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.

I used to use Ocado at least once a month, usually always twice a month. They lost me during lockdown, to say I’d been using them for six years and then to say you can’t shop with us anymore made me look for other ways to get our shopping.

I’ll continue with the milkman, the butcher, the farm shop and then a few bits from Aldi or click and collect at Tesco. I appreciate Covid is difficult for everyone but obviously they didn’t feel loyal to me during it so why should I to them, after it?

They don't even deliver round here, which is a great shame. I used to use them (when I lived elsewhere) and really liked them. But, unlike every other shop, they think we are too far away from civilisation to be of consequence.

I stoped using them as I found going direct to Waitrose online cheaper but i wouldn’t hesitate in suing them again before the other online supermarkets

Have used Ocado before Waitrose for years and loved it

Hardly any issues. If anything they are going from strength to strength and it shows as people are happy to pay the extra if costs to use them

I had an order every week from Ocado throughout. I can now have one every day if I wish. I have had the app back for 4 weeks or so and use it a lot. I like that M&S food is becoming available. I have my first order coming 8am on the 1st.

You may choose to go elsewhere. I am staying with Ocado.

Ocado provide the technology for the Morrisons home delivery, so that's something that they will continue to get additional revenue from until the develop their own.

I am a very happy Ocado customer.

Got deliveries all through lockdown (although not as frequently as I would have liked)

Didn't even realise there was an app-I like the website.

I am disappointed about the switch to M&S but will still use Ocado.

Duchy range

This is a Waitrose brand now. It has been for a few years now. That is why Duchy will no longer be available.

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Who owns Duchy?
Founded by HRH The Prince of Wales as Duchy Originals, and now run by Waitrose & Partners and known as Waitrose Duchy Organic, the brand has come a long way since its first product, the ever-popular oaten biscuit, went on sale. Yet its three main principles remain the same.

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Ocado have been great for me throughout lockdown after one dodgy week. Have used for about 8 years with few substitutes or missing items, good deliveries (have a mid-week smart pass) and good stock.

I buy lots of the Ocado own-brand stuff and haven't had a problem. About the only things we got from waitrose were chopped tomatoes and coconut milk and I'm pretty sure there will be other options for those.

Not sure we will get much M&S stuff but my husband is keen on ordering some Colin jelly sweets! (For him, not the kids)

The prince is selling his duchy range isn’t he?

He hasn’t got the time to run his farm anymore as he’s taking on more of future monarchs roles

@Friendsoftheearth

thomas 80% of my order is organic vegetables and fruit, bread. Yes I might be able to get Yeo Valley milk - although I see many of the branded items are not available in the next few weeks, even if in theory they intend to supply them. The organic range is very very limited. I buy much of the waitrose lines for suppers, and I don't want to replace it with M&S food so very limited in options.

You not wanting to swap Waitrose for m&s items is fair enough, your decision after all. You have said several times on this thread that Ocado will stop selling other brands with organic ranges though, which is simply not true.

Yeo Valley and Biona brands (as well as others) will still be available, so no need to panic!

I’ve not had any issues during lockdown and the app is working totally fine for me. I actually think that once they’re teamed up with M&S, their business will increase as plenty people who are regular M&S food shoppers who have difficulty getting out (or for whatever reason) will use them that haven’t before.

My husband had Corona virus back in April so the whole house was quarantined. I had been unable to get any slots until that point and was worried about not having enough food, nappies etc. to last us two weeks. It was also someone’s birthday in the house.
I emailed Ocado and they put me on the priority list for two weeks so that I was able to get everything I needed while I was unable to go out.
This little act alone is why, as soon as our finances are back on track, I will always remain a loyal customer.

I have used Ocado most weeks for the last 10 years as I can only shop online due to health issues. Yes, I had to miss a few deliveries during lockdown when their app couldn’t cope but they got back to normal quite quickly. I have tried all the other online food retailers. I always return to Ocado because they offer better service, fewer substitutes and food with longer use by dates. I’m delighted to now be able to get M&S stuff from them!

I think Ocado will continue to thrive.

Waitrose have owned the Duchy brand for some time now.

We moan when companies don’t offer loyalty to their customers, and now it seems we moan when they do.

I’m a high-spend smart pass Ocado customer. Never had a problem with ordering, app working for me.

I don't know why Ocado could not have worked with both supermarkets personally. That would give customers real choice.

Surely they could have done this!

I had a delivery every week in lockdown. I've been back on the app for weeks. I've always had excellent service from them.

Friendsoftheearth

Maybe Waitrose didn't want to continue either, now they have their own supermarket online delivery in place.

Maybe Ocado had their own reasons for swapping.

But you are incorrect about lost other brands not being available. It is not, as you said in a previous post, only going to be an Ocado and M&S choice. Almost all other brands will remain available.

Duchy won't be as it is owned and run by Waitrose and is called Waitrose Duchy, has been for a few years I believe.

In our area of west London they have rolled out Ocado Zoom. It’s a more limited selection but they deliver it within an hour. It’s BRILLIANT. Obviously slammed during peak pandemic but now it’s back to working well.

I thought mumsnet was boycotting Ocado because they used a billboard company that removed a transphobic advert. Or is quinoa more important?

A lot of what is being posted here is subjective tittle tattle with no logic or fact behind it.

I couldn't give a toss about an app- I order online but using a desk top or laptop.

I've used Ocado since they were born. I did get some slots during lockdown and yes, I was a midweek smart pass holder.

They also gave me a special smart pass charge when I tried to cancel with them (because I don't rate M&S food ) so I'm paying a very small amount for my pass.

My order is usually 50% Ocado and 50% Waitrose.

I don't like M&S food (unless it changes) as it's mainly expensive and unhealthy ready meals which we rarely eat.

I have a Waitrose on my doorstep and as they are now pretty organised with Covid safety, I am happy to shop in person at quiet times.

I may use Ocado for the boring stuff like bleach and some cleaning products, and their eggs are a hell of a lot cheaper than Waitrose.

I also have a midweek pass with Tesco and am very happy with the quality of their fruit and veg, so may use them too.

I'm a smart pass customer, have been for 10 years, do weekly shops of around £150 a time and was prioritised for weekly slots during lockdown. I'm not happy with the M&S switch and had planned to cancel in favour of Tesco or Waitrose. Given the likely second wave this winter we'll stick with them for now but will be cancelling next spring.

[quote Newdaynewname1]@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.[/quote]
Nope. I buy bake at home rolls, or Gail's bread and freeze it. Recently karaway bread. I also freeze meat, buy frozen veg. Buy longlife whole milk. Yoghurt lasts ages in the fridge. (Im from Europe and we don't drink fresh milk or eat toast). Cheese, butter etc last ages in the fridge. Plus I used to work in an office so used to get my lunch there.

The only thing I would top up is fruit and fresh veg.

I love ocado, admittedly aI am able to use the app but I would still stick with them even if I had to go through the website. It would take a lot for me to switch to another supermarket and I would never ever go to the likes of Lidl etc where you have to shop in-store.