Appalling customer service from Sainsburys

[Frankie2008]

New poster and I need to vent...

Placed an online order with Sainsburys due for delivery this morning between 9-10am. Received usual email confirmation re missing items at 7am. Then received at text at 08.12am to say delivery had been cancelled and to all them.

Called them immediately and after usual long hold, I was advised the following:

• My account had been blocked by them.

• No, they WOULD NOT give me the reason why.

• I could appeal the blocking decision.

• They would review my appeal and respond within 72 hours.

• Yes, they had taken my money and would process a refund within 3-5 working days.

I tried getting a response via Facebook, but after providing all details they requested, I was told they could no longer respond to me via social media and to call a different number.

I called and was told exactly the same thing.

So, I have no shopping, they have over £300 of my money and I can't afford to replace the shopping.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I feel so angry that they can do this and I will now have to borrow money to buy shopping.

[ilydia]

Anybody able to shed any light on what Afibtomyboy is actually insinuating here? I'm confused as to what they're suggesting OP might have done wrong. Is it not allowed to share a delivery with a friend/neighbour/family member? Is there something inherently dodgy about buying 200 cigarettes at full duty-paid supermarket prices not allowed, even though the supermarket's website permits it?

I've had large shops cancelled by Sainsburys twice, and neither time did they even bother to inform me that my bank's anti-fraud system had stopped the payment. Both times I only found out when I called to ask why my orders hadn't turned up. It's really not on that they won't even tell you what the problem it, not to mention the fact that they have a big chunk of your money.

[Frankie2008]

Nikori - no I haven't appealed as that would infer I accepted I had done something wrong. I'm waiting for a response from the CEO and also customer services.

I can accept if it was an admin error - we all make mistakes, but at least they should tell me why?

[Nat6999]

Go to the Sainsbury's Facebook or twitter account & complain there, they hate negative publicity & do anything to sort complaints out.

[Frankie2008]

@Nat6999

Go to the Sainsbury's Facebook or twitter account & complain there, they hate negative publicity & do anything to sort complaints out.

I've already tried Facebook and got the brush off. My blood pressure is through the roof!

[TweetUsOnFacebook]

Have you checked with your bank op?If your account has suspicious activity it might have been blocked. However, if that's the case Sainsbury's could have called you to see if you had an alternative payment method and not been so weird about it. I hope you get to the bottom of it.

[Frankie2008]

@ilydia

Anybody able to shed any light on what Afibtomyboy is actually insinuating here? I'm confused as to what they're suggesting OP might have done wrong. Is it not allowed to share a delivery with a friend/neighbour/family member? Is there something inherently dodgy about buying 200 cigarettes at full duty-paid supermarket prices not allowed, even though the supermarket's website permits it?

I've had large shops cancelled by Sainsburys twice, and neither time did they even bother to inform me that my bank's anti-fraud system had stopped the payment. Both times I only found out when I called to ask why my orders hadn't turned up. It's really not on that they won't even tell you what the problem it, not to mention the fact that they have a big chunk of your money.

MNHQ have confirmed they have deleted the post by Afibtomyboy. Thank you MNHQ.

I did wonder if it was my bank's anti-fraud system had been triggered for some unknown reason, but they advised it wasn't and that Sainsbury's had already taken payment.

I will update if I ever receive a reason and apology from Sainsburys. However, I will not be shopping with them again.

I'm now off to shop at a different supermarket with my mask ready.

Thanks all.

[Molly499]

I bulk buy cigarettes from Sainsbury’s too, also regularly add to my order multiple times so none of this makes sense. I’d be furious so hope that you can get it sorted out.

[Molly499]

Try Ocado, they are so much better.

[HaggieMaggie]

Is there a max number of items you can buy online because of Covid, so like 40 items to prevent bulk buying? Didn’t some supermarkets have this in place during lockdown, maybe yesterdays news has reinstated this?

Just clutching at straws.

[BashfulClam]

It’s the cigarettes. If they think you are buying something with the intention to re-sell the system triggers a block. My DH worked for them temporarily.

[Sertchgi123]

That's disgusting behaviour by Sainsburys @Frankie2008

Please do let us know if you hear from them. I hope you do.

[Nikori]

@Frankie2008

Nikori - no I haven't appealed as that would infer I accepted I had done something wrong. I'm waiting for a response from the CEO and also customer services.

I can accept if it was an admin error - we all make mistakes, but at least they should tell me why?

I don't really see it that way. If you haven't done anything wrong, then you should appeal and they'll unblock you. That's probably just their process.It probably happens all the time for them.

[Someonesayroadtrip]

Tesco have a maximum number of items. 95 I think (which is annoying as a family of 6). I bet they have placed restrictions on number of items again and cancelled lathe orders as they reckon those will be panic buyers in light of new restrictions.

[pussycatinboots]

Maybe there was too much in volume to fit in one or even two of their home shopping trollies, especially if you've ordered a lot of water?
Possibly they couldn't actually get it all in the van with other peoples more modest orders?
It does sound more like a physical issue than a payment one as they told you what was out of stock at 7ish (so it had been "picked") and then cancelled after 8 (when they tried to squeeze it into the van)
🤷🏻‍♀️

[AwaAnBileYerHeid]

It will be the cigarettes. I used to work for tesco call centre dealing with home deliveries and if someone bought a large quantity of alcohol or cigarettes (not just 2 or 3 packets, I mean hundreds of pounds worth) then it was raised as a fraudulent transaction and cancelled. The reason being that fraudsters would regularly somehow obtain peoples credit card details and bulk order expensive items such as alcohol and cigarettes and then sell them on.

So I'm guessing that this is the reason why OP. Sainsbury's also won't be able to process your refund any quicker however when they day 2-3 working days to obtain the refund, it usually appears in your bank the next day.

[MotherPiglet]

Have you rung them and demand someone explains what's going on? As in refuse to get off the phone until a manager or such explains the reason or explains the reason why you cant be told the reason

[MyPantsAreGreen]

I was really excited reading this thinking that someone had been served at the same till as I was served at this morning in Sainsbury’s by a Corona Dementor sales cashier shouting at me to return my shopping to my basket as she won’t allow 2 customers at the conveyor. It put me in such a foul mood I’ve just fired an email to the CEO. Never officially complained in writing about anything ever before.

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

It’s the cigarettes. If they think you are buying something with the intention to re-sell the system triggers a block. My DH worked for them temporarily

Yeah I reckon it’s this. They’ve put new measures in place to stop bulk buying and selling on on eBay and the like (in anticipation of the new Covid measures jic) and their software hasn’t been tested properly and it can’t the difference between a totally normal amount of 200 cigarettes and, say, 200 loo rolls. Computer says no. The CEO and store won’t know why you were blocked and refunded yet until some works out their computer system is up the spout.

[Ginkypig]

Well I gave up smoking 8 days ago so obviously I won't be adding cigarettes for me anymore from now on! but I do a shop every week and like the op I get some things for my neighbour because she is elderly and it's been much easier for her for me to take her list and add it to mine (I get nothing like amount for my neighbour as the op does but still) I added a 100 pack of cigarettes (200 at Christmas) for me and one or two 30g pouches of tobacco for her every single week.

So before any food is added the basket sits at 70 pr 80!

So I don't really think they would have anything to do with it but there have been a few posts that have mentioned fraud prevention so it might be that.

[Roselilly36]

I would be really annoyed too OP. You haven’t done anything wrong, I always change our online delivery order many times prior to delivery. I hope you get an answer soon from Sainsbury’s. It must be really frustrating.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

@Devlesko

I've never done online shopping as I hear so many complaints, I'm so glad now.
Much quicker to go yourself.

It absolutely isn't. Even if I had a car, which I don't, I'd have to factor in time to get there, park, go round the store, queue up to pay, load up my car, return trolley, drive home, park, carry shopping into house.

Instead of which I click one button, the order is generated, I quickly review it, I pay, job done. Under ten minutes. I probably spend a few more minutes during the week adding things I forgot earlier or changing quantities. Then on the day the shopping is delivered to my door at a convenient time of my choosing.

That's with Ocado. 16 years and I am (mostly) a very satisfied customer.

[DGRossetti]

I'm still waiting for a reply to my message via FB back in April.

[Calabasa]

sainsbury fb are rubbish, their twitter people are usually really on the ball though.

[DGRossetti]

@Calabasa

sainsbury fb are rubbish, their twitter people are usually really on the ball though.

I used FB after they ignored my Twitter...

If I'd really wanted to be ignored, I would have emailed them in the first instance.

[TheChristmasPrincess]

I used to work as an administrator for a home delivery department. I think it’s due to one of two reasons:

1. A unusually large and bulky order. When they went to load it on the truck, there wasn’t enough room for yours or subsequent orders and so they’ve had to take it off the truck and decide whether it’s worth putting on a different vehicle or cancelling & refunding the order
   
   
2. it’s been flagged as a potential fraudulent activity and so they’ve cancelled the order for security reasons. This will happen with unusual activity (for example if you suddenly decide to buy expensive skiing equipment) or buying large quantities of luxury items (including alcohol or cigarettes). They might think the large number of cigarettes is suspicious (especially if you’ve also happened to buy loads of alcohol, for example)
   
   Either way, a good company would contact you to explain why you’re order had been cancelled and apologise for any inconvenience caused.