Ocado are suspending their reserved order system

[Neednewwellies]

I’ve been using Ocado for 12yrs. We pay extra for a reserved pass. A week or so ago they emailed to say existing customers were priority and especially those with a reserved slot. Made a thing about supporting loyalty etc. Now today I’ve received an email telling me that not only is the delivering expecting tomorrow not coming but they’ve decided to suspend the reserved slots and it’s every (wo)man for themselves. Of course, there’s no slot available for weeks.
I’m angry and worried. Why not continue to prioritise those who have a set slot. Surely adding those thousands into the traffic of people desperately trying to get a slot will just make the situation worse? As soon as this is over I’ll be leaving them. No way will I continue to pay extra when they’ve behaved like this. How can they leave it until the day before to drop this on us? £150 a week plus the monthly fast pass fee to be treated like this. I wouldn’t even mind if they were on twitter holding their hands up but they’ve gone silent.

Your DH may have received it wrongly, you can check? It is only certain kinds of cancer that put you in most vulnerable group. It must be based on how this one virus acts. There are more details at gov.uk.

Blimey you’re really angry about loosing your slot. Op have you not got an email saying you will be allowed a slot once a week via a priority queue? And they will email you when it’s your day to pick your slot?

And either this is a tech issue or your order had missing items due to out of stock or limits in numbers, which made it too small to deliver. But if you’re a smart pass customer you should be getting an opportunity to have a weekly delivery.

I have confirmation emails so I will assume my deliveries will come unless I hear to the contrary.

@Bluntness100, no I haven’t received that email.

There do seem to be a range of emails going out. Nothing like a consistent message!

I have not received emails but I have had my reserved slot every week - I have no idea why, I am no vulnerable - I expect it not to arrive every week, I'm convinced they have forgotten I exist

I have Ocado Reserved but when they created my order on Sat gone, the confirmation email did say that they were unable to reserve the slot for next week.

I've not received anything else informing me of priority queues, or anything like that.

Quite honestly if all you have to be upset about right now is losing your reserved slot you should be thankful. They’ve totally done the right thing. SmartPass customers still get priority booking, it’s just that more of them are able to than before because the system is not being clogged up by people clinging onto their reserved slots in case they run out of something.

I think we all have to go to supermarkets unless we are vulnerable. Loyalty goes out of the window in emergencies.
If you go early the queues aren't so bad and people are behaving now.

Sorry, meant Reserved and Smart Pass and haven't heard anything about orders going forward.

I find it very amusing that a company like Ocado who have seen their share price soar - attracts so much sympathy. Of course their drivers are amazing but the senior management team are shit - no excuses, they should be a lot better!

Those who have just joined are not getting slots. Customers are being given time slots to order in so they get a good chance of getting an order. This is not on offer for new customers. Smart pass customer only. Just more slots will be available. X

I have a delivery pass, have been a customer for years; and have had no email giving any of that information,

And there is no information for exceptionally vulnerable/shield customers - so I’m starting to assume there will be no provision even for those of us with govt letters.

I’m obviously a customer they don’t give a stuff about,

Simply because others are getting information, emails and delivery slots. And people like me, nothing

@iVampire do they know you are a shield customer, with letter? They emailed me and gave me a special link to log in last week. Have you not had one? Email them with a scan of your letter, if not. They can't know if you don't tell them.

If you have, then apologies, and yes we are screwed, too. :(

It's a shit situation all around. Communication could maybe be better but hasn't been a problem for me. They don't have the capacity for the current demand. They are doing their best but they cannot serve everyone. I've tried other grocery delivery services and I think ocado wins hands down for their website, app, delivery, ease of use, customer service. My only complaint is that it's a bit expensive but then cheap isn't there USP.

I’ve just checked the website and my order for tonight is being prepared for delivery.
I honestly think that your order is coming @Neednewwellies. The email was referring to future orders that haven’t yet been created or orders where someone hasn’t edited and confirmed it.
It looks likely that all being well my order for tonight, which started life as a reserved order, is coming.

I’ve had the priority queue email. I’ll be giving it to my auntie who is poorly and cant get out. I added her address to my account last week.

The government list hasn’t reached the shops yet. Give it time.

I am a regular Tesco online shopper, though I do not have a pass.

On Sunday when I went in to edit Monday's delivery my whole order had been removed.
We had been in SI.

When you ring Tesco it cuts you off. There is no email.contact either.

I resigned myself to the fact it wasn't coming and considered alternatives.

Then, on Monday evening it arrived, not with my full order (don't forget it wouldn't let me edit).

You can't rely on these orders so need a backup - this is one reason people over buy, so they are not left short. The fear of my family starving is the same as my fear over the virus itself. This is the problem - it's self perpetuating. It does not account for loo roll hoarding though.

I can see how desperate people would be forced to break SI.

Tesco has announced today that it has now limited items to 80 per online shop whether you are one person or a family of six.

My £200 Tesco delivery was cancelled yesterday 30 minutes after it was due to arrive. It wouldn’t have been so bad but we’re in self isolation and have been for a week so I was relying on that order. I had completely run out of milk, bread, eggs, meat, veg and fruit And napkins as well as lots of other non essentials. Through I do have pasta and loo roll! I’m very lucky that my sister did a shop for me and I ordered some bits from a local cafe turned basic supplies shop, which came same day but it’s really fucking shit! I’m pretty confident there’s nothing I can do about it though! They’re so busy they’re not going to give a shit!

Nap pies not napkins

I wouldn't like the way I'd sound if I started getting worked up over this. At the end of the day, you're saying that people with the wherewithal to pay for a reserved slot should go in front of people who really need the service. It's time for a bit more humility here.

Absolutely agree.
This is a national emergency and there are many not officially classified as vulnerable who need food delivered.
Those privileged enough to pay for delivery passes and shop at Ocado for years don't deserve any kind of special treatment or thanks for their "loyalty".

Remember they are not an emergency service, although this is a national emergency, so cut them some slack.

My reserved slot for next Monday was cancelled over a week ago.

I have, yesterday, had the priority customer email so we shall see if that helps - when I get my access email sometime from today ..:

And from what I've gathered they've not done priority based on vulnerable or key workers as yet. My email was based on being a long time anytime smart pass holder.

They aren't to know that me and Dh are both classed as key workers, or that I am in an at risk group (I'm not one of the extremely vulnerable who got the letter but I am in one of the other at risk ones)

Mind you I've also had an email from Tesco to say if I edit my order it's now restricted to 80 items or less. I managed to grab that one slot a fortnight back when Ocado already had no slots available.