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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

People 'reserving' delivery slots

895 replies

turquoise50 · 20/07/2020 14:29

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? Grin)

OP posts:
heartsonacake · 22/07/2020 19:00

@twinkletoesfairy

I with you OP, I never actually realised people do this and always wondered how / why all the slots were gone. Doesn't make me want to do it though. Have found available slots on Iceland who seem to have a very fair system, so sticking with them, Sainsbury also seems quite fair.
All the systems are fair; the slots are there for whoever wants them.
knittingaddict · 22/07/2020 19:04

I can't get my head around why a handful of people think this is in any way unfair. I just don't understand the problem.

FrustratedMess · 22/07/2020 19:04

Iv got 3 slots booked up, one for each week for the next 3 weeks, as soon as the fourth week becomes available i will book that up

Is that selfish? No its not. Its common sense

FrustratedMess · 22/07/2020 19:08

@Rosebel

Have you got priority delivery slots?

WhatifIfeellikeacat · 22/07/2020 19:08

We order food same day once a week. I know that we will need it next week and the week after and after. If I can book the slots in advance then why not as I still need to order food once a week. One slot a week I think is fair.

knittingaddict · 22/07/2020 19:10

Ocado have just started offering me a delivery every 3 days. I'll stick to my weekly one, thanks. Don't want to look greedy.

Ticklemelmo · 22/07/2020 19:25

Thanks for the tip!

TheHandStandBand · 22/07/2020 19:33

The fact you don't do this.....you need to check your priorities Grin

Deliveries slots are in abundance in my area now.

Plus your thread reminded me to book in next weeks slot. 4 bottles of booze and checkout.....

raindropsdropping · 22/07/2020 19:35

Mind your own business

huuunderickssss · 22/07/2020 19:36

I've been doing this for years aside from Covid . I'm not doing anything wrong and it's sensible .. you are the fool for not doing it 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

QuiteCleanBandit2020 · 22/07/2020 20:49

@knittingaddict

I can't get my head around why a handful of people think this is in any way unfair. I just don't understand the problem.
Because people need someone to blame for their lack of organisation. No slot tomorrow ? Clearly someone else's fault 😂
FrustratedMess · 22/07/2020 22:14

How i would love to walk around the supermarket right now.....

I wish i didn't have to get home delivery slots

Leflic · 22/07/2020 23:03

@twinkletoesfairy

I with you OP, I never actually realised people do this and always wondered how / why all the slots were gone. Doesn't make me want to do it though. Have found available slots on Iceland who seem to have a very fair system, so sticking with them, Sainsbury also seems quite fair.
The slots aren’t gone because people reserve them with booze. Its still just a weekly grocery shop but with the use of the edit button.

It’s not like reserving a table whilst your other half is in the queue to buy food. Each slot is available for anyone to book and use.
What would be cheeky is people booking deliveries every few days rather than doing one big shop. That’s taking slots away from others,

Aprilsinparis · 23/07/2020 05:21

OFFS UABU

KatherineJaneway · 23/07/2020 07:01

@knittingaddict

I can't get my head around why a handful of people think this is in any way unfair. I just don't understand the problem.
They can't get a slot so it is those of us who book in advance who are at fault. Couldn't possibly be they are not organised enough. I mean who buys food weekly ....... oh hang on Grin
WhentheDealGoesDown · 23/07/2020 07:07

If you have a convenient time for home delivery, of course you book in advance if you can or that convenient time might disappear and you may be left with choosing a slot which is not a good time for you, very few people are available all day to accept a shopping delivery.

doublethecuddlestwinmum · 23/07/2020 12:51

@Lougle

It's perfectly acceptable and in fact, shops clearly allow it because you can put a single item in your basket, then checkout. At Tesco, for example, I can put a single banana in the basket, then checkout. £4 is added to the order because the basket is under £40. Once items are added to take it over £40, the £4 charge is removed.
It took me so long for the penny to drop with this!! I'd been adding Smirnoff/JD for months before I realised that I'd didn't actually need to! Confused
Crankley · 23/07/2020 17:16

Coronabegone
I haven't had drambuie for years @Crankley! I may make it my reservation bottle of choice next time then conveniently forget to delete it!

I hope you enjoy it. It's £5 off in Tescos at the moment. For a change you may want to try Blood Orange Cointreau (if it's in stock) that's pretty yummy too. Grin

evenings11 · 23/07/2020 17:39

If they are using them and doing normal shopping, not unreasonable, especially if they are not working from home and need to ensure that it fits in with work shifts.

What is worse are people booking times at museums and gardens and then not turning up.

lilylion · 23/07/2020 17:47

I have priority booking due to vulnerability and can only book one week ahead so I’m frankly amazed you can book this far in advance, OP.

netflixismysidehustle · 23/07/2020 17:54

It depends on the supermarket Lily. Sainsbury’s shows a week of slots but Tesco shows 4 weeks of slots if you're vulnerable/Delivery saver

Coronabegone · 23/07/2020 20:23

@Crankley OMG! Blood orange Cointreau adds to futur booked shopping list!

nokidshere · 24/07/2020 02:09

I came back to say for the first time in nearly 20yrs of online Tesco ordering tonight I forgot and missed my slot Confused so, unless I can cancel tomorrow (I've already rebooked for Monday) I have a very expensive jar of coffee being delivered.

I blame this thread for jinxing me!

Will they really just deliver a jar of Nescafé?

FrustratedMess · 24/07/2020 02:26

@nokidshere

This made me smile !

It must happen often....

FrustratedMess · 24/07/2020 02:27

@nokidshere

His gonna be at your door with a grin on his face , holding your coffee...

This has made me smile much more than it should of Grin

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