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Original poster

Ocado Christmas slots

145 replies

Darkchocolateandcoffee · 30/09/2021 04:00

So I get some sort of priority Christmas booking on Ocado and it started today. When I woke at 3am I thought brilliant, I'll get a Christmas Eve slot.

But no. The nearest Christmas I can get at 3am on the day that priority booking opens is Tuesday 21 December.

Is there another super super VIP Ocado list that was allowed to book their slots before me?

Or did everyone else set their alarms for one minute past midnight and hoover up the early slots?

OP posts:
LittleRen · 02/10/2021 10:39

I could only get the 21st this year, disappointed. Been with them since they started - £150 minimum each week. Load of crap.

Hazel444 · 02/10/2021 10:49

How are people getting Waitrose Christmas slots? I can’t see any dates past October..

TheOneWithTwoParties · 02/10/2021 10:58

@DietrichandDiMaggio

I have the Midweek pass and have booked a slot on Tuesday 22nd, but have been charged £9.99 for delivery - is the cost of delivery not covered by the Smart pass during Christmas week? If they are going to charge me a tenner for the privilege, on top of what I'm already paying, I'll get my delivery from Tesco where my delivery pass covers the cost.
In the email about booking Christmas slots there is a voucher code you can use to get the free delivery.

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Events & celebrations
DietrichandDiMaggio · 02/10/2021 11:26

In the email about booking Christmas slots there is a voucher code you can use to get the free delivery.

Thanks, but I have just checked and there isn't on mine.

Shellingbynight · 02/10/2021 11:54

"I found that with Waitrose some time back, but these days they’re just fine. And a MUCH nicer company to deal with than Ocado."

I'm guessing it depends on area. I had a Waitrose order on Thursday and there were three subs and three missing items, which isn't a disaster but a worse strike rate than Ocado.

The drivers from both companies are usually very pleasant.

Equimum · 02/10/2021 11:58

DH sat up until midnight and had pretty much free choice. They always go pretty quickly.

DiamondBright · 02/10/2021 17:43

Sainsbury's delivery (and click and collect) is awful for fresh fruit and veg (here anyway) and Waitrose doesn't deliver where I live.

Ocado has always been the best for reliability, in terms of very few substitutions which makes them my top choice for Christmas Eve but that's irrelevant if I can't get a slot, Morrison's did ok last year, I'm keeping my Ocado slot for 22nd just in case but will cancel if I can get a Morrison's one.

I've got some freezable Christmas essentials coming from Ocado next week but I think that'll be my last delivery from them.

SnowyMouse · 02/10/2021 18:12

I got a 22nd dec slot just after midnight last night, which is good.

Ellmau · 02/10/2021 21:39

Ocado has always been the best for reliability, in terms of very few substitutions which makes them my top choice for Christmas Eve but that's irrelevant if I can't get a slot

Most customers only order once a week, though, they can't give everyone a slot on Christmas Eve.

KilledByWitches · 02/10/2021 22:37

Th knack is to do your shopping and leave it in the basket, then at exactly midnight click on book a delivery and check out straight away.
I did that last night and could have had Christmas eve, but went for the 22nd to give me some breathing space

Original poster
Darkchocolateandcoffee · 03/10/2021 07:59

@KilledByWitches

Th knack is to do your shopping and leave it in the basket, then at exactly midnight click on book a delivery and check out straight away. I did that last night and could have had Christmas eve, but went for the 22nd to give me some breathing space
Now THIS is a clever idea!
OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 03/10/2021 08:06

Even quicker is to click on the instant shop button (there are several variants on this, I use the one that puts your last order into the basket as I tend to re-order a lot of the same stuff from week to week) and then edit it later.

A lot of people use the trick of adding six bottles of champagne or similar but of course every year some of them get caught out by then forgetting to go back and edit later! Grin

KilledByWitches · 03/10/2021 10:55

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Even quicker is to click on the instant shop button (there are several variants on this, I use the one that puts your last order into the basket as I tend to re-order a lot of the same stuff from week to week) and then edit it later.

A lot of people use the trick of adding six bottles of champagne or similar but of course every year some of them get caught out by then forgetting to go back and edit later! Grin

I find my instant shop varies wildly from my Christmas shop so prefer to add things manually. Also adding what I actually need whilst it's in stock as I've found in the past it disappears the closer you get.
FreeButtonBee · 03/10/2021 11:08

Thanks for the reminder to check for a free delivery voucher in the email. I booked on Wednesday but missed the voucher in my email. I e just gone back to add it on. Sorry to those who didn’t get it. I spend a fair bit on Ocado and have an anytime pass but not sure I am that much of a prized customer. But it does take the sting out of it for the Christmas delivery

gillybean2 · 03/10/2021 12:11

Waitrose slots say they open on 6th so how had anyone managed to book one already?

I cancelled my Ocado Xmas slot late last year in favour of Waitrose as I simply couldn’t order any Xmas food with Ocado. Waitrose party food had a cut off date for ordering so I was pretty certain all that would come regardless and it all did. I guess others did the same hence the change of t&c to charge for late cancelling. Although my opinion is still that was all completely preventable and had their order system allowed me to choose Xmas food etc in plenty of time I’d have maybe stuck with it. I need to have stuff ordered and/or already bought well before Xmas week do couldn’t keep waiting on swing and a prayer that it would eventually be available with days yo go…

Not got a free delivery voucher in my email and only got slots on 20th and 21st which I am not paying £9.99 for the ‘privilege’ of. Probably because I’m only a mid week smart pass (as I don’t need weekend slots). So looks like I’ll be going with Waitrose again this year. Am tempted to reserve an Ocado slot just in case but I already know I will almost certainly cancel it so what’s the point.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 03/10/2021 12:20

I didn't get a voucher, but that's probably because I have a midweek pass now, not an Anytime pass. I think the saving there outweighs having to pay for a delivery two days before Christmas. Certainly preferable to having to go a supermarket at that time, in my eyes! I don't have a car so would have to pay for a taxi anyway.

It's odd ordering everything I think I'll need for Christmas dinner at the start of October, but fingers crossed, it's done now. Even if only half turned up, to be honest, we'd be fine.

cultkid · 03/10/2021 12:21

I've booked one for the 23rd? I don't understand how it's been a struggle for some and not for others
I booked it at about 7.30 am on Friday

KilledByWitches · 03/10/2021 12:24

@gillybean2

Waitrose slots say they open on 6th so how had anyone managed to book one already?

I cancelled my Ocado Xmas slot late last year in favour of Waitrose as I simply couldn’t order any Xmas food with Ocado. Waitrose party food had a cut off date for ordering so I was pretty certain all that would come regardless and it all did. I guess others did the same hence the change of t&c to charge for late cancelling. Although my opinion is still that was all completely preventable and had their order system allowed me to choose Xmas food etc in plenty of time I’d have maybe stuck with it. I need to have stuff ordered and/or already bought well before Xmas week do couldn’t keep waiting on swing and a prayer that it would eventually be available with days yo go…

Not got a free delivery voucher in my email and only got slots on 20th and 21st which I am not paying £9.99 for the ‘privilege’ of. Probably because I’m only a mid week smart pass (as I don’t need weekend slots). So looks like I’ll be going with Waitrose again this year. Am tempted to reserve an Ocado slot just in case but I already know I will almost certainly cancel it so what’s the point.

I did too. Ocado had royally pissed me off and left me hanging for a slot, when I eventually got one it was the 20th. Booked with Waitrose for 23rd, but was unimpressed as a lot of the boxing day stuff arrived with a 25th date. Had to freeze loads of it and remember to defrost it Christmas day.

This year I've got the slot, but no free code either which I'm a bit Hmm about.

Shellingbynight · 03/10/2021 13:57

"Waitrose slots say they open on 6th so how had anyone managed to book one already?"

On Friday I went to book my next Waitrose order and there was also an option to book a Christmas slot (I had a look and there was a lot of availability). I was surprised as I thought they would email me when they were open.

BrownCurlsAmberEyes · 03/10/2021 14:05

I got an email telling me slots would open for me on the 30th. As luck would have it, I was awake for several hours in the night before, and thought I might as well check. I was able to book a slot for the 23rd. When I woke up and checked they'd all gone!

It's just been mad this year!

Jasmine11 · 03/10/2021 14:12

@KilledByWitches

Th knack is to do your shopping and leave it in the basket, then at exactly midnight click on book a delivery and check out straight away. I did that last night and could have had Christmas eve, but went for the 22nd to give me some breathing space
I don’t think you really need to do that - once you’ve clicked on the slot you want it’s held for you for an hours or so anyway. Good idea if you’ve stayed up until midnight though and you just want to go to bed :)
EastWestWhosBest · 03/10/2021 15:36

I only have slots up to the 22nd available but when I change to get it delivered to my mum’s address, 200 miles away I get the option of right up to the 24th!

Ellmau · 03/10/2021 16:36

Different delivery centres will have different staff and vans available.

Level75 · 03/10/2021 16:40

There's no ocado slots I can book but I've easily booked 2 waitrose ones for 20th and 24th.

EastWestWhosBest · 03/10/2021 18:02

@Level75

There's no ocado slots I can book but I've easily booked 2 waitrose ones for 20th and 24th.
I can’t see the Waitrose ones.