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Original poster

Ocado Christmas delivery slots - what a waste of time and money!

130 replies

redglobox · 20/12/2021 20:29

Why do they offer Christmas delivery slots if they don't have the stock to fulfil them? I had to pay £8 for a slot (in the late evening). Booked one thinking it would save me from going into the shop. Finalised the order on Friday and they are so low on stock there's little choice in any category and some items are completely out of stock (puff pastry, frozen desserts...). Ended up having to go into our local Sainsbury's anyway and it couldn't have been more different: fully stocked shelves, loads of choice, interesting options.

I called Ocado about it and the guy apologised but said he wasn't allowed to refund the delivery fee or offer vouchers to cover the cost.
Happy Christmas to you too Ocado!

Are they all this crap? I don't think I've ever had it before that there's little choice and you're supposed to cheerily hand over your £8 and be glad that you got anything at all.

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 20/12/2021 20:34

I’m usually a big Ocado fan but I stay clear Christmas week
Last week I did start an order for delivery a few days ago
I had a few things in the trolley varying from Persil to salad and some soft drinks
When I went in to amend none of it was in stock!
I’ve got a Sainsbury’s click and collect tomorrow
I’m anticipating some of that will be out of stock…

orangesnapples · 20/12/2021 20:34

My Tesco shop is looking the same. Had everything ordered a week ago and popped on today to add something only too find a lot of it is no longer available.
It's not due till Thursday night so won't know if I will need to brave the shops till then.

onepieceoflollipop · 20/12/2021 20:35

I’d email them and try again for delivery refund

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Concestor · 20/12/2021 20:37

You have to finalise your order weeks in advance. You can't leave it to the last minute.

TiddleTaddleTat · 20/12/2021 20:40

Same with Asda. Order paid for early Sunday for delivery today. 6 items out of stock no subs, 4 items subbed. Still had to go into supermarket as missing things were essential. It always seems to be the way.

BlackberrySky · 20/12/2021 20:49

As a PP said, you need to add your items when you reserve your slot. We'll, the Christmas type stuff anyway. I have mine arriving on Thursday. I added the popular stuff ages ago but have been able to add boring stuff like cleaning products today still.

Original poster
redglobox · 20/12/2021 20:50

I've just emailed them lolli. I know it's not loads of money but it makes me cross that they offer the slots if they don't have the stock to replace a trip to the shop. The slot only came up a couple of weeks ago - I had missed the first round. Why offer more slots if they can't even offer what they usually would for a weekly slot.

Good luck oranges and anyone else waiting on theirs!

OP posts:
Original poster
redglobox · 20/12/2021 20:59

I forgot to say there were more items out of stock when it has been picked today. I was looking forward to the M&S Apple and Blackberry pie!

I didn't realise it made any difference to finalise the order sooner. Do they reserve items for people who have ordered them in advance? I thought it would be a case of first come first served when the items are picked. I'll have to remember that for next time.

I'd like to say I won't order from Ocado at Christmas again but I'll probably have forgotten by the time next year rolls around and I'll be back here complaining on 20/12/2022 Xmas Grin. I should check my posting history for last Christmas...

OP posts:
Chloemol · 20/12/2021 21:00

You book the stuff weeks in advance to make sure you get it, never leave it to the last minute

onepieceoflollipop · 20/12/2021 21:00

I got offered a late release one as well - glad I didn’t bother although tbf they are usually brilliant

Let’s hope I’m not back here tomorrow cursing Sainsburys!

Mittenmob · 20/12/2021 21:04

Ocado have seriously gone down hill since the m&s changeover. They rode high on their popularity during lockdown and then put up delivery charges and can't actually fulfill most of the orders. We've ordered with them regularly and most deliveries have been 1-2 hours delayed and lots out of stock. I'm cancelling my pass and moving to Tesco.

TuftyMarmoset · 20/12/2021 21:11

I got a text from them today saying free delivery if I booked a slot today for tomorrow. Great, I thought, and clicked through. No slots at all for a week. Could they not have checked that before texting? 🙄

Nanasueathome · 20/12/2021 21:11

I have never had a problem with Ocado…..and I’ve been a customer for a
long time (well before Covid)
I’ve got a delivery due tomorrow but I had already put everything in my basket at least 2 weeks ago

Yogaandcocoa · 20/12/2021 21:15

I haven't been able to get a slot and I pay for an annual delivery pass so it's a bit annoying

Legomania · 20/12/2021 21:15

I must say I was very pleasantly surprised when our Sainsbury's email came through - only one sub, and that was the crackers. Afaik you can't reserve stock at Sainsbury's (we added most of the order yesterday).

happysunr1se · 20/12/2021 21:16

I have a smart pass, booked a slot for this Wednesday delivery as soon as slots were released and added various special Xmas foods. I have watched the order regularly to check the stock and the black forest cake and the hams I had on order were out of stock week after week. I had to finalise the order today and they were still out of stock.
I dont live anywhere weird - South London suburb!

So I went down my local m and s today and picked up the stuff of the shelf myself. So it seems they don't reserve stuff for Xmas orders even if you add them weeks earlier.

They also dont have any croissants or donuts ever. Why?

VanCleefArpels · 20/12/2021 21:16

The reason why you have to make your complete order early is so they can make sure they order in enough of what people want. It’s hardly surprising that if you reserve your slot with a few random bottles of champagne or whatever then leave your actual food items to the last minute that they haven’t been able to plan ahead to satisfy your wishes.

Whitewolf2 · 20/12/2021 21:19

You need to add things straight away for Ocado! Then it nearly always stays in your basket and then yes close to the delivery they run out of things. I think I prefer this, than with Tesco when you think you’re getting things but actually depends on stock that day.
I’ve only had a couple of late deliveries in a few years with Ocado and then they always give you a voucher, i like shopping with them.

Garysmum · 20/12/2021 21:20

Had mine today - 2 items missing (one important, one not) and 2 subs.
I did edit mine thoroughly at the start of the month knowing they use this to order stock.
I did try and change slots on Friday as one opened up later which would have been a better time. It wouldn't transfer the trolley over and I noticed about 1/3 items were missing, so I didn't change. All the items "not in stock" for the moved delivery were there with my original delivery.
It's been like this for some weeks now to be honest, If I leave editing my order until the week of delivery it's a real issue. Edit it 2-3 weeks in advance and normally I get everything.

Findahouse21 · 20/12/2021 21:20

I booked my waitrose slot when they came out, reserved with champagne. I am ended it Friday night and was delivered tonight with 4 substitutions, all very sensible and simillar to what I had ordered. Waitrose is definitely my best experience of online supermarket shopping and surprisingly comparable price wise especially given that the basic ranges are usually very good quality.

Somebodylikeyew · 20/12/2021 21:23

To be fair to them they’ve emailed me several times since i booked my xmas slot telling me to go in and add items early to make sure they have the items i want- did you not get similar?

WomanWomenGirlsFemale · 20/12/2021 21:24

I also have never had a problem with Ocado, they messaged me at the start of lockdown to see if I needed regular orders and I got everything I asked for, unlike Abel and Cole who I'd been with for 20 years they couldn't have cared less. Maybe it depends where you are and the size of their warehouse. I had my order today and no missing items. The drivers are friendly and chatty and phone if they're going to be delayed I've never had that with any other supermarket.

FazedNotPhased · 20/12/2021 21:32

I finalised my order about six weeks ago. It turned up today with no Christmas pudding, canapes subbed with some cheap freezer crap, no mince pies, no mulled wine sachets etc etc etc. So irritating. I'll have to go to the shop and pick up all the many bits they left out, so why did I pay a tenner delivery?!

Bloatstoat · 20/12/2021 22:12

I got mine this evening, missing items that I had added when I booked the slot WEEKS ago. V annoying Xmas Sad Also they tried to sub vegetarian pigs in blankets with pork pies, just why?!Xmas Confused

CruellaDeVilla · 20/12/2021 22:15

I booked mine in October