To think Ocado are on their way out?

[AlternativePerspective]

They treated many of their customers shockingly during the pandemic. Broke the app and haven’t brought it back, and I have been told there is no timeframe as to when it will be brought back, they roll out a boiler template that it’s gradually going to be rolled out to a small selection of customers to ensure it works.

This is the only online only supermarket, and they’re the one who have failed the most spectacularly.

M&S are supposed to be online with them from Monday but with no app for many people shopping with them won’t be an easy thing to do so they won’t bother. Added to which M&S are looking to cut their costs anyway.

I speculated to my DP the other day that I will be surprised if Ocado are still around in a year’s time.

It’s a shame. They used to be a flagship online shop, now they’re the worst online supermarket.

Drivers are great and it is is v efficient.

@Twatalert bi-weekly deliveries means you get a substantial amount if food somewhere else - milk, bread, fruit, veg etc don’t last that long, so they are coming from somewhere else.
weekly deliveries (even if low value, but £40 isn’t that low!) indicates people are much more reliant. With our relatively low value weekly deliveries we got a slot every 10 dats. i suspect peopme with high value weekly deliveries got weekly slits, which is fine as they use Ocado a lot more.

Do you work for Waitrose OP?

I have been with Ocado for 15 years (they send me a voucher for wine or chocolates on my Ocado anniversary } and they have been fabulous, an absolute godsend during lockdowns we have been shielding, no issues at all. They have a fabulous range of products, the customer service is brilliant, and I am very excited that they are teaming up with M & S.

@AlternativePerspective

They’re the only one who are online only and don’t have actual shops.

Tesco/sainsburys/Iceland/Morrison’s/Asda/waitrose all have actual shops and their online business is essentially on the side.

Amazon prime do deliver in certain areas but not everywhere yet.

I use Ocado because it is online only and therefore the stock control works. I tried Waitrose instead and couldn’t stand the constant missing items and substitutions which are inevitable when there are in store customers. It’s a no brainer for me, I can’t be bothered doing online shopping and having to go out as well. If you don’t like Ocado other supermarkets are available.

Ocado, deliveries over Covid, the app and M&S coming in have all ben pretty smoothly received here.

We had a few hairy weeks where we were getting deliveries at midnight just to get a slot. But it didn't take too long before we had the access to book ahead. The app too longer to come back but has been back for a few weeks now. The app is great to quickly add odd items once the order's been placed.

Looking through the M&S range, it looks like they've tried really hard to match Waitrose (at least, at first) and Ocado keep sending us emails about the things we buy regularly that will have to switch and all have had suitable replacements.

Even subs or missing items have gone down number since a couple of years ago, and subs are much more sensible.

Appreciate not everyone had this experience but it's all been good for us.

Ocado do not treat all of their drivers well. I refuse to use them for that reason.

I doubt it. They seem busier than ever. I’ve had to start going to our local Lidl as it’s so hard to get delivery slots for Ocado at the minute. Plus, we’re trying to cut back on our outgoings because our business has been almost decimated by Covid.
Lidl’s fruit and veg is absolutely appalling. We’re having to throw away so much rotten Lidl food now that we’re weighing up whether the extra cost of Ocado is actually worth it.

@viccat

I've had the app back for several weeks now. And tbh while I prefer the convenience of the app (mainly for adding bits to my basket when I think of them), using the website wasn't so bad either. I had deliveries every 10 days and then every 7 days throughout lockdown but I've been a Smart Pass customer for several years and always had weekly orders. I completely understand why they prioritised loyal customers even though it was annoying for those who were more occasional shoppers and then suddenly really needed the service during lockdown.

I highly doubt they are going anywhere. They are by far the most reliable online supermarket and having M&S on board is amazing.

I’m not sure they did prioritise loyal customers though.

I’ve been a smart pass customer for years! Ive been an Ocado customer almost since they started. Until March I was having a delivery every five or so days plus a monthly delivery to my DD. I really did get all my shopping from Ocado.

Then March came, all my slots were cancelled I could not get a slot at all. I started being allowed one every 10 days after I called to cancel my smart pass. Currently I can get a weekly slot but am still paying the same as when I could have had a delivery every day if I wanted.

I have had no Toblerone (my friends who have been customers for only a few years all got one).

However I agree they are going nowhere and will stick with them .... for now. Mainly because I used Sainsburys briefly pre Ocado and they were beyond rubbish. At least with Ocado, when I can get a slot most things are available.

I tried to sign up but was rejected during the pandemic so I’m sulking now and deleted the email they sent me offering me an account.

Thank you thank you. I didn't realise the app was back.
I don't think they are in their way out. Still excellent service.

Do you think other M&S products, such as stuff from their beauty range, will be included in the Ocado site? I hope so!

For the next few weeks it was easy (and free) to get lots of slots with Waitrose directly until dc go back to school and I have the time to do a farmshop visit and see how it works.

I have a Waitrose delivery coming today as a matter of fact, so will report back on my experience!

I was a regular user of Ocado though I didn't have a Smartpass, but they dropped me like a hot potato when the pandemic started. I understood that, though it was really annoying, but now they will deliver to me again there are no slots for less than £6.50 in my area, not even at 6am or 11pm. Also I liked the Waitrose stuff and am not a fan of M&S so despite Ocado's frequent emails imploring me to come back I've switched to shopping with Waitrose directly online. I can get a £3.50 normal delivery slot, and for a bit more I can even do a Waitrose Rapid which will deliver within an hour if I'm desperate for something and can't go out for some reason.

M&S seem to have replicated a huge number of Waitrose items. I don’t buy ready meals ever, so I was concerned that a lot of my shop would be compromised, but so far - for my future orders already booked - this doesn’t appear to be the case. Obviously this will only be confirmed when the items are delivered.

The app is working for me

And also my DMum, who has never had a smart pass. I wonder if it depends where you live?

I think they're pretty busy and not really losing numbers right now, from what I can gather.

As a smart pass member for years I have been able to get orders with them regularly throughout, bar think the first week or two. It's been back to normal for me for a while now with weekly, or more, deliveries. I can even get them next day.

The apps been running for me for a while now too.

I like Ocado and choose to shop with them. I'm looking forward to having m and s as part of it too.

But you don't have to shop with them. There are alternatives. If you don't like them for whatever reason, go elsewhere.

Ocado are also the only supplier of Picard products, extremely high quality French frozen food.

Apparently, Waitrose might be teaming up with Amazon and you can still order on line direct from them so, as a customer, it's a win-win situation!

Another one saying that Ocado have been great for me all through the lockdown. The only difference was that for several weeks I couldn't reserve a weekly slot as usual. I always got a slot each week though and for the last couple of months have been able to book up to 28 days ahead.

The app has been working for me for a few weeks now. Next week's order will be the first one where I can get M&S products. Looking forward to that. Percy Pigs here I come.

Friends and family that use Waitrose and Sainsbury's couldn't get slots for quite a while but I think they are back to normal now.

Also, as an aside, THANK YOU to everyone who said the app was back. I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting... and kept seeing tweets saying it was just being limited to a few people who were trialing it etc. So I didn't bother trying to download it. But based on this thread, I just re-downloaded it and it's SO GOOD to have it back! I've used the website throughout lockdown, but I used to do everything on the app, and boy have I missed it.

For those of you who say the website is fine - it is indeed fine, and it's better than many other supermarkets' websites, but the app is SO MUCH BETTER! Try it - you won't regret it.

The issue, if there is one, will come further down the line once the pandemic is over and people decide what is on offer isn't for them, and have many more options to go elsewhere.

I prefer to use the desktop site for the main shop. I just use the app to add extras to my shop.

If they were doing so badly you'd be able to get a slot more easily. The fact they are so busy is an indicator that people are shopping with them. I've had no trouble throughout lockdown getting deliveries because they prioritised their best customers, and rightly so! Even the change over to M&S seems to be running smoothly- I've had no substitutions on today's order and they've stocked the Waitrose brand right up until the M&S switchover without a supply problem of their products. Love Ocado!

I use Ocado website And have a smartpass
Have never had a problem
Very, very few substitutes even during the worst of the pandemic
Always been on time
Quality is excellent, the products are straight from the local warehouses so don’t even hit the supermarket shelves
Have already placed orders to include the new M&S range

Also wanted to say Waitrose Direct have many more items available on their website than they do with Ocado. I was quite surprised to see so many 'new' lines, and lots of slots which is the main thing.

Ocado have a small organic range available but it doesn't taste very nice, and the choice (between M&S and Ocado only) is going to be so limited.

But there are plenty of other organic producers available from Ocado! Are you sure you're using the site properly? Admittedly most might be a little more expensive - but it only takes a little attention to compare prices and choose what seems the best value. There are always a few brands on offer.

I'm just not getting your all or nothing approach.