Changes to Tesco slots?

[ExhaustedFlamingo]

Family of four, been shielding due to pre-existing health issues (me), and been managing to grab click and collect slots - with a great deal of effort.

I think the supermarkets have done amazingly well increasing capacity, and if I'm not lucky enough to get a slot, I understand. There's so many of us trying, I don't blame the supermarket at all if I'm not successful.

But here's the thing. Talking to my mum yesterday over Skype - she is a pre-existing delivery saver customer, which may be relevant. I could only see slots up to 22nd May - everything taken for click and collect, and delivery (we haven't taken any delivery slots because we can manage click and collect). Anyway, she could see slots up to 29th May!!

She is local to me and we were comparing slots for the same branch. She's basically able to see slots a week ahead of me. I've refreshed/reloaded etc and I'm a week behind her. Does anyone know the reason for this? Are Tesco giving preferential booking to those who were existing delivery saver customers?

With a huge amount of effort, I'd been able to get click and collect slots but for the past fortnight or so, there's been absolutely nothing. I'm wondering if Tesco have changed their philosophy and are now giving delivery saver customers advance booking? It's the only thing I can think of to explain the difference.

I've got absolutely no problem at all not being able to get a slot if we're all trying at the same time. It's hard for everyone and we can't magic up more slots. But if Tesco ARE offering advance booking to their delivery saver customers, then there's basically no chance for the rest of us. Mum said for the week ahead - which I can't even see yet - there was only one slot left for the Friday and that was the last day on what she could see. So, in other words, when it gets released to the rest of us, no bloody wonder there's nothing left because they've already been taken! Aaargh!

I'm making sweeping assumptions here as mum isn't on any kind of list so that's the only reason I can think of.

I have managed to get slots for click and collect with Asda - did our first one today. Tons of stuff substituted or out of stock and not substituted - don't normally have the same problem with Tesco other than the odd thing here or there. I've got two autistic children, one with quite profound difficulties, and while they eat quite a reasonably healthy diet, they've very rigid. Not being able to get certain things is a real headache - substitutions don't work. Deep sigh.

I really don't want to sound like an entitled brat, and with so many people ill and dying, I realise that this is minor. But has anyone else noticed this or does my mum have access to some magical Tesco portal that's blocked to us mere mortals?

First post so please don't slay me for sounding like a whiny cowbag.

Maybe I need to also check in the daytime, I don’t bother anymore as I have never seen an available slot .

I wouldn't stay up unless you were up anyway , I che cked at 2a.m. And there wasn't any so I wouldn't wait up if you're not going to up anyway as it's no guarantee

Anyway I'm glad tescos have done this.

@SirVixofVixHall They don’t release all of the slots to the people who can see the week ahead. There are some held back for general release.

Hi - thank you all so much for replying. It sounds like from what several people have said that the delivery saver DOES give you an extra week to view with priority booking. That would make sense comparing what my mum can see to what I can see at the same branch.

I was in the queue for Tesco tonight at midnight and got on almost right away - no slots left by 12.01. I tried again at around 2am and nothing. Pants. Clearly in our area the vast majority of the slots are being given to those who can book in advance and it's going to be pointless carrying on trying.

The thing is, up until about 2 weeks ago, there were always some slots available - we have 3 big Tesco branches all very close to each other so possibly that's why. Literally overnight, all the slots dried up - I think it's the change in the booking system. Almost certain Tesco originally weren't going Delivery Saver customers any priority, but they clearly are now which means pretty much all the slots are gone.

My DS has a bowel condition (just to complicate matters) and he needs to eat vast quantities of fresh fruit (which is bloody expensive!) to prevent blockages/pain. I can't really go more than 7-8 days without a shop because of the fruit.

I don't think I'm going to bother trying with Tesco any more. A PP said they're not charging for Delivery Saver at the moment so it feels a bit unfair that they're giving them priority booking - but it is what it is. No point me whinging on! Thank you so much for everyone who's commented, it's been really helpful.

On a brighter note, I had a look at Morrison's tonight - I've never shopped there before. They had LOADS of slots for click and collect so I'm going to give them a try.

Delivery saver members can see further ahead, but Tesco keep releasing slots for everyone at random times so keep trying. For example, a week ago or so I managed to get a 17 May slot, then on Friday I managed to get a slot for tomorrow. I must have just tried the app at the right time (this was 10 am). I had my pick of times. Before Friday all slots on all days for the next three weeks seemed taken.

Delivery saver can see a week ahead of everyone else. Once a slot has been booked all the others are unavailable for that week. The midnight thing seems to have stopped, I have better luck for my mum (not a delivery saver account) about 7am now. Mum is shielding so needs her slots and I’ve had them for years as it’s a 20 mile round trip to town and I don’t always have time between work and the children.

I have had luck getting slots at random times of logging on. So yesterday I looked at about 5pm and was able to book for 30/5. Messaged my neighbour and she managed to get one too. It’s worth just checking randomly throughout the day tbh.

My mum has delivery saver can see until 31 May, she has finally been added to priory and that also says 31 may
My mum has had a delivery saver for years as she is housebound, until her gp confirmed her as extremely vulnerable I was staying up 2/3 nights a week doing the midnight thing, I always got one but it would take a few nights sometimes. At that moment in tome it was frustrating that my mum who had been paying a delivery saver for years couldn’t get a slot, it certainly didn’t feel like she had any priority.
Pre CV she could order up to 3/4 weeks in advance but could always get a slot the day before, she never ordered so far in advance
CV happened and the slots dropped to 2/3 weeks in advance
Anyway YABU as once this is over will you be doing online delivery or click and collect? Probably not, Tesco will want to protect their original loyal delivery saver customers. It’s still a business

They are also limiting people to one order a week so if you have collected within the last week you can’t see any other slots at all.

If you are on the shielding list then you can phone up and they will sort you out a slot.

I'm in the shielding group but I don't get deliveries because I've heard of so much stuff being unavailable. Which makes a delivery pointless.

Delivery Saver customers are business gold in terms of market share as they're "locked in" to the scheme so are unlikely to change supermarket.

I guess from a business point of view they're worried if they don't give them slots their Delivery Saver customers will be forced to shop elsewhere and then will keep shopping elsewhere after this peak is over.

@ponoka my mum hasn’t had many substitutes other than the first week of CV when everyone was panic buying it’s been the same as in the past, think store stock levels are better now. Tesco you usually come off better anyway, last week my mum had two lots of Tesco crumpets instead of 1 lot of warburtons. The only thing she doesn’t seem to get is her tv magazine which I get her

There hasn't been a change in the system tbh, if you are a member you have always been able to see a week ahead of those who can't.

I find Morrisons have lots of slots

Good on Tesco’s I say for valuing their regular costumers, it’s very frustrating when you’ve been a regular costumer for years then everyone else starts shopping on there and you can no longer get a slot. I don’t know how anyone can moan at that, Ocado stopped letting now people even sign up, if you didn’t have an Ocado account then tough shit, atleast Tesco’s are still allowing it but showing they value their regulars.!

i had a delivery saver with asda but cant get any slot at all
i dont have one with tesco but can get delivery/click and collect, up to a week,
suits me

I've been a Tesco delivery saver customer for years because I'm disabled, DH is in the military and I can't always get go to the shop. I've got a slot booked every week up until the 29th May.

I find they release slots at random times during the day. I just start filling my basket after the last delivery and then wait until a slot appears. Having said that many of our essentials I get weekly from farm deliveries/ wholesalers so I don't need to get bread (other than my gf bread), vegetables, milk etc.

@PumpkinP
Firstly your attitude stinks for people genuinely struggling. Secondly, Bollocks are Tesco doing that. I’ve been shopping with them for years. I wrote to the CEO saying I’m disabled and was told basically to eff off. I luckily managed to get a delivery saver with Morrison’s just before they stopped issuing them so I can get slots.

Exhausted
With Tesco, anyone on the shielding list can see the extra week ahead, these still go pretty quickly though. Idk why your mum can see ahead of you though as it doesn’t sound as if she is on that list. If your mum can see further ahead than you, you can always try getting slots delivered to you through her account. Get her sign on, add your address details and search regularly for slots. You can check out your order using your card.

If it’s a genuine issue with getting to the supermarket, ring Tesco and explain you have no one and you’re really struggling. They will more than likely add you to the list.

Yes, it's rewarding their customers who have already been shopping online. There can't be that many delivery pass holders anyway as certainly around here I could go on at 5pm and get a delivery for the next morning before all this kicked off, so I'd guess the lion's share is still going to non-delivery pass customers.

We've been shopping online with Tesco for years every week so it's nice we can resume that without hassle!

Nothing wrong with valuing their loyal costumers. I’m impressed with Tesco’s and have 4 slots booked all the way up till the end of may. If you’re struggling then they are not the only supermarket, Tesco’s have increased their online shopping more than any of the other supermarkets.

I'm absolutely demented trying to get any slot for my parents. Up till about a month ago it was ok. Since then I have tried midnight, 2am and random times of the day and night. Nothing. I've tried click and collects at every Tesco within a 20 mile radius. Zilch. It's actually becoming very stressful now, I'm obsessed with it.

and Tesco’s are supporting their usual costumers who will likely still continue to shop with them once this is over, unlike all the new ones who will go back to whatever it was they were doing before. So it makes good business sense. Tesco’s is not a charity .

@sirvixofvixhall
A relative has coeliac disease and contacted their Dr and the Coeliac society to clarify if they are more of a risk.

The answer was unless you have other underlying health issues listed by the government Or feature in the long Gov ‘vulnerable’ list such as over 70’s the. You are at no more greater ‘risk’ than anybody else.

Therefore you wouldn’t be on the Gov extremely vulnerable shielded list (where you would get priority delivery slots) You would have received a letter from the NHS of GP is you need to be on that list.
You wouldn’t be on the Gov ‘vulnerable’ list either.

Contact your GP just to double check if you think you should be on one of the lists.

Delivery saver here - nothing magical about seeing the extra week as all slots gone anyway! Single parent and my parents in their 80s - it seems to be irrelevant that the extra week can be viewed as high-risk customers justifiably get priority - delivery saver is definitely not a factor.