To think pre-ordered Xmas collections won't be substituted

[SouthWestmom]

Genuinely interested - I always knew the delivery services from supermarkets were just slots near Xmas and picked on the day so no guarantee of the products being delivered.

This year though I did two Christmas collect (different stores) ore -order things and both times was made aware on collection of substitutes.

Genuinely thought it was a way to guarantee the stuff you wanted

I read this thread before going to bed last night then couldn't sleep for worrying my m&s turkey will be substituted today, and my Christmas Colin!
It's my first year cooking dinner at home so thought I'd done well to plan it, I thought you were guaranteed to get what you ordered
My Sainsbury's delivery came last night with a few substitutes that were fine (same thing in bigger packaging) and one thing I sent back

Eugh.... All the fresh stuff will be brown round the edges by Xmas day

It came Saturday - Christmas day is only 4 days after! With use-by dates of 28th/29th - so I don't think so. I have a decent fridge (and the capacity to peel off any brown bits in the unlikely event they should occur)

I have been a little nervous about this since I booked my slot and realised it is not guaranteed I will get all the items.

I did buy things like sausage meat and pigs in blankets early to freeze and all the long life items and all the cheese last week.

Just had my email confirming what I will be picking up today and all that was substituted was ice for crushed ice, red grapes for black grapes and 2 items were not available which were figs and fanta grape and these are not essential. Very relieved.

My Ocado order arrived yesterday night. All present and correct exactly as I ordered it, but the downside of online shopping is that you occasionally cock up the packet sizes like the PP with four kilos of carrots. I’ve accidentally bought a packet of six very posh, very tiny, pigs in blankets which will not be nearly enough, so I’ll need to get another packet somewhere.

We ordered from Waitrose for deliver Saturday night. None of the cupboard stuff arrived which included essentials like wine and chocolate. Called Clusterfuck Services who said they’d put it on a click and collect order for collection at store next day at 4. Arrived at store at 4.15, no order. Verging on tearful staff distraught at idea of picking it, waited 45 minutes. Felt sorry for her and asked if we could (take time off work) and get it today. Very doubtful it’ll be there. So I lose earnings and have to contend with a supermarket twice. Both situations I hoped to avoid. We grocery ship online all the time, the odd substitution, but never before from Waitrose. Never again

Just got my substitutions email from Sainsbury's... They're sending a different band of biscuits than we ordered and a larger packet of salami. Fine!

To the people saying that the availability is no different than if you go to the store yourself - fair enough, but my order was picked some time between 11pm (last point for changes) and 6am (time of the email). If that's what time of day I'd need to go to guarantee availability, the delivery service is well worth it!

The one caveat I will add is that quite a few of the fresh items are required for specific dates (beyond Christmas day), so we may still end up having to reject some items if they don't come with a long enough shelf life. Will update!

I’ve accidentally bought a packet of six very posh, very tiny, pigs in blankets

I have 48 pigs in blankets in my freezer. for 4 of us 😂😂 The kids always complain there aren't enough. Not this year my friends, not this year...

We order turkey from M&S as I don’t trust Sainsbury’s to deliver the meat as always too many substitutes through the year, ordered gammon and they’ve substituted for one 1/4 of the size

My Ocado order has just been delivered. No double cream or bagels.

I started having it delivered on the 23rd a few years ago so I could pick up an essential bits that are missing when I collect my turkey on Christmas Eve.

Definitely not perfect and doesn’t allow me to completely avoid the supermarkets but it’s 100 times better than having to battle around and find it all myself!

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross I think you've got that back to front! grin They were given a chicken instead of a turkey crown!

No, she said the turkey was substituted for a chicken - that means that the turkey came instead of the chicken. That's why I couldn't understand why her friend was upset!

No subs in my ocado order yesterday.

My Ocado order came last night - different brands of chicken stock and Prosecco, and Elmlea instead of double cream which was sent back sharpish!

But not bad for a £200 shop.

I always do click and collect so if the substitutions are unsuitable I can go into the store and pick something better. Also it allows me to go to a bigger store - annoyingly the deliveries come from a tiny store 9 miles away instead of the massive superstore 9.5 miles away, and I’ve complained but apparently you can’t choose which store does your delivery.

Out of curiosity who has noticed shops in towns and cities haven't been as busy this year?

Me! The high street was packed, but the actual shops weren't. I've done most of my shopping out of Amazon this year.

Well the email is in from Sainsburys and apparently they have everything I asked for - fingers crossed!

Tesco just arrived, bang on 9am and everything there (3 subs but better eg a 1.5kg beef joint instead of 700g!) and breathe!

I went to Tesco at 6 this morning, shelves groaning and nobody there. Have forgotten blinis and sour cream annoyingly but will pop to local shop for those.

I saw someone on Twitter yesterday who’d had the turkey substituted for something unrelated as Tesco has none left.

Just had my Tesco delivery and no subs on a £500 order, including fresh meat, fruit and veg and festive food to order. All good dates too Fingers crossed for everyone else.

It’s basically giving a picker your shopping list, and sending them around the shop for you. You get what’s there. They once completely forgot my turkey. Charged me for it, but didn’t substitute it. Was not impressed 2 days before Xmas

My big shop is coming from Ocado this evening. It's handy that you can check pre-delivery and it tells you if something if missing or has been substituted. I'm going to collect my M&S order this afternoon and I'm hoping the status of my order will have updated by the time I go so I can pick up anything that's missing. At the moment it's still saying "we're preparing your order".

It is not just a picker though in all cases. Our Tesco delivery comes from the warehouse not the shop floor. Often there are no barcodes on the fresh items.

We very, very rarely get any substitutions.

I'm with you OP. I am due to pick up my
M&S order later and assumed they would be guaranteed, unless major mishaps. My TESCO etc order I expect substitutes, but my marks pre order I don't because surely they know how many to order in and can't see why they would not accommodate for that. Hope it's all there, my mum will have a fit if it's not.

The only way to do it is have you check out final order a few weeks before hand and space to keep them off shop floor when they arrive before Xmas. Not going to happen.

Our high street food shops are rammed and out of town ones - actual shops for goods are quiet which is weird.