Reasonable failure rate for online supermarket shop

[Fluffsmum]

What do you expect to be a reasonable failure rate for your online supermarket shop. As in not turning up, being cancelled, damaged broken stuff (e.g. not the food not being in stock).

There's obviously a back story to this, but I want to know if I'm expecting too much before I give more info.

Ocado tends to deliver everything ordered and very rarely is damaged.

Other supermarkets I’ve trued ( Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda) tend to either substitute lots or just not deliver in the first place. Their fruit can also be quite bruised and not what I would choose myself.

In an ideal world there should be no failures. I'd accept a failure in exceptional circumstances if it was resolved quickly and the customer service was good.

I don't know why they let you order things that aren't in stock. They should have a system like Argos where they know exactly what their stock levels are IMO.
Obviously not 100% foolproof if people are in store making purchases.

Shopping with Ocado this very very rarely happens (maybe 1 in 20 shops have a missing item or a broken egg). Ocado have been late for 3 of my shops over a period of about 3 years, so that's a rarity.

I've cancelled numerous shops with Asda because a third of what I ordered wasn't available on delivery day. They have also been very late on 3 out of the c.10 shops I've done with them. I avoid shopping with them as it's not reliable enough.

I’ve used about four different supermarkets - about 90% have been on time (and only then up to maybe half an hour late), never cancelled, 2-3 substitutions per order (usually sensible and often in my favour price wise) and very few damaged items - maybe a squashed loaf every 3/4 deliveries. Only once had to hand something back. Always polite and cheerful drivers too.

Asda have been terrible - always things missing/badly subbed, up to quarter of the shop. Given up on them entirely.
Tescos might have one or two items off in a £70 order.
Lately I've been going to Aldi instead. Wish they did an order service...

Ocado user. On time nearly always. Full delivery 99.5% of time. Unfortunately the last time we had a missing item it was the leg of lamb we were cooking that day for guests. 😯

I have been unimpressed with asda in the past who basically sent a totally different and much more expensive shop. Tesco tend to be good. On a £70ish shop a couple of items may be substituted but this is usually in my favour so a bigger chicken or punnet of strawberries for the cost of the smaller one I ordered. I have only ever had 1 shop turn up late from them in several years.

Ocado only very rarely substitute, and have only been late twice that I remember (once on a day with very heavy snow). Almost never damaged goods either. Can't be bothered trying anyone else.

We shop with Ocado.
Occasional missing item or substitute, can go a few months with out any.

Once a delivery didn’t arrive as van had broken down, once shopping got delivered to wrong address and within a space of month the delivery drivers tried twice more to deliver it there having not had that issue for the 5 years we had been living here.
On about three occasions our milk spilt into our shopping.

I'm a Tesco regular. There are occasional substitutions but generally they are extremely reliable.

my Ocado experiences are less good. They're late 50% of the time and generally something is squashed/damaged/missing.
I also tried Waitrose and they were worse.

Waitrose normally on time (unless I book the very early slot when they're always late for some reason ) sensible substitutions (apart from last week when someone substituted a bayonet cap light bulb for a screw cap one) and most tend to be in my favour price wise.
I'm always asked if I'm happy and anything I return is always refunded promptly, normally the next day. I'm often left with damaged items but refunded for them which is a win-win. And last week I was given some mince I'd ordered for free as it had a short date on it

I've shopped with quite a few over the years and would say there's probably only a 1% rate of lateness (and usually when there are extenuating circumstances, like it's the last order before Christmas. )
I've only ever once had a delivery not turn up and be rescheduled for the next day. Damaged stuff again pretty rare but occasionally happens with yoghurt pots or a bottle has leaked or a can has been punctured. Maybe once a year? I just call them and they refund straight away if that happens.

Ocado are more likely to be early rather than late for me. I live less than 10 mins drive from depot and a couple of drivers has said they come early due to my delivery time/their shift pattern.

I’ve used Tesco for a long time, who have about a 99% satisfaction rating for me on all counts. I changed from Ocado, who had something like 75%, usually substitutions, some out of stock and no alternative and most frequently items leaking or damaged in packing.

I had Asda once or twice but their service was utter chaos.

I've only used Asda and I've only had one issue with a delivery that was only half delivered. It was the day before Christmas Eve though. Been using them for about 3 years weekly now.
I've even been pretty lucky with the substitutions so far but I seem to be in the minority judging from the replies here.

I’ve been shopping online with Sainsbury’s for nearly four years now. In that time they’ve been late once (accident - mega apologetic) and cancelled once (big system failure). There are subs, but they’re very rarely excessive. Very rarely has there been anything damaged or missing, to the point I fail to recall specific examples. So in my experience, I would expect a very low failure rate.

Morrisons here and I have had weekly deliveries for nearly a year. and I have never had a delivery not arrive but I have had a few broken items.

With Tesco I had weekly deliveries for about 4 years and had 1 not turn up, 1 cancel before my slot and about 20 deliveries late (but with notice). I used to often have stuff missing or wrong, I don't get that with Morrisons as it is from a warehouse not a store.

I would expect though:
"As in not turning up" Only really rarely without notice (eg only for accident/medical emergency)

"being cancelled" maybe one in 50 deliveries with a phone call to let you know they wouldn't be coming due to roads/weather/breakdown etc

"damaged broken stuff" More often due to the number of items so something every few weeks but refunds should be quick.

Use Tesco weekly - never had a problem. On time, 99% of order arrives, subs are reasonable. I was worried about them going bagless as I have social anxiety and wasn’t keen on the idea of strangers coming in my house but it has been fine.

I use Sainsbury’s weekly and they are very good. Sensible substitutes, no problems is I don’t want items, and good quality fruit/veg/salad always picked.

Lovely delivery drivers too.
I would rate Sainsbury’s 99.9 %

Tesco substitutes at least 1-2 items in every single order. Not always sensible substitutions, eg they sub fresh fruit with dried fruit. In fact fruit in general tends not to be the quality you’d pick for yourself. I’ve also had alcohol turn up with security tags and they’ve had to take it away again.

Tesco is terrible for turning up right at the end of your delivery slot too!

God, the first and last time we ordered with Morrison’s we didn’t get lots of the things we ordered and lots of things we didn’t. Was very poor.

Tesco’s also have a poor substitute rate. Honey shampoo instead of honey, anyone?

Asda do my head in.

I had one recent shop where only one item from a £40 delivery turned up. It was a bottle of wine, and the delivery driver rather sheepishly turned up just holding the bottle of wine on my doorstep. I sent it back on principle - indeed, I'd only put the wine in the basket to get it over the £40 minimum!

I needed a bulk delivery of one specific item, spoke to the store and they ordered 64 packs in for me. I agreed I'd get it delivered to me over the following few days (putting max order of 24 packs in each time; I have a delivery pass). The fuckers delivered 33 packs and then started substituting with random shit I didn't want! I ordered them into store specially!!!

I use Tesco - occasional subs / unavailable items
Often early, very rarely late and if so I'm always informed

Tried Asda once - total failure to deliver and communication was dire