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? )

YABU. You're just pissed off that you haven't been organised enough to do it yourself. I've reserved the same weekly slot for years that way - booking 2 weeks ahead at a time. I have a saved basket of regulars that adds in automatically, just in case i ever forget to amend the order.

Sorry, but its completely normal and not selfish. Ocado even advises its customers to do it.

Why would Alexa have an add to your Morrisons shopping skill, if you know, you're not meant to add to your shopping list for Morrisons?

*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.*

That's great for you, I paid for an annual pass and intend to use it! I'm sure the supermarkets have caught onto the fact more people want online shopping and have adjusted their business plan accordingly? If they haven't then they're stupid!

Thanks for reminding g me to. Ok a slot for 2 weeks time! - the earliest I can get one at the mo.
We always do this - or out in a basic shop then tweak it close to delivery because we might need more of one thing and less of another or have plans that we need stuff for

I read a post on fb recently of someone who had booked up a slot with two expensive bottles of brandy and then forgot, meaning that they were delivered to his house and he hadn’t actually bought any food.

I usually book my slot after I’ve had the last one delivered, and I reserve it by adding enough of my favourites to my basket to cover the minimum charge (£40 if shopping with Sainsburys), so they are items I will be buying anyway I just go and add more later.

TBH the selfish ones are the ones who booked several deliveries in advance meaning those people who needed them struggled to get any slots at all.

Oh and, to the PP saying that she thought slots would open back up when shielding is paused, possibly, but the shielded are still going to continue to receive priority delivery slots even though shielding itself is being paused....

1. Did you all do this from the start? When shopping first went online
Yes I have been doing I started online shopping. It is common practice.

2. When everyone was saying 'Aargh there aren't any slots' during lockdown, did you mean there weren't ANY slots (which was what I meant) or did you mean 'I can't book my usual slot 3-4 weeks in advance like normal'?
Despite paying a monthly charge for smart pass I couldn’t get any slots/deliveries for nearly two months - I only got them when I called to cancel my smartpass....

3. What happens when you've got a slot booked weeks in advance but then something comes up? Do you cancel/reschedule? Or do you religiously schedule around the supermarket delivery? I would reschedule if anything came up but I book my slots based on my diary plus there are three of us living here so I’ve never had to cancel a slot yet....

Why don't they, when you sign up, get you to choose a regular delivery schedule, say every other Monday or whatever,
That wouldn’t suit me, I book my deliveries to suit me... the same as I would go to a physical shop to suit me...

Currently I have to finalise my order 48 hours before my delivery... pre Covid it was the day before....

Surely it’s not that different to booking other things in advance? My next two hair appointments are already booked... I usually book my next dental checkup when leaving my last one....

@CentrifugalBumblePuppy

I guess that's kind of what makes me uncomfortable with it? Not for the sake of the supermarkets or the suppliers, but as you say. the other customers - either people who order 'late' like me, or the (surprisingly large) majority who do still shop in person. It feels a bit like putting your coat on an empty chair in a crowded (pre social-distancing!) pub and then your friend doesn't turn up. Technically you haven't done anything wrong, but I'd still feel a bit guilty about hogging that seat for nothing.

And the substitution thing has never made sense to me before but this explains it. There must be a better system than effectively forcing people to hold a basket open with spurious items.

Surely it’s not that different to booking other things in advance? My next two hair appointments are already booked... I usually book my next dental checkup when leaving my last one....

I do this, I thought everyone did.

Well, Asda has a system where you can keep a re-curring slot at the same time every week for the priority customers. If it helps people feel better that they are not reserving it with products instead.

they can still change the order the day before, as it is helpful to see what you need at the time.

Must be lovely to have such a life that thing like this are a worry!

I've always done this, prelockdown i always had my shopping delivered Sunday morning as it was frequently the only time I was in the house for a full hour time slot (other than late evenings and once I've sat down I don't want to get up again to sort shopping. It's just called being organised

Technically you haven't done anything wrong, but I'd still feel a bit guilty about hogging that seat for nothing.

But you're not hogging it for nothing. You're going to use the seat...

I guess that's kind of what makes me uncomfortable with it? Not for the sake of the supermarkets or the suppliers, but as you say. the other customers - either people who order 'late' like me, or the (surprisingly large) majority who do still shop in person. It feels a bit like putting your coat on an empty chair in a crowded (pre social-distancing!) pub and then your friend doesn't turn up. Technically you haven't done anything wrong, but I'd still feel a bit guilty about hogging that seat for nothing.

Well don't be 'late' go on and book a slot today for whenever! So you're seriously saying that because you're late, the rest of us should wait for you to book? How ridiculous!

I've just been on and booked a slot for mid August, with two bottles of gin, I'll use the slot so it's not wasted.... when would you like me to wait until, when will you "late" people think about booking a slot?

Isn't this just being called being organised? Unless they are selling the slots on (I think someone did during lockdown) I cannot see the issue.

Before Covid I could book with Tesco whenever and usually had one or maybe two orders If I was feeling particularly organised.

At the start of Covid I had to be on the ball to get a slot at all, but managed every 10-14 days. Then it was easier to get one every 10-14 days. Now they do one per week per customer and because I’m always looking I get the ones I want.

You’ll not be a fan of me now OP because I’ve got slots booked up til mid August!
I don’t really think I need to defend myself because I’ve used delivery for years but a) what of we have to self isolate? And b) I live in a v touristy area and I want to make sure I get my delivery as our population expands!

i always do it - I have no idea what I might like to buy in a few weeks time. Ocado lets people reserve christmas slots in October! I'm hardly going to know what I want 2 months ahead of time.

If you wait until 48 hours before your Christmas shop delivery to add sprouts you’re a knob who probably won’t get any sprouts. I doubt they’d be there to add.

You honestly can’t be surprised that things are different since Covid/lockdown?!

I always do this with Ocado and edit it a day or two before the cutoff for delivery. Ocado has kindly assigned me a delivery a week and to be able to book 3 deliveries ahead and I'm jolly well going to take them. I found the early weeks of lockdown very, very stressful because we were both vulnerable and long term customers of Ocado who had to get food when they could. I was having disturbed sleep and getting up at 3 in the morning to try for slots.

I'm sure it's already been said, but I put a few things in my trolley so it's over the £40 because I don't have a clue what I will need in 3 weeks time. I do usually put things in that I actually want though like bread and milk and wine. I've got my priorities right.

I've notices that recently I could book slots 5 days apart, so Ocado at least must have availability. I stick to once a week though as my ability to meal plan has improved.

I've always done this. It got difficult through lockdown but I always managed to get a slot by logging in at midnight. I have Saturday slots booked now up to and including 15 August, each for a bottle of Drambuie and I go online the day before to place my actual order.

This is normal. The supermarket each has rules as to how close to delivery you can edit your order and they text you to remind you to update your order.

It's especially important to do it on the run up to Christmas when the slot gets booked and you order champagne

Did you all do this from the start? When shopping first went online? Or was it a case of, a few people started doing it and so then everyone had to or else there'd be no slots?. I'd do a delivery once a month so never prebooked as a) slots were available for within a few days b) I was flexible. Now I need a delivery every 7 days as I buy 3 boxes of formula a week and that's the max you can buy I prebook so I don't miss my chance.

2. When everyone was saying 'Aargh there aren't any slots' during lockdown, did you mean there weren't ANY slots (which was what I meant) or did you mean 'I can't book my usual slot 3-4 weeks in advance like normal'? no slots

3. What happens when you've got a slot booked weeks in advance but then something comes up? Do you cancel/reschedule? Or do you religiously schedule around the supermarket delivery there's a pandemic on, we're am I gonna go? But in days of old, I'd normally order a late week day delivery so we'd def both be in. When I've had an emergency and couldn't get home, I called and rescheduled.

I've shopped online for years and always done it that way. Otherwise I'd never be able to get a slot at a time and date that suits. I always go back and fill the basket with my weekly shop later. How else are you supposed to do it?

@AuntyPasta

If you wait until 48 hours before your Christmas shop delivery to add sprouts you’re a knob who probably won’t get any sprouts. I doubt they’d be there to add.

You do realise your order doesn’t get picked until the morning of delivery, right? Just because you’ve ordered the items doesn’t mean you’ve reserved them.

So if they’re running low on say, sprouts, it really is chance who gets them, whether it be you who has had them in your basket for weeks or the person who put them in 48 hours ago when they were still saying ‘available’.

You get the items in your trolley based on what the picker visually sees when they go to get your order that morning. It doesn’t matter when you chose the items.

Oh I do always book my slot with the basics we need though, bread milk veg etc. And with Tesco you don’t need to meet the £40 to book.

If you order sprouts at least a fortnight before hand Ocado have time to make sure they have sufficient sprouts to fill those orders.