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Original poster

Sainsburys vs Tesco online...

28 replies

BootyMum · 09/09/2010 11:27

Perhaps this is not the right place to post this but anyway...

Have just had the most fantastic customer service from Sainsburys. Did an online order, apples arrived bruised. Sainsburys customer service guy couldn't have been nicer or more apologetic. Agreed that this wasn't up to standard. Arranged a refund straight away of cost of apples and also of delivery fee. Also spoke to store who packed my order to make sure this wouldn't happen again.

Completely different experience to my one and only online shop with Tesco. Delivery was late and incorrect item delivered. Delivery guy was lovely but Tesco customer services were terrible. Kept passing me from person to person and justifying what had happened, that their delivery depo was in midst of reorganisation and so no-ones fault. However totally disregarded inconvenience caused to me! Finally offered me £10 off my next online shop which I never used as I was so hacked off with Tesco at this point and didn't want to shop with them again.

Have also tried Ocado once and thought they were pretty good.

Just wondering which online supermarket others use and which they feel is best.

I don't online grocery shop very much but probably will find it more convenient in the near future with brand new bub and active toddler.

Thanks!

OP posts:
mrsruffallo · 09/09/2010 11:33

I like sainsbury's too
I have never tried Tesco online tbh but sainsburys have always been good

AlCrowley · 09/09/2010 11:34

You're just going to get a list of people saying "Ocado" now and slating Tesco. Always happens on these threads.

I personally find Ocado to be overpriced - yeah, yeah, price match - bollocks. MySupermarket.com always shows my shop to be about £15 more than Tesco whenever I check prices.

I've never had any major problems with Tesco and have always found the customer service people to be friendly, helpful and appropriately apologetic if anything has gone wrong.

I suppose it's all to do with your experience of the individual supermarket. I obviously live close to a good Tesco so I'll be sticking with them. You may live close to a bad one - the only way to really know is to try them.

Lancelottie · 09/09/2010 11:35

I have lurved Sainsbury's ever since they accidentally delivered us two bags of someone else's shopping, and even though I rang wthin minutes, said 'Oh, thank you so much for telling us, but please keep it if you can put it to good use, and we'll redeliver to the other customer' (I do hope they did).

Wine
Pate
Mango smoothie
Squeezed lemon juice
Blueberries
Olives...

Mmmmmmmm

conkie · 09/09/2010 11:36

I would use Sainsburys but to me it is a lot more expensive. We have a new Sainsbury store opening up soon near me and will see what it is like. Hopefully not as expensive as it used to be. I have used Tesco online in the past and it was ok but I hated the website layout. Asda is atrocious and I would avoid at all costs. I do use the store though as it is cheaper.

mosschops30 · 09/09/2010 11:36

I have used both (Tesco for my mum and Sainsbury for us).
I prefer Sainsbury by a mile, their delivery times are more specific and customer service great, I also dont mind most of their substitutes. I find the shopping easy because they have pictures of the items, where as tescos dont (or didnt use to).

My mum used sainsbury now too

Squitten · 09/09/2010 11:38

We use Sainsburys every so often for all the big stuff. Really pleased with them, like the website, like the delivery people, haven't had any problems. Used to use Ocado a few years ago and also found them fine.

Have never used Tesco so can't comment on them

Original poster
BootyMum · 09/09/2010 11:38

That's a good idea Al I haven't tried mysupermarket.com but may give this a go. Anything that saves me some money would be very useful!

OP posts:
onepieceoflollipop · 09/09/2010 11:38

Sainsburys came with my shopping a few weeks back. Lovely lady said "I have your shopping in the van but unfortunately can't hand it over!" Shock

There had been a problem with my credit card apparently and I needed to ring customer services. She insisted that I had to use her work phone as the centre is in Ireland. It was all resolved within minutes.

Very different to some experiences that others have posted about on here (Tesco and Asda namely!).

mumblechum · 09/09/2010 11:40

How do people find the cost difference between Tesco and Sainsburys (if any?)

I use Ocado for meat and Tesco for everything else and I've always found both absolutely fine. If anything's missing or damagedfwith Tesco I just call them and they refund the money straight away.

Agree about Asda, btw, I'll happily buy standard stuff from there in the shop but the one and only time I used the delivery service it was crap.

iwouldgoouttonight · 09/09/2010 11:45

I've only used Tesco once and they seemed unfriendly and as though they didn't really care about their customers.

We use Sainsbury's now and they've always been fine. They point out if any fruit or veg is close to its use by date and ask us if we'd still like it, and when anything is damaged or wrong they give a refund with no questions. (I sound like a Sainsbury's salesperson now!)

I'm told that Ocado are also good and apparently give you free gifts!

PollyTechnique · 09/09/2010 11:45

Sainburys have many free delivery slots (for an over £100 spend) and one hour delivery slots which are handy. They've been good on the whole but it annoys me that some goods arrive loose in the not-so-clean crates and I have to wipe them down before putting them away in my fridge. I usually use Sainsburys.

Ocado are pretty faultless but are more expensive. It helps that I only use them with a 10/15/20% discount voucher that arrives in my email almost weekly. But even with those I still spend more with them than Sainburys. Their drivers are very polite which is great.

Original poster
BootyMum · 09/09/2010 11:49

Yes iwouldgoouttonight the time I used Ocado I got a free newspaper and chocolate. Nice touch!

OP posts:
HouseOfBamboo · 09/09/2010 11:54

I think it does depend where you live.

I use both Tesco and Sainsbury on a regular basis, but prefer Tesco mainly due to the fact that their delivery slot availability is a lot better. You can usually get away with ordering stuff for next day delivery, whereas Sainsburys don't usually have any free slots for a couple of days.

Tesco are also a bit better re substitutions, I think because the local store is a very big one. Also the Sainsbury fresh produce isn't always as fresh.

One advantage of Sainsburys is the free delivery over £100 on Tues, Wed and Thurs.

Both have been great for customer service though, delivery people are both good. I always do my complaining by email and haven't had any problems getting refunds etc.

MrsLevinson · 09/09/2010 11:55

Another vote here for Sainsburys. Tesco were fine, but I found they made a lot of substitutions. With Sainsburys I love the fact that if they're late with your delivery, even if it's only 5 mins, you get £10 off your next shop.

Sidge · 09/09/2010 11:58

I've used Tesco for years and like AlCrowley must have a good store as I've never had any problems. The delivery drivers are always friendly and helpful, phone me if they're going to be early and have only ever once been late because the van broke down, and they phoned me then too and gave me free delivery.

I've had no problems phoning customer services, refunds for returned substitutions go back into my bank quickly and I don't get many substitutions at all and the ones I've had have been sensible.

Sainsburys here are OK, a more limited range of products and more expensive for some things. Their delivery is also quite expensive if you don't spend a lot.

Haven't used Ocado as they are too expensive for me, also I couldn't see a way to buy loose fruit and veg - everything seemed prepacked.

MisterW · 09/09/2010 12:20

We use Tesco and although we used to have occasional problems with stupid substitutions they are normally fine. They now have a price match on substitutions so if they substitute a more expensive item you get it for the price of the original choice. Their customer service is also very good so if something is missing or wrong you only have to send a quick e-mail and the money will be refunded.

The only problem we have is the delivery drivers being unable to find the house. This week he called us to find out where we were and when I looked out of the window he was parked across the road!

HouseOfBamboo · 09/09/2010 12:26

Oh yes the price match thing is another advantage of Tesco - can make quite a difference.

You do have to watch them though to make sure the substitution was good value in the first place. For example they may give you a substitution of a pack of just 2 kitchen rolls when you ordered a pack of 4 on offer. Really they should put 2 packs of 2 in, and give you them for the same as the '4 on offer' price.

Or they may substitute a not quite so good wine just because it's a bit cheaper than the one you originally ordered and they didn't have < hard stare at Tesco >

AlCrowley · 09/09/2010 12:58

I got some cans of coke subbed like that once HouseOfBamboo. I'd ordered something like 18 can's of coke cause it was 3 for 2 on 6 packs and they'd replaced them with 4 packs of 4 and subbed the difference between 4 x 4 packs and 3 x full price 6 packs. I phoned customer services and explained that I was only expecting to pay x for the 18 cans due to the deal and they refunded the difference.

So as long as you watch what they're subbing, you can still get the lower price.

Wouldn't work for the wine though sorry :)

zukiecat · 09/09/2010 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HouseOfBamboo · 09/09/2010 13:19

Al - yes I've had that sort of thing where they substitute just one bottle of wine out of a 3 for £10 offer, so you lose the offer price on the other two. I have complained A LOT about that! They always refund, it's just a bit annoying that they keep doing it...

shandydrinker · 09/09/2010 13:28

I use Sainsburys, Tesco and Ocado on a rotational basis.. Sainsbury is best for website layout and one hour delivery slots. Tesco is best on price. Ocado is best for quality and sending you discount codes by email regularly.

Saves me buying the same stuff every week too.

Lizcat · 09/09/2010 13:44

Tesco - terrible
Sainsbury - terrible
Ocado - worse than terrible on two occasions delivery over four hours late.
Waitrose - the only way to go my local store picks and packs stuff and lovely van driver delivers(most are free).

Original poster
BootyMum · 09/09/2010 14:37

I thought Ocado was Waitrose...?

OP posts:
ethelina · 09/09/2010 15:14

I used MySupermarket this week and Sainsburys were the cheapest by a mile out of the 4. Tesco deliveries are ok and Sainsburys, not much difference TBH except Sainsburys had more stuff I wanted. Never used Asda or Waitrose.

Never had any real problem with any delivery so far.

EleFunTess · 09/09/2010 15:16

I've never had a problem with Tesco and have been shopping with them online for several years.

Used a Ocado a few times - no complaints, either.

Haven't used Sainsbo's, as we have one literally a 2 min walk from us.