I’m an online shopper AMA

[Soubriquet]

I do the online picking for a major supermarket

AMA

I tend to go to bed for around 5.30pm ready to be awake for 12.30am.

Sometimes I don’t sleep very well so I manage to catch up in the daytime but usually I’m not too bad

Do you believe the urban legend about the woman whose tampons were subbed with kebab skewers

No..

If the handset was to ever even give that as a suggestion (which it wouldn’t), I would hope common sense would kick in. really really hope for some people

I used to add a note (more so during the first lockdown) such as "Thank you for picking my shopping, I appreciate it"

Do they think Im a bit weird and could my kind note be why I once got 2 mangoes, instead of 1

I like to think it was, but it was probably a coincedence

I speculated yesterday that I didn't get my artichokes because the shopper thought ' what the fuck are those?' and ignored it. They are always on the shelf when I shop so why would they not be in my order?

We don’t get notes on our handsets though it’s a lovely gesture

And RE things being there when you’re there but not picked.

If the shelf stackers are running behind, it could mean that the item isn’t on the shelf by the time shoppers get to it. I usually give them one chance to get to it out and I’ll send it back, but the second time, I haven’t got time to wait for them to get to it and it would be subbed.

By the time the stackers go home, it’s either out on the shelf, or the day stackers start to get to it

So it could simply be that it wasn’t there by the time the shopper got to it, but it is there by the time you get to it

You've reassured me that it's not because the picker thinks 'that's poncy I'm not putting that in'

Stay safe op. Keep up the good work.

Have you had any big orders especially with covid ? Is there a limit?

Sorry, I should have said I added the note to an item in the bit where you are supposed to put "small bananas" "long date please" etc,
Do you see those?

That’s harder to say as it isn’t one shopper per customer

The shop is actually spread over several shoppers.

Orders have definitely increased.

We have tripled and more our number of items picked a day, and I know we have increased the number of customers, but I couldn’t say if certain customers have bigger orders

@Funksoul

Sorry, I should have said I added the note to an item in the bit where you are supposed to put "small bananas" "long date please" etc, Do you see those?

Nope!

We literally get the item and what tote it’s to be put in and that’s it

I am interested in this job!! I'm quite a methodical person and like practical work.

I worked in Tesco from 2003 - 2009 and I remember there were online pickers then but it was in it's infancy.

Can I ask -

What times are the shifts?? Nightshifts would suit me, finishing at say 7/8am, or anything after 5pm start.

Does it go against you if you don't drive?? I was thinking for those hours?? Maybe I'd have to find a local supermarket.

I don't have references and haven't worked in a long time but I need to go back soon. Hoping it won't go against me too much.

How much heavy lifting is involved?? I can't do much heavy lifting, say more than 15kg regularly throughout the day (I could do it a few times a day iyswim), I am otherwise fit though.

Sorry, meant to say thanks for this AMA

Why is the shop spread over several shoppers? Do you each have specific departments/aisle?

I am on a break so quick answers

I work 2am till 8/9am though it’s changing back to 4-8am. (For various reasons). Some places do shop all day so it varies from place to place

Driving doesn’t affect you as long as you can get in. I don’t drive either

This is my first job in 8 years so I think you should be ok

Not much heavy lifting apart from maybe bags of dog food but these are rare. More heavy pushing than anything else

I don’t know why it’s various shoppers to one customer. Just how the computer works. And no we go all over the store

When you see an obvious mistake in quantity or weight do you make a logical correction or go with it? I only ask as I once accidentally ordered 4kg of broccoli instead of 400g and received it... several shopping bags full (in the days of bags). it must make you smile when you see things like that.

IPH query. So we can help increase IPH rate, what are the best things to get in our shop? You have mentioned chilled, so a curry ready meal, sausages, cheese, yoghurt etc. Are tins and packets also good for IPH?
What is an item? If someone ordered 3 tins of baked beans is that 3 items, or one? If someone ordered a 4 pack of baked beans, is that one item, or 4? So is it down to how something is packaged?

Obvious weight issues we can’t do anything about. I feel silly picking things like a single sprout but there we go.

To help speed up IPH it’s easier to pick packaged fruit and veg instead of loose but if you want loose it’s easier to pick a number of items instead of a weight

So 4 carrots instead of 100grams

3 single tins of beans would be 3 items but a pack of 4 would be 1 item

Any other questions or are we all up to speed?

Your job sounds fab! Do you ever feel like you’d be amazing at Supermarket Sweep?

Ooo good question

I probably would be yes!

Yes to the who the hell buys the expensive honey?!?
I did this briefly in the run up to Christmas and even in 6 weeks some of the stories and weird purchases still make me laugh. I used to chunter walking round to myself.

My nephew does this job at a different supermarket to you. He does get the notes customers write, green bananas, long date please etc etc. He likes getting the little thank you messages find people leave!

Ah! That’s interesting

I wish they would do it for us