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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect a refund from Ocado for missing wine?

52 replies

NuttyMacaroon · 19/03/2018 14:40

Ocado delivered my order half an hour late, and as a result, I had to rush to put the frozen stuff in the freezer and then had to leave to make an appointment on time. The drivers don't require a signature and leave as soon as they have delivered, so there isn't time to check an order at the time anyway.

When I got back (3 hours later), I was putting the rest of the order away and noticed that I had 4 bottles of wine missing. I rang them straight away, expecting them to be apologetic, but instead they have advised that they need to do a "high value investigation" which involves interviewing the driver. I agree that they need to investigate - but not that my refund should depend on this investigation! The supervisor that called me back said, very politely, that they could not just refund people without investigating, or they would go out of business.

So basically, it seems that when they interview the driver, unless he says he took it, I am unlikely to see my money back. Not only that, but they have to wait for the driver to be back at work - and haven't given me any idea when that will be! Has anyone else experienced this?

OP posts:

OlennasWimple · 19/03/2018 15:36

They do realise that they were 30 mins late, I hope? They should be apologising for that too TBH

muffyduffster · 19/03/2018 15:44

My ocado driver the other day said they have a few problems with customers falsely claiming they didn't receive cigarettes or alcohol... they might just be doing internal checks to see if there have been any similar issues with the same driver?

TatianaLarina · 19/03/2018 15:47

Ocado have always refunded low value items immediately with me. I can see why the would want to investigate this.

I was once delivered some champagne that wasn’t mine and I hadn’t paid for so I rang them. So delivery to the wrong house clearly happens.

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 19/03/2018 15:50

Thanks for the replies. I do usually do an online refund request, but I thought as this was 4 bottles of wine, it was worth me ringing with more detail, eg the driver was late, hence the rush etc.

SleepingInYourFlowerBed - The wine was in a cardboard carrier, but inside a carrier bag.There were 4 other bottles that I did receive (also in a cardboard carrier within a carrier bag). I was having people over for dinner on Friday evening hence the volume of wine ordered! 😳

purple - I did answer the door myself, so, unfortunately, that can't be the explanation 😞

JaneEyre - I hope they do have cameras inside the van! That would be handy!

Sleepinghooty - I don't assume the driver took it, I really do think it is likely he gave it to a different customer by mistake. Especially as he was running late and obviously in a rush! But that was my point on the phone to them - if that is what happened, he isn't likely to have remembered/noticed - so won't help my case!

Molly - fingers crossed!

Tom/Olennas - I thought they had a freezer section in the van? I was very laidback about the late arrival - I thought I was very reasonable on the phone, but nope, they didn't apologise for the lateness at all.

OP posts:

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 19/03/2018 15:51

And I have just had an automated email telling me about the wonderful Ocado 25% off wine sale!

OP posts:

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 19/03/2018 15:56

Surely if they have a problem with customers saying they did not receive alcohol or cigarettes, it would make sense for them to have (yet another) carrier bag colour for "high value" items and ask for a signature to say that you have received them? I will mention this when they eventually deign to get back to me!

OP posts:

TomRavenscroft · 19/03/2018 16:10

I thought they had a freezer section in the van?

I don't know. I thought you meant you had to rush to put them away because they were about to defrost.

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 19/03/2018 16:15

I don't know. I thought you meant you had to rush to put them away because they were about to defrost.

Ah sorry, I see, no I rushed to pop them in the freezer because I was running late!

OP posts:

TomRavenscroft · 19/03/2018 16:23

Oh! Crossed wires.

However, my point still stands and they inconvenienced you by being so late.

surgeryadvicepls · 19/03/2018 16:41

I mean I think it’s fair enough. I imagine they have had a lot of people ‘trying it on before’ (not saying that you are) so they have developed an internal system to handle this. As you have said they have cctv/photos of the packing process to see that the bags with the wine did get sent out correctly and will investigate what actually happened to them and talk to the driver. It’s just part of the process - I imagine that a something inexpensive like a loaf of bread would just get instantly refunded.

You will probably get a refund tbh, but again they do need to investigate for their own insurance/records.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 19/03/2018 16:46

I use Ocado every week.

I have occasionally have had missing items-including wine-and have always been issued a refund straightaway.

Tweeting them gets immediate response!!

surgeryadvicepls · 19/03/2018 16:49

Just read your latest post. You’ll get a refund, don’t worry about the driver/investigation. I think in situations like this they will just refund if they can’t be sure, but may be cautious about future missing item claims if it frequently happens sort of thing. So they may keep records of high value claims and ban/take precautions with suspicious accounts, like getting a manager to pack the order etc. - Again not saying this is you, just how it generally works.

coffeeagogo · 19/03/2018 16:53

To be fair I have been put on a watch-list from Tesco as I had to keep phoning them when they deliver rotten fruit and veg (potatoes are a favourite to send me), broken eggs, leaking milk and a memorable occasion when they delivered an aubergine the size of a satsuma!!

Since I've been on the 'watch-list' my shoping has been all there, no substitutions and no damage/rotten items - so it's worked out for me!

Hope you get your refund OP

DollyLlama · 19/03/2018 17:01

They can do a simple stock check for this, what they're doing is the correct procedure and can sometime take a couple of days to rectify.

It is a pain and I've had things missing from orders before because you don't always have the time to check everything. I've not realised until I've gone to get something from the cupboard most times so not much I can do by then!

SandyDenny · 19/03/2018 18:04

They can check the stock as many times as they like Doily but it won't tell them where the wine has gone.

The most likely explanation is that it was given to the wrong customer but they'll only know for sure if that person also rings them.

I can see both sides, very annoying for you but also they have to protect themselves for cheeky fuckers trying it on

springmachine · 19/03/2018 18:19

I have been having ocado deliveries weekly for the last 6 years and most of the time all is ok.

One time it seemed there was some stuff missing including wine and beer and it would have been high value.

I called and spoke to them, they photo every bag as it's packed so the people on the phone can check what was packed on each bag and can tell straight away if something doesn't add up.

All turned out ok and the driver had just put one of my bags somewhere else and it was sorted really quickly.

I've never actually had anything missing.

I've requested refunds for quality issues and there is never any question and that's on low value or high value items

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 21/03/2018 17:38

5 days since missing wine, no word from them, no refund either. I have tweeted them now. To add insult to injury, they have just emailed me with the great news that I saved £1.20 on my last shop!

OP posts:

Orangettes · 21/03/2018 17:58

I reported a £7.99 bottle Olive Oil missing and got an immediate refund - I found it on the wine shelf - (it was in wine style bottle) a couple of months later.

Onesmallstepforaman · 21/03/2018 17:58

The vans are equipped with cameras which record front, rear and side views. This should allow them to see where the wine has gone. In our set up, the boxes are scanned onto and off the van. All details are recorded on a hand held computer which uploads the data to a central point when the deliveries are completed.

Puffycat · 21/03/2018 18:04

Twice I’ve experienced missing items and each time have rang up and received profuse apologies. The first time they delivered the missing items later that day, the second I got a full refund. I don’t think the delivery guys are nicking this stuff, I reckon they (or the packers) miss a bag out.

Taffeta · 21/03/2018 18:07

I’m surprised at Ocado.

alibongo5 · 21/03/2018 18:11

Wow! I haven't done an online grocery order for a while now but whenever I had things missing they were always refunded immediately. I can see it's the customer's word and some people might take advantage but I would be reluctant to use Ocado again if they can fail to deliver stuff and you still have to pay!

And not to even get back to you promptly would definitely make me take my custom elsewhere.

MyKingdomForBrie · 21/03/2018 18:13

I’m surprised, only ever had outstanding customer service from them.

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 21/03/2018 19:05

It is really odd. The driver brought all of the bags to the door without the plastic tubs they come in, so he may have scanned each one, but it certainly doesn't mean that it proves all of the stuff left the van. If they do have video footage, hopefully they will see him use my M&S hessian bag for life to bring the last lot of shopping, which will at least back up some of the details I gave. He said the last bag had split and he was going to bring the items by hand, so I offered him a bag. That in itself was strange - why not use the plastic tub they were in?

I've had a reply on Twitter, they have confirmed the driver is in first thing tomorrow, so they will speak to him then and get back to me

OP posts:

Original poster

NuttyMacaroon · 22/03/2018 07:55

I got the refund. Had an email at 11pm last night, so they obviously didn't need to wait for the driver to come in this morning!

I won't be using Ocado again, I don't have any faith in their service now, which is a shame. But hopefully this will be a lesson to those here that have had nothing but good service from them - a cursory check for high value items before the driver leaves is key!

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