To think Ocado with M&S is a bit pants?

[lemons888]

I've been a regular Ocado customer for 11 years. I'm trying to place an order this morning and am already really missing Waitrose - particularly the Essentials range, which offered really good value IMO.

Ocado is advertising some of the new M&S products as "great value" when they aren't. Take cucumbers for example - the M&S "great value" cucumber is 60p and the Ocado one right next to it is 45p. How does that make M&S great value, unless it's a significantly bigger cucumber (not clear from the website?)

I will miss the convenience of Ocado (including next day delivery and the easy to use website) but will be switching to Waitrose own delivery after this shop.

AIBU?

@AlternativePerspective sounds like the experience I had - the website was very glitchy this morning as I was trying to check out.

Pretty unimpressed so far.

Cheese for example. The Waitrose 1 cheese range is amazing, lots of unusual cheeses they have gone out and found. M&S range is cheddar cheddar and more cheddar. Maybe some brie.

There aren’t reviews on many of the M&S household items yet but where they are they are poor. Loo roll for example.

I think Waitrose USP is carefully sourced and ethically farmed ingredients whereas M&S’s is ready meals. I don’t buy ready meals so there’s not a lot of benefit to me in M&S.

Think I’ll be trying waitrose delivery fairly soon.

Why wouldn’t You just order form Waitrose if you want Waitrose stuff?

Waitrose deliveries always had lots of subs, also short use by dates.
Waitrose via Ocado worked much better because it came from a wharehouse rather than local store.

I work for Waitrose as an online order picker and started during COVID and in prep for them doing all their own online deliveries. In regards to delivery areas, with the move away from Ocado and going solo stores are adding more postcodes that they deliver to but it's being done gradually. So although it doesn't help in the here and now it might be something that becomes available in the not too distant future. The store I work at already delivers quite a distance from where it is so lord only knows where they are opening it up to in the next phase. And as for subs I can only comment on where I work but we always seem to have a decent stock level now everything has started to settle down. Did midnight till 8am this morning and I only subbed 2 items out of over 1000 items picked. One of them was for a different pack size of the same item 🤣 and the other was a blinking good upgrade (in my eyes anyway).

But I've no basis for comparison as I've never done online shopping as I shop at Aldi 🤣

Agree about Waitrose offering more ethically sourced products Which appealed to me. I associate M&S with really nice fruit but mainly ready meals which I don’t buy.

No more creme fraiche on Ocado now! M&S only offers the "lighter" option, which doesn't give the same results at all in a recipe.
They conveniently left this out of the marketing campaign telling us all Waitrose products would have a M&S equivalent...

And I agree, it feels more expensive overall, and less foodie.

Whoop! I've just received my Waitrose money off vouchers - first since before lockdown. £5 for every £50 spent in store and £10 for every £100 spent online - offer in conjunction with the MyWaitrose card. 🌹

Agree re the Ocado/M&S range not being anywhere near as good. Over half of my regular items are no longer available (and yes M&S alternatives are frequently more expensive, eg houmus/dips in smaller sizes for the same price).

And 11 years of buying with Ocado has taught me not to rely on Ocado brand fresh fruit and veg.

As a consequence I've made my first Waitrose order this week....will see how it goes and report back....

I’m personally really excited about the m and s replacement! But agree think the teething issues will take a few weeks to iron out! I’m
Going to stick with it and give It a go!

I've had my first M&S delivery today from them - all seems fine and price-wise it was just over £90 for a decent sized shop. I think only time will tell if it'll be as good - Waitrose have been fabulous for the whole time we've shopped with Ocado, so worst comes to worst we'll just switch over to them.

We have had an M&S/Ocado delivery. Mixed bag. Tried their "cornettos" because Waitrose ones were nice and cheap but the M&S ones were too sweet and gritty. The chocolate tastes weird, too. Noticed a lot more packaging which pees me off too. We'll stick with brands and Ocado in the main but might have to use local shops for meat and vegetables, because of all the plastic!

We were pleased with our first Ocado/M&S order. We are lucky in that we already rotate between Waitrose and Ocado on a weekly basis so we will be able to still get our Waitrose fix. Waitrose do tend to have more subs although we have always found them to be a great service although can't wait for the deli service to come back as really missing not have some items that are only available there.

My first delivery coming this afternoon so will see how it is. Basket wise price felt very similar to normal. I get a lot of Ocado products and then some things like grass fed mince from Eversfield. I also find Ocado has a good range of Seventh Generation which I find hard to get elsewhere

We mix and match Ocado with Lidl and Aldi bulk shops to try to keep prices down

I was surprised nobody likes M&S ready meals here... too expensive for me now but I used to love them! The balanced for you seafood linguine especially is lovely

Also love their sandwiches etc in the shops

No more creme fraiche on Ocado now!

They do have an M&S full fat creme fraiche but it’s out of stock... guess it may be coming soon?

But they’ve stopped listing the amazingly delicious Isigny Sur Mere creme fraiche in the glass jar 😭

I’ve never had any problems with Waitrose’s own website of delivery.

Ocado seem to be out of stock of loads of M&S stuff.

Waitrose broke their contract with Ocodo by setting up their own personal delivery service.

I swapped from Ocado to Waitrose delivery over a year ago when they hiked up the smart pass renewal price and wouldn't give me a reasonable deal after having shopped with them since they opened 12 or so years ago.

My Waitrose delivery actually comes from a warehouse in Coulsdon so not my local Waitrose at all. It's fab. Never had a problem. Hour slots; free; on time; sensible substitutions if you've ticked the box to allow them. Can't believe I stuck with Ocado and paid a bloody fortune annually for the privilege!

Anyway reading the shit storm that had been Ocado over lockdown I'm amazed people are still using them. I had a delivery weekly from Waitrose all through lockdown anyway.

But I would actually prefer if you mostly stay with Ocado. Don't want Waitrose getting swamped!!

"Cheese for example. The Waitrose 1 cheese range is amazing, lots of unusual cheeses they have gone out and found. M&S range is cheddar cheddar and more cheddar. Maybe some brie. "

I've just had a quick look and found Stilton, Gouda, Edam, Jarlsburg, Ricotta, Paneer, Camembert, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Parmesan...
Quite a few are M&S; others are Ocado or branded.
Where are you looking? It's not in the Ocado cheese section.

I really like M&S food, I had a delivery with some cupboard and longer life bits, but will switch back to my usual shop next time as it does seem quite pricey for everytime. I don't eat meat so can't comment on the meat, but their veggie and vegan foods are really nice. Not a huge fan of Waitrose though, so probably taints my view! I did have a few things unavailable, but mainly just crisps etc that really it was probably better they didn't arrive. I can't get over the price of delivery though, I had a ridiculously late one as it was free, but £6.99?!

I can see creme fraiche, might just be out of stock locally for you?

But they’ve stopped listing the amazingly delicious Isigny Sur Mere creme fraiche in the glass jar

WHAT?

As for the cheeses, yes yes yes, it's rubbish. I can't digest too much cow's milk cheese, so buy Waitrose Goats Gouda (which I cannot recommend too highly), and a lovely hard sheep's milk cheese as well. Both gone, no replacements at all.

@Tanith Gouda, Edam and Jarlsberg all taste the same, and mostly of nothing; the others are all pretty standard.

@Minipie I can get the glass jar creme fraiche at Waitrose online, it seems...

Tanith I’ve just looked on Waitrose at the Waitrose 1 cheeses and there’s about 5 cheeses I’ve never even heard of (and I like my obscure cheese!) as well as better known speciality cheeses like Reblochon, Epoisses, Torta di Gorgonzola... AND they have all the “mainstream” cheeses you just listed...

YANBU had my first Ocado & M&S delivery on the 3rd and very disappointed. M&S is great in my opinion for snacks, cakes, cookies, sweeties etc but not a good full shop and less value than Waitrose.

Will only be keeping Ocado (without a smart pass) now because we need things from their Swedish/French etc shops particularly the Picard range and moving to Waitrose online permanently, for our bigger shops.

Right, I am now crosschecking my shopping list.

Waitrose Window Cleaner, £1 for 750ml.
M&S replacement in my favourites - £1 for 500ml. Sod that.