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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:
garlictwist · 21/12/2021 06:06

I don't know why people are so obsessed with not going to the supermarket at christmas. In my experience the shelves are always stocked and it's never busier than normal. Our supermarket is open until 7pm on Christmas Eve so I'll just be going then and getting what we need.

Joevanswell · 21/12/2021 06:12

@findahouse think you were lucky with Waitrose. I always shop online with them and they are usually excellent. Today however items that I had ordered weeks ago when slots were released were unavailable. We had two omissions and 11 substitutions. Some of the substitutions were ok but still require me to go and physically shop.

DurhamDurham · 21/12/2021 06:38

We've friends who work in retail, various supermarket chains, and they said a few years back that they don't reserve items for online orders. When it comes to your order being picked it's what's there available at the time. I don't think it's changed in the last few years.

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blackteaplease · 21/12/2021 07:09

This isn't new, and isn't just linked to Christmas whenever you log in to tweak the basket the shop removes out of stock items. If you leave the basket alone they send you subs.

After having this happen to me 4 years ago and having to go to a shop to practically do a big shop I now do the Christmas shop basket two weeks before and leave it alone.

Bloatstoat · 21/12/2021 07:41

@TuftyMarmoset I despair! Don't eat meat, don't eat wheat - sounds similar I suppose?Xmas Hmm It's useless.

Abraxan · 21/12/2021 07:49

My experience with Ocado,has always been very positive re Christmas.
But I do think it's key to finalise your basket well in advance, and not log in and change it closer to the date - maybe just add the odd item via the quick add in the app, but never a full edit order within a good couple of weeks or so.

I think they may well organise their stick based in completed orders.

I dint have a slot this year. Was away when they were released and they all went before I could get ine. Never been quick enough with the late release slots.

Abraxan · 21/12/2021 07:51

Coffeerunner - Ocado doesn't have an assistant walking round a supermarket picking items. It a warehouse and robots do most of the selections and packing, it's not like traditional online delivery in that sense.

Plantsandpuddlesuits · 21/12/2021 07:53

Mines coming on Thursday and I'm a bit nervous now! We could do without most of it it's mainly party food and treats but id still like it to come!

Fanmango · 21/12/2021 07:57

Ocado works differently though doesn't it, as in as they're not picking from a shop they can better monitor stock levels? The veg going off before Xmas is annoying though, surely they must know most people want it for the 25th- although I'm sure it'll be fine for then.

mynameiscalypso · 21/12/2021 08:08

My Christmas Ocado order is coming this morning. One substitution (a smaller size of something) and one item missing (which I've also not been able to find in M&S either so no surprise). I only did most of the shop last week and finalised my order just before the cut off on Sunday. Some of the party food goes out of date on Fri but I was planning to stick most of it in the freezer.

onedayoranother · 21/12/2021 08:27

I've stopped using them. The last two deliveries were late - one by an hour and a half which ruined our plans for the day. And no automatic refund of delivery fee! I emailed them and pointed out that Ive only ever had a late delivery from another retailer once in five years and I use them pretty much weekly. Plus they always have low stock, Christmas or not.

dameofdilemma · 21/12/2021 09:31

I finalised my order months ago - still a long list of missing and substituted items.
I always assume Ocado won't come through in busy periods and I'll need to shop elsewhere.

XiCi · 21/12/2021 09:32

My experience with Ocado, especially at Xmas has always been good. The thing with Ocado is that once you order and check out its locked in, unlike other online shops where if things go out of stock in the meantime they are removed from your basket.
To the pp who said they went in to edit and lots of items were out of stock that just means they are no longer available to buy. You have already checked our and bought so if you leave in your basket and check out again they will arrive. You don't need to remove from your basket.
Waitrose are awful for missing items and subs and I'd never trust them with a Xmas shop. Similarly Sainsburys once turned up at my house with only a bed sheet and a carton of orange from a full shop Grin

CottonSock · 21/12/2021 09:33

Yes I learnt my lesson with this too!
Tesco not so bad although will see what arrives.

Ilovechocolatetoomuch · 21/12/2021 09:34

Our Tesco shop came last night, two days on the cream and 2 days on 8 pints of milk. Gee thanks Tesco!

XiCi · 21/12/2021 09:37

This isn't new, and isn't just linked to Christmas whenever you log in to tweak the basket the shop removes out of stock items. If you leave the basket alone they send you subs
This has never once happened to me in 10 years. If you go in to edit and the item is now showing as out of stock you don't need to remove it from the basket. If you have already previously checked out they will send it. It means they have no further stock, not including stock already ordered. I very rarely get a sub and have never had anything removed from my basket

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 21/12/2021 09:38

I booked mine ages ago so fingers crossed. However, they are having major tech problems-last week my delivery had 58 missing items with no subs 😱😱😱 Had to go shopping as soon as they left…

DobbyTheHouseElk · 21/12/2021 09:59

I couldn’t get a Christmas slot with Ocado. I’m a smart pass customer and have been shopping with them for 10+ years.

They emailed in October to say the slots were open. All gone. They’ve kept emailing me to book, but no slots.

I did get a slot for last weekend which will have to do. Most things were in stock and came.

Stock in their website looked like they had nothing left. Technical problems at the warehouse according to their email!

Nanasueathome · 21/12/2021 20:37

My Ocado shopping has just arrived
All present and correct
No missing items and no substitutions

ThePug · 21/12/2021 21:03

My sainsburys order arrived this morning - had everything I was looking for when pls img order and no substitutions, just one item they said they didn't have a suitable alternative for (50:50 bread for the kids - I can imagine the picker thinking oh crap do I get white or brown then deciding to just go with neither Grin ).

Fuss · 21/12/2021 23:28

@DobbyTheHouseElk

I couldn’t get a Christmas slot with Ocado. I’m a smart pass customer and have been shopping with them for 10+ years.

They emailed in October to say the slots were open. All gone. They’ve kept emailing me to book, but no slots.

I did get a slot for last weekend which will have to do. Most things were in stock and came.

Stock in their website looked like they had nothing left. Technical problems at the warehouse according to their email!

The knack is, as it was with lockdown slots, book after midnight.
I was sent the email to say I could book for the following day so stayed up, started the shop at 11ish and booked the slot at just past midnight.

By 9am the next morning all slots were gone.

Hereslookingatyoukid · 21/12/2021 23:31

I was a bit worried after reading the thread but I've just had my Ocado order and everything was there apart from a pack of burger buns! Ok dates too apart from a couple of things with a date of the 25th but overall all good 😀

LizzieSiddal · 22/12/2021 07:41

Mines sue this morning. Fingers crossed it’s ok.

LizzieSiddal · 22/12/2021 07:42

*Mine’s due.

LizzieSiddal · 22/12/2021 07:46

I’ve just had my email!

No Fennel

Also 3 substitutions, 2 are perfectly fine. This one is very strange ..

• 1 x La Boulangère Plain Stone Oven Part-Baked Baguette
with
• 1 x St Pierre Pain Au Chocolat Individually Wrapped

I’m not sure if that will go with baked Camembert Grin

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