Anyone fed up with Ocado?

[pigglypug]

Ocado cancelled my smart pass because of a failed payment - fair enough, my fault, but I wasn't warned it would actually be cancelled.

They're now offering to renew it at twice the monthly price, and it's taken me two phone calls to even get any progress on the issue - still with no guarantee I'll get it back.

I know this is very much a first world problem but I really feel that Ocado has gone downhill in terms of customer service. I've been feeling for a while as if they reward new customers to entice them but they're not bothered about retaining existing customers.

I've been considering moving to another delivery for a while - does anyone have any recommendations? What is Waitrose like? I like the wide choice of products on Ocado, the reliable delivery and lack of substitutions. I'm no longer enjoying their customer service.

I agree I don’t like Ocado anymore either! I think they’ll be transitioning to using M&S foods over Waitrose soon, so that was another thing to put me off. I use Waitrose delivery and Abel & Cole. I find with Waitrose that sometimes they don’t have online some of the things I like from in store, but it is pretty good.

I used to think they offered good value, but not any more. I have a midweek pass, but I won't renew it when it comes up. Too many problems with deliveries coming late, damaged items, no sensible substitutions for everyday items...

I gave up on Ocado about 18 months ago and went back to instore shopping but have recently increased my work hours so I'm thinking of giving a different one a try. My neighbour has Sainsburys and it seems to take ages for them to unload (the van often blocks our drive just as I want to leave for work ) - I assume this is because they have gone bagless? I was thinking of trying Waitrose out but having to unpack any of them as they wait is putting me off a bit (our kitchen is at the back of the house so it all has to be carried right through).

No issue with Ocado. Not sure how it’s going to work for me when they switch to M&S but I’ll give it a try.

I’m fine with Ocado for now, but am another one that will probably switch to something else when they go to M&S food. Not Tesco, who are ALWAYS late delivering here, partly because they are guaranteed to get lost (we are in suburbia, not the back of nowhere), Sainsbury’s gets the order wrong and has twice refused to reimburse for missing items. Waitrose, perhaps?

When I've used a bagless one (Waitrose in my case) I lined up my bags for life in the hall and we unloaded from the crates into the bags. It didn't take long at all.

I only really use Ocado now when they send me a voucher. Delivery is usually free.

Ocado deliveries seem to be smashed and crushed and soaking wet recently. Always used to be good.

Sainsburys I can’t order from them as they are bag less. I had all my bags lined up ready, but the delivery man said I was taking ages. I order a big shop from them, so tins and dry cupboard stuff. Each crate was full of several items. He stood there telling me I was being too slow and also swearing, so I’m not using them.

Used them for about 8 years without issue until recently. Very little help from CS and ended up emailing the CEO with my complaint which did finally elicit an apology.
Going into the New Year though I suspect that I'm done with them. Partly due to how they handled this issue and partly due to the M&S tie in.

I really like Ocado and hardly ever have missing items or substitutions and in about 15 years of deliveries have had maybe one late delivery. It will be interesting to see what happens when they change from Waitrose to MandS products. Mostly I buy Ocado own brand which I find is consistently high quality.

I think Ocado has gone down hill. For the first time ever I had Christmas substitutes and items missing. They substituted our Christmas pork pies with beef and chicken pies, not the same fucking think at all.

These are items I checked out weeks before Christmas and that's the whole selling point of ocado, it's picked from a warehouse, not just what's on the shop floor.

Had more substitutions in previous weeks as well, much more than usual.

I'm just not sure about the alternatives. Might wait and see what happens when M&S food starts.

I agree, I was already planning to change when they move to m&s but I may do so sooner now. I didn't know about Waitrose and Sainsbury's being bagless but that appeals actually - even with the recycling system I find the use of bags with ocado a bit OTT. I can't fault the drivers though and almost always find them polite and helpful. I've had a few squashed products but have always had them refunded without question. I think my issue really is with customer service. I've read about people here receiving free 'shops' from ocado when they've joined up, but as an existing and long-term customer I never get any of these freebies (all I ever get is the 'free' ocado life magazine).

I wonder if Ocado service has taken a hit from losing that warehouse to fire. It must have been hard to maintain service with such a big loss. Good idea about bags for life filled in the hall, I could try that with Waitrose.

Ocado has been consistently great for the past 10 years I've been using them. Hardly ever any substitutions, deliveries on time. Also there are always long "use by" dates on food.
I mostly buy Ocado brand stuff so am hoping things won't be very different when they switch from Waitrose to M&S

Did they not send you emails? The last time I had an Ocado pass, they sent you three emails if they couldn't take payment before they cancelled. If you literally had one failed payment, no contact and then it was cancelled, you could appeal to their better nature because of that... It happened to me once when I had to cancel my card and forgot to update it.

as an existing and long-term customer I never get any of these freebies

No, because you are a long-term customer. They already have you. Since cancelling my smart pass i regularly get 15% off vouchers. I use them to order pet food.

I’ve stopped using Ocado. I found the increase in charge for existing customers to renew SmartPass was too high & decided if they don’t value me enough to give me a low rate they can go without my business. I get free deliveries from Waitrose if I do my normal shop (family) so use them instead now.

I completely agree @LizziesTwin. That's exactly what I've been thinking.

To the PP who asked about emails, I think you're probably right that they did. I get so many emails from ocado that it may have got lost. I still think trying to make me pay twice as much is cheeky and no way worth my while. I might try Waitrose instead.

What do people think of Morrisons? I've seen good things on here before...

Have used Ocado for many years. I am fed up with them for numerous reasons mainly service related and slowly moving to Waitrose and love it. Substitutions are matched regardless of price ('not charged more), no cap on promotional items as ocado does and my shopping does arrive in bags or at least it did mid December. I also can't see myself doing a whole shop from M&S once the switch happens. Only thing keeping me with Ocado are their Swedish, French and Italian shops! Can't seem to get most of the items at a good price anywhere else.

Tried Sainsbury's, total nightmare and often rotten meat and extremely badly packaged groceries. Also, always late and always need to additional directions.

Use Amazon Fresh as well, because they now deliver Wholefoods, Booths and items from local markets, fishmongers, are accurate, deliver in paper bags (although amazon is always OTT with packaging) and so far cannot fault them.

Morrison’s is really good. It’s ocado who deliver but you get Morrison’s stuff. Ocado bags and drivers.

Only thing is delivery charges are higher than I like.

Thanks @DobbyTheHouseElk - what do you think of the quality of products compared to ocado? I think we spend more on ocado as we get tempted by all the extras and fancy things, when the actual products we buy aren't too expensive.

I rotate online shops purely to get the 'please come back' deals.

Some really good things at Morrison’s. I don’t use the real supermarket, but online it’s good.

Veg is always ok. It comes from the same warehouse I think. I don’t notice much difference really.

Going against the grain a little, but I find Ocado great. I don’t have a pass and tend to use late evening slots (usually free). I rarely have substitutes or missing items and damage is very rare. My Christmas delivery was complete / no subs and arrived bang on schedule. I can’t fault them.

The switch to M&S will be interesting and may change my view though. I’m open minded but I don’t want to pay M&S prices for my bog rolls so I may end up switching.

Agree Ocado do not value existing customers, in fact I've just sent them an email asking why I had substitutions in my Xmas shop that was ordered weeks ago and also telling them how little they value long standing customers.

I've been with them for 15 years and each year I ask why my smart pass renewal is £99 when I see offers to new customers for much less. They can never answer despite me pushing them on the need to look after existing customers. This year I decided to not renew my smart pass and within days had an offer of a smartpass at £1.99 per month cancellable anytime after 6 months. Naturally I took it!

That said I have used Waitrose delivery a few times lately and found them quite good. They do not have as much on their website as in store but are fine for the basics. I will more than likely cease using Ocado completely once the stop stocking Waitrose products...not a fan of M&S.