Please talk to me about online grocery shopping

[Feedingthebirds1]

I've always resisted it. We buy mostly fresh food and I like to choose my own meat, fish, veg and fruit, I look for the milk, cheese, eggs etc with the longest use by date, all the usual stuff.

Due to family circumstances it would make my life a lot easier if I did it online and had it delivered for a few weeks. I'd probably use Morrisons as they have some brands we particularly like that other supermarkets don't.

Please can I have your experiences of any of the supermarket delivery services, not just Morrisons?

I have tried them all during lockdown as we struggled to get slots. Morrisons was pretty poor a year ago - random substitutions, no way to indicate you didn't want substitutions online, no price matching for substitutions so I ended up paying £3.50 for milton wipes when I wanted bog standard antibac wipes for 99p. I hope they've improved. I use Sainsbury now and occasionally have issues but always ring customer services and get vouchers as reimbursement

I started online recently, since March last year. I couldn’t get delivery from Morrison’s or Sainsbury’s, they were too popular, tried Tesco twice but I didn’t like their range particular so my next option was Waitrose.
We do a lot of fresh food. I can’t complain about dates on salads, meat, fish, milk, yogurts etc. They are usually better then I can expect. I’m still reluctant to order all my fruits and vegs from them but it’s more about prices, I order bananas, carrot, courgettes, broccoli, mushrooms but not apples or berries. However when main shop is done online topping up is very easy and quick.
I would advise to check all packages on arrival. I’ve received a damaged package once, made a photo, send to customer service and received refund straight away. I would imagine it’s the same with any supermarket - better to check straight away.
I had better choice with morning- mid day orders, but it might depends on day of the week. I would avoid delivery on Sunday with Morrison’s. Their offers usually end on Sunday and products are always in low stock in the last sale day.
We did Iceland a couple of times for their frozen products. It’s fab! They usually have slots for the next day and their frozen fruits, vegs and fish are very good (can’t comment on meat as only bought it once but it’s fine) and they also have milk, yogurts, eggs at reasonable prices. Great for emergencies.

tbh I find it meh.
we only get a delivery if we really need. we find fresh veg and fruit very hit and miss.

much prefer a veg box and a delivery of bread and nutella essentials from the corner shop.

I don't use Morrisons now because they don't offer substitutions at the price of the item they are replacing. Say they sub a 39p product with a 75p product. They charge 75p instead of 39p which the other supermarkets don't!

I have used Waitrose for years and have never had any real problems. There are a few items that are hit and Miss at the moment such as cat food but that is across the board. Dates are always good and if they are short then I have been refunded if I complain to customer services.

Fruit and vegetables are great and the range of products is brilliant except Vegemite for some reason.

I favour Ocado out of them all, but they are on the expensive side. Generally best for dates.

Tesco and Asda are similar, Tesco not great for dates so I'm always careful how much fresh meat I buy

@Iamanicepersonreally

If you've got Amazon prime, you get free delivery on Morrisons groceries if you spend at least £40.

It's a limited selection of Morrisons groceries though and I'm not sure Amazon Fresh is available countrywide. They also have Booths and Wholefoods Market products, as well as standard brands.

You can also get free Deliveroo deliveries for orders over £25 if you have Amazon Prime or it's £6.99 (I think) for a monthly Deliveroo subscription for unlimited deliveries. I use Deliveroo for top up shops in between my Ocado deliveries or to stock up on things I want from a specific supermarket or independent shop. There is a limited selection compared to the shops though and the supermarkets available depends where you live. We have Waitrose, Aldi, Wholefoods Market, Farmdrop, Co op, Sainsburys and lots of independent delis here. Morrisons is also on Deliveroo in some places. It's great to be able to get things within the hour.

Go for it, @Feedingthebirds1! It will make your life so much easier. I also spend less as there are no impulse buys... My DM is in her eighties and is a convert to online grocery shopping since lockdown. She loves it.

I have switched from Ocado (the pair up with M&S is not a good one IME) to Sainsbury recently, and am pleased so far. Yes, there are subs but they're cool about you returning them. They give you a voucher which scored me a tenner recently because they didn't have the wine I ordered. So I had even nicer wine and a voucher.

If you're easy about times pick the saver slot for £1 in a 4 hour window.

The drivers are all really nice too.

We have never driven or owned a car, so since DD was born (15 years ago!) we gave had deliveries from Ocado. We don't like Ocado as much now they've gone over to M&S, so we also order our Waitrose essentials online, like tins, oils, juices etc which are nicer and cheaper.

I'm visiting my parents and Mum used Asda whilst I was there. Her and Dad are strict vegetarians and instead of getting two vegan Pukka pies Asda gave them Steak and Kidney pies . They were sent back and Mum was refunded swiftly.

Stops me impulse buying crap I don't need

I shop online from a number of places. All good except Sainsburys.

I’m a picker for Morrisons. I agree with getting delivery later in the day particularly if you want a lot of fresh stuff. Don’t order tobacco or fags for an early slot on a Sunday as we generally don’t have access to them.

We pick the best dates available on fresh produce. Sometimes those dates are crap. They are the best in store tho. Dates are generally rubbish at the moment.

Like you, I didn't do online shopping as I preferred to do my own. Bit poorly atm, so went mad and did a Sainsburys online shop (came to £100 but did include wine and stamps). £29 worth of shopping was missed off (him indoors took delivery) and I had to make 2 stressful phone calls to their help line where women with strong (incomprehensible) Asian accents barked questions at me. She eventually said they'd refund me but instead I got an online voucher which meant I had to use them again - if you pay with a card, why don't they refund it that way fhs! - and 3 items were then unavailable and I got another bloody voucher. Never again!

I haven't physically supermarket shopped for a couple of years. We use Sainsburys and Ocado and find them both very good.

I like Tesco, if they substitute they always seem to go up a brand and they sometimes send us a random free gift.

Sainsburys refunds policy is very poor. Its why I stopped shopping with them.
ASDA you just log on and request a refund electronically. But ASDA I always tick no substitutions as they have some bizarre substitutions. But there tend to be very few.

I’ve been using Sainsbury’s for about six months. They rarely substitute, and when they do it’s a more expensive alternative which they give you at the original lower price, which is nice! For example, I ordered a standard leg of lamb, and they gave me a premium Scottish lamb at no extra cost.
Delivery has always been on time, long use by dates, excellent quality of fresh produce.
Their fruit and veg are massively better than Tesco, where I used to shop. And they have a huge range of goods, including unusual ingredients.
The drivers are always polite and friendly, despite driving awful distances. I’m in Scotland, and my nearest Sainsbugs covers a territory of over 2,000 square miles - it’s the only one in Perthshire, Angus and half of Fife combined. I can heartily recommend them.

The best service is from Iceland. Unfortunately they don't have a wide choice of produce.

I've been with Ocado for a very long time - must be at least 15 years. Was with Tesco for a bit before that. I find Ocado's website very easy to use. I mainly buy own-label products, so either Ocado or M&S these days. I could probably save quite a bit if I went to Aldi or Lidl instead, but we don't have a car and they're not in easy walking distance, or on a direct bus route, so what I saved on the groceries I'd probably lose on a cab fare. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

I agree with a PP that Ocado's customer service isn't as good as it used to be, but what that means for me is they were exceptional and now they're good.

The point about avoiding particular times of day probably doesn't apply to Ocado, as they fulfil deliveries from a warehouse, not a supermarket. A lot of their picking and packing is done by robots. I generally find the packing is good and the substitutions are rare and reasonably sensible.

Tesco have been a lifeline through Covid & then through rehabilitation after an accident - the people delivering have unloaded the crates into my boxes and then put them on the worktop for me. They've been kind & friendly, on the whole. More recently a couple have been a bit unhelpful/sarcastic, BUT you get that anywhere

Their substitutions are a bit hit & miss FOR ME, but I eat a very limited diet (for health reasons) & you can send anything back you don't want & it's refunded promptly.

I think a lot is a) area (store) dependent and b) delivery time chosen.

But no matter any little niggles, it beats the hell out of supermarket shopping!

I've shopped online with Tesco for 20 years and can't fault them.

I love Ocado as I can get m and s too, but love Waitrose and Sainsburys too, depending on what you're looking for. Saves so much time and seems to have most of the goods you request. X

Ocado here! Love that they do M&S now and Ocado own brand, best of both worlds! Shopping always on time and rarely any substitutions. We were with Sainsbury's for years and their dates are awful. All my fruit had day of delivery as expiry date very often - not good!

We do weekly Asda and they’re absolutely spot on to be honest, no issues. Not having to go shopping all the time is magical.

After years and years with Ocado I ditched them.

Waitrose. Punctual, quality produce, rare subs but they upgrade and price match. You can tick no subs. Used to be free delivery at £40, now it’s £3. Usually get a slot.

Tesco, as above and can leave notes for the picker. I have an anytime delivery pass but have to book way ahead. Subs are rare, but always upgrades and price matched.

Morrisons used to have great availability of slots but they’ve gone very scarce round here. As others have said, subs are hit and miss and always full price. Their loyalty scheme is now a total waste of time too.