New to online grocery shopping - advice needed!

[Penn2021]

I’ve never needed to do online grocery shopping before (tiny family, near a large store, love seeing the goods!). I buy most of everything else on line. I suddenly find myself needing to shop online as I need to give a family member end of life care and won’t be able to leave the house and go to the stores.
Can I ask for some advice please? Which stores are most “reliable”? Stores reasonably near to here are Tesco, JS, Morrison’s (can get discount with them), Waitrose. I can’t seem to find any slots for the next 3 weeks in any stores locally. Is there a particular time they release new slots that I should be lurking for?
Any general tips or advice on things I should be doing or not doing.
Many thanks!

Are any of them accepting new Delivery Pass members? If Morrisons is, sign up for the cheaper "Tues to Thurs" pass. You will easily get a slot for the next week. If you need to be sure of a delivery, the way to do it is book your slot by placing an order of £40 worth of shopping - you have up until the day before delivery to edit your shopping trolley and check out again. Book yourself 3 delivery slots, one per week, this way - if you go for a fairly regular day and time you won't forget to edit and check out. They send you an SMS to remind you the day before, anyway.

I can’t seem to see delivery slots for Morrison’s for more than a week ahead. Is this normal?

Do you have Amazon Prime? In some areas they have an app called amazon prime now. Mostly Morrisons things. Delivers the next day.

As above book a few weeks slots in advance.
We suddenly had to start online grocery shopping and it was a bit of nightmare to start. But now we have Tesco Monday and Morrisons Friday ( I don't have fridge/freezer storage space for less) and we just book the following week the day we receive the order. Add stuff in. Check out and amend the night before

Do you have an Iceland near you? Their stock can be more limited than a supermarket but will be more than able to tide you over. I've never waited more than a day or two for delivery

I’ve been a Tesco customer for over 10 years, with no problems. I don’t know if they are taking on new customers though.

Other things to think of - Iceland do deliveries in some areas, they are often overlooked for online deliveries, so might be worth checking to see if they serve your area.

Some catering suppliers have started doing domestic deliveries. My PiL are well chuffed with Wellocks, and friends have been using Delifrsh.

Bother do deliveries of non perishable stuff, a bit like Amazon Groceries.

Morrison’s and M&S will deliver standard boxes of groceries which you can’t choose, but the boxes are called stuff like “Meat eating family of 4”.

Lots and lots of independent shops locally to me are doing deliveries, especially greengrocers.

Waitrose soon to release their site at midnight. I discovered by chance a few weeks ago that they seem to be released at midnight, but their website then crashes for at least half an hour then half the slots are gone already by the time I manage to get it working again! If you get up early in the morning though you might still see some.
If you just need a few things, Deliveroo do groceries here. Also, Waitrose have Waitrose rapid in some areas where you can get sane day delivery for a small shop and Sainsbury's also have a chop chop app for sane day too.

Can you do a Click and Collect and ask someone to pick it up for you?

We Are Bother. Might be helpful for non perishables.

Wellocks this is what my PiL have been using.

Delifresh. this is what some friends have been using

That is normal for Morrisons op.

They realise times a week ahead at around midnight each night.

I have Tesco for several years now & have found them really good

Ocado was good when paired with Waitrose, but I'm not too keen now when paired with M&S & they weren't great in the first lockdown.

It probably depends who you can get a pass with tbh the passes make getting a slot so much easier.

Good luck

Sorry to hear about your relative x

Can recommend Waitrose rapid too. Awful website , but a good reliable service if you're stuck.

I think Morrisons boxes are next day deliveries, if a bit pot luck.

@LIZS Morrisons boxes can do next day , but also 3-4 days ahead depending on availability.

Their lean meat box is good for filling your freezer.

Your relative should be able to get a weekly priority slot (I'm assuming they are living with you) from Tesco. They have been brilliant for my DM but the priority slots are usually am or pm, you don't get a choice of time, and often late at night (up to 10pm) or first thing in the morning (8am). The other supermarkets had similar schemes but I don't know how good they are or if they have continued them.

Morrisons also have an "emergency" next day doorstep delivery service by phone for people who are self isolating, elderly or vulnerable so cannot go to a store. If you can't get a slot, you can always use that:

my.morrisons.com/doorstep-deliveries/

It's definitely worth checking out what is available on Deliveroo in your area. If you have a subscription, delivery is free (usually a £10-20 minimum order). We have Aldi, Waitrose, Co op, Morrisons, Whole Foods Market and lots of local independent shops. It's great for top up shops or if you want something obscure from a specialist deli or local cheese shop.

As a PP said, Iceland have good availability of next day slots and the Morrisons boxes are useful if you can't get a slot. I don't think Aldi and M&S are doing them any more.

If you can get out for a short time to Sainsburys or get someone else to pick up the Click and Collect is easier to get a slot for and reliable - pickup is outdoors, they bring the crates to your car, you get out and unload into the car, they take the crates away again. The only shared touch point is the crates and you can take a wipe and hand gel.

I wish we had Deliveroo in our area reading that!

Thanks everyone! There’s lots of things for me to try there, I’ll spend the evening getting set up on a few of them and as I am up at silly times, will keep checking for new slots. It’s not urgent yet luckily, as mum isn’t being let out of the hospital yet (if at all 😢) which is a whole bigger issue in itself. I can’t even go and visit her. My mind is racing and I’m trying to get organised in advance.

Sainsburys are releasing slots a week ahead (so tomorrow morning for next Weds), I find it helpful because they email you to let you know what wasn’t available/substituted so you can think in advance if you want to reject it or not.

I phoned Sainsbury's at the start of the first lockdown, explained I'm getting on for 70, husband disabled and mid 70s. I got a priority spot, at the time it was the only way for new people to get a slot, don't know if it has changed. I bought a delivery pass £30 for a year of Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday delivery dates. I've had a delivery every week now for 10 months, the delivery guys are lovely always have a chat which is nice as most weeks the only people I see to talk to face to face are them or postman. I've had substitutions a few times, never had to reject anything as the substitutions have been fine e.g. 2 x 30ml carton of cream instead of 1x 60 ml carton, medium sliced load instead of thick sliced. If the substitution is dearer they charge you for it but then give you a credit. They've never been late, once they were an hour early but phoned and said it wasn't a problem if it wasn't convenient as it was nearly lunchtime and they'd just eat their lunch, I said it was fine to come anytime.

Don't know if all Sainsbury's branches are the same but I can't praise ours enough and I have emailed the CEO to tell him.

We use Tesco and I've found their customer service good, and their drivers are generally lovely. They've been the only people I've spoken to apart from my OH sometimes. I find their app ok to use, and they do have a choice of type of slots eg longer slots cost less and tend to be more available. Good luck OP, and to your mum too

Can recommend Waitrose rapid too.

I forgot the 1-2 hour delivery services like Waitrose Rapid, Ocado Zoom and Sainsburys Chop Chop, Amazon Fresh. They aren't available everywhere though. Uber Eats also has groceries (Sainsburys) but not as many options or independents as Deliveroo.

Sorry about your DM

My local co op are doing same day click & collect now so that might be worth looking at if you have one close by.

Sainsburys Click & Collect works really well and generally has more availability of slots than for delivery. For the last few months I've been having deliveries from them which has been pretty reliable with very few substitutions or 'out of stock'. I bought a delivery pass which easily pays for itself and gives access to slots over the next two weeks. I imagine when things get back to some kind of normal they will start releasing a few more weeks ahead.

I did use Waitrose in the past but haven't been able to get slot with them since June !