Click and collect slots

[Jasmin82]

Is it too much to ask people that, if they've managed to get a click and collect slot, to actually pick their order up during that time slot and not at whatever time they feel like?
I had a slot booked for 9-10am this morning at my local Asda. I had to go into the store to get my order because someone in the previous time slot hadn't bothered to turn up to collect their order. From talking with the lovely staff member who retrieved my order from the back of the store, this isn't an unusual occurance. At the time I was in the store, 4 people in the first time slot hadn't yet collected their orders. That meant that, between 9 and 10 there were an extra 4 customers in the store who didn't need to go in, but had to because some people think that because they've got a time slot they can turn up at whatever time of day they fancy.
At any other time, it could be called an inconvenience, in current times it's not on, especially as some of those people who need to go in store to collect their order will be vulnerable people who are trying their best to social distance?
AIBU to think that, if you book a click and collect you should collect in that time slot?

As there's a full hour of your own choice, there's really no excuse for not collecting. Give it a minute and posters will turn up with truck load of badexcuses to explain their behaviour

Why did that mean you had to go into store

@Stantons I had to go in store because the only way the drivers can return orders to the store that they can't put in a locker is to mark them as collected. That means a customer in my position turns up, enters their order number and is told that there's an error and to call customer services. If they check the status of their order online it simply says it's been delivered. The customer now has 2 choices, go into the store to find out what's happened with their order or, request a refund and redo the order in 3-5 working days once it's been processed. As I didn't have any food left in the house (aside from dog kibble) and the order was my monthly shop, i wasn't in a position to wait for a refund to process. I had no choice but to go in store to find out what had happened.

@Jasmin82 Sorry that explanation doesn't make sense. Why does someone else not collecting their order impact your order?

@help1653 there are only a set number of lockers so if person A doesn't collect their order from their locker in the 8-9 slot, then the locker is not available for person B's order to be loaded into for the 9-10 slot.

Just FYI, if you are vulnerable and encounter this, Google the store telephone number and someone will bring your order to your car if you explain.

Oh and YANBU, other than extreme mitigating circumstances, which I woiod assume to be rare, bloody well pick up your shopping when you're meant to!!!

I don’t see how someone else not collecting their order means you have to go into the store? And if you’re willing to go into the store then you don’t need a click and collect slot - you could have left it for someone who does need it because they’re isolating!

@help1653 I've also just realised that maybe your local store doesn't have lockers do maybe that's why you're not understanding.

Many stores have physical lockers outside for C&C.

Your order is put into 3 lockers (store cupboard, fridge and frozen) and you enter your order number into a computer which then automatically unlocks your lockers which have previously had your groceries loaded into them.

If the previous person hasn't picked up their groceries then there is no where for yours to be put by the store.

44PumpLane that makes sense. But they should boot Person A’s uncollected order out of the locker and take it back to the store so they can put Person B’s order in the locker!!

@fuchsake I agree with this and had actually assumed this would be what happened so it's disappointing to hear that it's the person who is on time that is inconvenienced rather than the later arriver

So its like a giant version of the lockers they have for Amazon etc? How do they keep things cool or frozen? Round here either you type in a number in a terminal and they wheel your order out the back of the warehouse (Asda) or they just have a man in a delivery van in the car park. (Sainsburys)

Surely if they have staff there to refill the lockers with the new order they should just be removing the old ones if they aren't there in time.

Some lockers are fridges, some freezers

Ah OK thanks @44PumpLane, none of the stores around here work like that.

@Fuchsake I am vulnerable. Because the click and collect at my local store uses lockers, if the person in the previous slot who has that locker doesn't collect their order, mine can't be placed in a locker. If it can't be placed in a locker, it has to go back to the store. If you try to phone the store (which I did), an automated voice says they are not taking customer calls at this times and ends the call. That leaves me, a vulnerable person who has taken all reasonable precautions to guard their health, with no option but to put myself at further risk.
If I was able to do a full shop on my own I would. As it was, it took me 30 minutes to shuffle back to my car with a trolley I could barely push. Because of someone else's selfishness of deciding they can turn up when they want, I'm now pretty much bedbound for the week. But hey, I should just leave my slot for someone else next time because I went instore when I had no choice.

How annoying especially at this time. The store should change their procedure here as suggested above.

That's frustrating.
Glad our local Tesco does not use that system.

I found out this morning that, on getting back from Asda, I'd left my door keys in the front door. If not for food for the dog being delivered, the keys would still be there.

Do you have the ASDA app? It tells you when your order is ready for collection and there's an "I'm on my way" button you press when you get in the car so they can have your order waiting when you arrive.

I have always assumed that if you don't pick up your order on time, the locker will be emptied for the next person.

What doesn't help is that the ASDA website says "don't worry if you're running late, we'll hold your order for you". Tesco doesn't say this.

@Fairylillie I have the app. It's how I found the order had been marked as collected. It's unfortunately the only way they can return the order to the store when there's no locker room. I did wonder about them adding something to let affected customers know what had happened and a way of then bringing the order to the car, but I suppose in those locations it kind of defeats the object of contact free collection. I'd just never considered that people would book a click and collect slot and then not turn up during the hour, because it just wouldn't occur to me to not bother collecting my order in that hour.

I’m so sorry to hijack your post OP but can anyone answer a quick question? We have a click and collect booked for next week and normally we go to Sainsbury's where you pull up to the specific area in the car park and they put it in the car for you. This shop is with an Asda store that has the lockers. Are they normally inside or outside the store?! And would you need to get a trolley to put everything in to take back to your car? I would try and call but I know I have zero chance of getting through at the minute

o it's disappointing to hear that it's the person who is on time that is inconvenienced rather than the later arriver

wasn't it ever thus?

I don't really want to start yet another thread about people who are always late, but it's always the people who are on time who are inconvenienced. Something starts at 9, you are there promptly, "oh we'll just want until 9.15 for the latecomers". Grrrr.

I'd complain and tell the supermarket to do exactly what was suggested, boot the latecomer's order out of the locker and inconvenience them instead of the person coming an hour later.

wait not want!

I think Asda should do an incrimental late fee like nurseries do. Hopefully it'll put repeat offenders off.

Lockers is news to me though, our local Asda has an out drive through thing in the car park where your shopping is brought out to you.

We had a click and collect order from Asda yesterday (we do a drive thru thing at ours rather than lockers) and on the website I noticed it says that the items are reserved for you until 10pm the same evening. I’m assuming that people have seen this and thought sod it I’ll turn up whenever in that case as effectively that gives you all day to turn up

@CookieBlue The lockers have space for 2 cars next to them so, you just pull up, enter your order number or scan a QR code (if your email contains one) and the lockers containing your order open. Then you just remove the bags with your order in and place in your car.