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.

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken

Sorry meercat23

Duchy is owned by Waitrose and has gone from Ocado x

You are right. I just checked. I didn't know that Duchy was owned by Waitrose.

I’ve just done a quick check on the Ocado site for post September 2nd (after the M&S deal kicks in.)

They have over 1500 organic products.

Brands include

Daylesford Organic (a much expanded range including lots of new stuff)
The Black Farmer Organic
Eversfield Organic
Pure Irish Organic
M&S Organic (a big range including some stuff developed for this Ocado deal)
Ocado Organic
Yeo Valley Organic
Rachel’s Organic
Golfero Organic
Clive’s Organic
Clearspring Organic
Biona Organic
Taifun Organic
Natoora Organic
Wholegood Organic
Love Me Tender Organic
Garofalo Organic
Crazy Jack Organic
Kallo Organic
Heinz Organic
Knorr Organic
Epicure Organic

I got bored. There are loads more.

They key really is to show no loyalty to any supermarket. If you swap regularly you get the best offers. I’ve used them all and really there isn’t a lot in it for me between any of them. Where I was, the only one I could get slots was Sainsburys so they got my business.

No, I don't agree. I love Ocado. Been with them for 17 years plus and they were great during Lockdown.

At the start of lockdown demand on Ocado was 10x what it was previously...and it has a tiny section of the grocery market as a whole (so Tesco/Asda for example have much more flex in the system to meet increased demand). They had to manage that somehow, although a ‘nice’ problem to have it must have been a nightmare and it was inevitable that some customers would feel like the service wasn’t good enough. Personally I was happy with once a week slots, missed the convenience of the app but not a big issue (I’ve been using it again for about a month). Service and products are IMO hard to beat.

Someone had also better tell the City that they are going down the tubes - year to date share price on pic

YABU

I've been a weekly customer for 10 years, and after a tricky couple of weeks at the start of lockdown, when all the supermarkets was overwhelmed, I got a delivery every single week since without a problem, they've delivered on time, no more than a rare substitute, and the app's being working for a couple of weeks for me.

They have my unswerving loyalty for a while longer as a result. I appreciate that my experience may not be typical based on some of the comments on here but it's not the disaster zone the OP makes out IME.

I love them. It was difficult to get a slot in lockdown but I was fine to go out and they couldn't be expected to manage that level of unexpected demand. Stopping new smart passes was a a very thing for established customers because they could very easily have just taken the money.

I am very happy with them and looking forward to having M&S products to my door.

I would never want to use an app for something as that involves more time and involved a download. It is much quicker on a computer just to go on a website surely?

What 'disdain for woman'?

Xenia the app is good for me for when I remember/think of things I need to add to an already placed order, there is a ‘one click’ option to just add items without going through logging in, editing an order and checking out again.

It is much quicker on a computer just to go on a website surely?

The app is useful if you just want to add one product to an existing order; much easier than pressing 'Checkout' forty times.

However, I am sad that they are losing Waitrose; it's not just that they are good quality, but Waitrose is - and I have this first hand from a farmer - the only supermarket who treat their farm suppliers well.

Also M&S cheeses and cold meats are much blander, and I suspect pricer too.

@Xenia

It takes a minute or so to download the app - that's a one-time thing. Once you've got it, editing orders is much quicker (there is a one-click function that doesn't exist on the website), and I find creating an order quicker too. There are also functions like barcode scanning (to find specific products quickly if you want to replace etc). And if you have a problem after a delivery it can be reported straight away on the app, much more easily than on the website.

Horses for courses, like anything, but it really is very slick and in my opinion improves the shopping experience. It's worth trying - if you don't like it/it doesn't improve your experience, then carry on using web only.

For me, it's the convenience of just adding something to my basket when I think about it, rather than writing it down on a list somewhere else, ready for when I next fire up the laptop to add it on. The mobile version of the website isn't good, so I don't bother with it.

I’m a long term ocado customer and have had the app back on my phone for at least a month now.

Went off them during the pandemic...lots of celebs flouting their online Ocado deliveries on their socials but many loyal customers couldn't get on their priority list. I went elsewhere and shall stay elsewhere.

Not bothered, they don't deliver in Edinburgh

The Ocado app has been working for weeks now!

they roll out a boiler template

What's a boiler template?

They've been brilliant for me during/since lockdown. I'm not sure why you think they've failed spectacularly or are the worst online supermarket.

I’ve only just started to use them and think that they are brilliant tbh

@Elderflower14

What do you mean "only online only supermarket"?

🙄😳

I am a smart pass member and had excellent service throughout lockdown. Could always get slots. I used Sainsbury’s too sometimes during lockdown and there were a lot of substitutions, but to be fair not bad either.

The app isn’t working yet for me. I tried to log in but they said they are slowly rolling it out. It’s fine as I have no problem using the desktop site on my iPad.

The app wasn't working for me a couple of days Ago but is now.

It displayed this message.

I was an early adopter of Ocado and have had good service from them. The drivers were brilliant with (separate) deliveries to my elderly mother, even phoned me one day to day that my mothers phone was out of order.

We had deliveries all through the lockdown. One wobble when we got a text to say a delivery had been cancelled but then it turned up as scheduled.

Occasionally stop SmartPass so get a good price on it. I'll give the new suppliers a go and see how it works.

I mostly like the model of deliveries from a warehouse, with some notice do that stock can be pretty reliable. The alternative, to supply local shops with a guess of what will be required and make customers pick goods themselves ? Pretty inefficient.

(Actually, I see it isn't working for me. I find their website fine anyway, although I miss the "one click add" function)

Further to my comment above, even on the website any items I put in my basket stay there even if I don’t complete the order that day so can continue to add as and when I want.

@edgeware

Were you posting about this the other day as well?? I am a long time customer and have had no problems at all during lockdown. Have managed to get slots all the way through. The app thing is annoying but only a mild inconvenience since using the website works just fine. Am still happy with them.

Yes of course you managed ok with them because you were a long time customer! That was the issue. They claimed to be prioritising shielding & vulnerable customers but in reality (as confirmed in an email from them to me) they were in fact, only prioritising long time customers! When you logged on, you will have had plenty of slots. When vulnerable but irregular customers (like me) tried to log in, they couldn't. Or there were ZERO slots available - ever.