and I was advised by phone.
It's also only been early twice and the driver phoned to ask if that was OK. So no issues here.

People who think it's a privilege to get online shopping... 🍿

No, I don’t feel like on line shopping is a privilege. I think sitting on your sofa whining about your shopping being picked, packed and delivered for you earlier or later than you were expecting, without any comprehension of what the drivers are having to work around, and for a bit of shrapnel, is a privilege.

I’m not one of those who can or does anymore. But no, I don’t think it’s the same thing at all. But if I did turn up at a supermarket to find it wasn’t open until an hour later than normal, I’d assume that they’d have a bloody good reason for that because supermarkets won’t lose an hour of shopping time unless there is absolutely no other choice.

I think I’ve only had this twice with Sainsbury’s and both were due to van break downs. Absolutely nothing to be done there obviously. If the driver is in the area early they will call me and if I can be home early I will so they can get on with their day.

Why are you making this about the driver?

If the supermarket got my custom by promising x service at y price but then often can't deliver on this promise then it is reasonable to be dissatisfied.

I might a) complain to them b) try a different retailer to see if they can do it. I wouldn't blame the driver (not least because I would assume it was a scheduling/logistics/resourcing issue)

I just assumed you felt very, very strongly about it 😂

It’s not an over reaction at all. You have no idea of how difficult their job can be and how much of it is completely out of their control. And you’re moaning because your £3 hasn’t brought you the sufficient amount of convenience you require? 😂 You’ve already had someone pick and pack your shopping for you so you don’t have to do it yourself, and now you’re getting arsey with some poor sod because they've had a day of traffic jams, new estates and dickhead customers and your shopping is a bit late?

We only use Tesco from time to time and always found they arrive within the allotted time slot. Occasionally they have rung and said they were early or running late which is ok because they’ve warned me.
I have a lot of time for them as it’s a stressful job with lots of unknowns for them with traffic and weather ( in winter)

Wasn’t there another thread whereby someone’s ‘next day’ delivery hadn’t arrived next day, and the majority of people agreed that if she paid for this service, then that’s what should have been delivered. Surely this is a similar principle.

Obviously accidents etc can cause delays, but a simple telephone call can explain the situation to the recipient, and then they can choose to wait, or have the order re-scheduled.

My last one came about 30 mins early. I'd just walked through the door and taken my shoes off when it arrived!

I did ask the driver what slot I'd booked as I thought I'd made a mistake. He said no he was early but he was rushing through his deliveries as the next area he was going to has a fantastic chippy. He was craving food from there and wanted to get there before it closed. Can't really complain about that can I? 😂

Sainsbury's are good round here and have rarely been late (so clearly it is possible), and when they have been they send a message. If they're early they usually ring and ask if they can come. The only one that annoyed me was the one that came early and then got pissy when I said I wasn't in.