People 'reserving' delivery slots

[turquoise50]

I've recently discovered that apparently lots of people are 'reserving' supermarket delivery slots by just putting a bottle or two of booze which they don't really want into their trolley to take it over £40, and leaving it there for weeks! Then when they're ready to order their actual shopping they edit it and take it out.

Thus just strikes me as dishonest and really very selfish when everyone knows that delivery slots are still in very high demand. I tried to book on Saturday and the earliest slot I could get was Monday 27th. Last week there was a two-week wait and I had to order from my second-choice supermarket instead, where the wait was only a week.

I presume people are doing it the minute their order is delivered, to hold their regular spot for next time. Whereas I tend to be more reactive in my shopping habits, besides keeping a rolling list in my notes.

I feel a bit shocked, but at the same time realise that if I (pre-lockdown) would, say, order on a Thursday for delivery on a Sunday, because that happens to be my preferred day, it's effectively the same thing. But there wasn't a shortage of slots then, going to the shops was no big deal, and I was ordering stuff I actually wanted.

YANBU - it's selfish and sneaky and people shouldn't hog slots; in fact the shops should crack down on it by making it so that slots can only be held for up to a week, and/or make the trolley limit a minimum number of items, not a minimum amount of money. (I know some shops did this for a while but not sure if still continuing.)

YABU - it's really no different from ordering your full shop a few days in advance and editing it several times before delivery as you run out of different things.

(As a side question - when these people forget to update their order and 'accidentally' get a delivery of nothing but a £40 bottle of whisky that they don't even like, should I feel a certain amount of schadenfreude, or be even more annoyed by the totally wasted delivery slot? Or a bit of both? )

at easter i did have two slots, on consecutive days, both click and collect, but i did cancel one

@cologne4711

(I could get click and collect though later in the week)

But I’m not elderly so does that mean I shouldn’t? Of course not. There are many reasons why people might want to use online delivery - young kids and don’t want to trail round Asda for a start

I think the pp probably used "elderly" as a catch-all for those who need a delivery.

However those wanting to avoid a family outing to Asda could use click and collect.

You can’t use click and collect if you don’t have a car.

Or don’t want to trail Kids. out.

@Viviennemary

Thats really cheeky and selfish. I don't bother much with online shopping as we are perfectly capable of going to the shops. Leave it for the elderly.

It's not a charity. Supermarket delivery is a commercial service that customers can choose to pay for (or not). It's not (normally) allocated on any kind of need basis, just whoever chooses to use it. Sure, when deliveries are restricted, as they were at the beginning of lockdown, maybe able-bodied people should hold off to allow more vulnerable to access slots, but now they're managing their availability better, why on earth shouldn't I use the service I've paid for?

Can’t see how this is cheeky as Tesco only allows you to book two slots at a time so it’s not like you can book loads and hog all the slots

I've seen this twice now. I currently have 5 orders on the go.

I wonder if it's people using the app. In the home page you can only see two orders but that doesn't stop you reserving more and if you then click the orders tab you can see every order listed including the ones that have been delivered.

I've always done this. Although I add £40 of actual groceries. Don't see the point of adding something I don't actually want. And then if I forget to edit it at least I'll get something useful!

I hog 2 to 3 slots a months in advance so I am organised and there’s no shortage of food or items at home. Been doing it for years. Not sure what is the problem with this.
You can set up an alarm to remind yourself to book a slot.

Our local store doesn’t allow this. Once you start building a cart, you have 4 hours to complete it or you lose the slot. No edits allowed. It’s a very different approach which isn’t perfect, but it does keep people from being greedy and keeps slots open.

@cologne4711

No, they’re sensible and organised

No, they're mean if they don't need it. If you want to avoid the supermarket (eg young kids, busy, vulnerable), use click and collect.

Leave the actual delivery slots for those who need them.

Even if delivery slots were left for people who need them, supermarkets would have to stop doing delivery because there wouldn’t be enough demand.

Click and collect doesn’t interest me; I like the convenience of delivery. I can get next day delivery and book slots several weeks in advance—which I do—so in my area everyone has chance to do the same.

YABU, my item of choice is a bottle of 4 pint milk, which sits lonely waiting for a week or 2, until I add other items.

Yes I did use elderly to mean people who don't need a slot. I didn't even know it was a 'thing' to do this. What an I'm all right stuff you society we've become.

Some other grocery delivery habits, in case they might be of interest:

• book a delivery to a holiday address to arrive the first evening/ morning
• book a delivery for delivery to a (poor) student away at uni (DS used to meet the delivery van outside the basketball courts as they couldn't come on campus - they phoned him when they arrived!)
• edit a delivery the night before coming back from holiday - whilst sipping cocktails in the bar

Thanks for this! You’ve reminded me to book my 17/8 slot! Off to look at gin 🙂

I book a few slots in advance from Tesco and always have done long before Covid. I don’t feel guilty at all, in fact with 3 dc, dh and I both working full time, and various pets I actually think of myself as quite organised!

@BiteyShark

Can’t see how this is cheeky as Tesco only allows you to book two slots at a time so it’s not like you can book loads and hog all the slots

I've seen this twice now. I currently have 5 orders on the go.

I wonder if it's people using the app. In the home page you can only see two orders but that doesn't stop you reserving more and if you then click the orders tab you can see every order listed including the ones that have been delivered.

Same here. No 2 slot limit.

I’ve always got slots booked once a week for the next 4 weeks. My DH has a lung condition so we don’t go out to the shops. It used to be difficult to get slots and I used to ha d to stay up till midnight to get one when they were released but now I can get one during the days. I’m booked up till the 10th August now

I don't see the problem with pre-booking slots, as I'll use all the ones I've booked (weekly at the same day/time). I just use the 'add all' from a previous order as my holding items, and then edit on the evening before delivery to suit our actual needs. I'd say on average I remove half of the holding items and add as many again.

Thanks for reminding me OP. Need to book another Asda slot for a couple weeks time. Put 3 bottles of Tanqueray in to hold the slot.

Just remember to amend it unlike a lady I work with!

And yes, YABU.

I do this a lot. I forgot once and had two bottles of rum delivered to my door

Vettiyalruken if you select the book a slot can't you book more? I can and have.

@BiteyShark

Vettiyalruken if you select the book a slot can't you book more? I can and have.

Ignore me I can now see you have posted 4 slots 😁

I do this. I thought everyone did TBH! How in the world will I know what I'd like to eat in a couple of weeks time?!

I've started just adding the last shop's basket to my new one instead.

@Viviennemary - I'm a single parent to 3DC all under 10, Eldest has SN's. Even before COVID it was difficult to get someone to look after them. It became impossible over lockdown obviously.
I've always booked in advance as I always use the slots - I usually add the basic things to my order & then complete it fully within a day or 2 of the cut off.
Back a couple of months ago, I was having to constantly check websites to book a slot once the ones I'd prebooked had passed. I don't drive & even if I did, my eldest would have had a meltdown in a supermarket - plus I'm sure we were told to avoid taking children if possible!

So what should I do? Or what should I have done? Book in advance as I did (and still end up struggling for a slot once the prebooked had passed) or leave my SN's 9 year old with his 2 younger siblings to travel on 2 buses to a supermarket, travel on 2 buses back - which a weekly shop? (haha) I did/do what I have to do to ensure my childre are safe, happy & fed.

In your opinion that makes me a selfish person - fair enough, I can live with that.

I think that this is a good time to remind everyone about the "read OP's posts only" function where you'll see that she accepts that she was unreasonable.