To think that shops are gonna be absolute carnage tomorrow.

[Meimeimei]

I've posted this for traffic.

I have bad anxiety with crowds and queues but I need to go into town tomorrow to pick up a few things from click and collect.

Obviously, news of maybe a national lockdown being announced on Monday.

Will people be flocking to the shops.

YABU - yes I'm going to do Christmas shopping tomorrow.
YANBU - No I'm not going to

[userxx]

Meh, we'll have 3 weeks in December, and if we don't people will just have to make do with whatever I can get.

Exactly. Who cares!

[wink1970]

Pleased (if nor surprised) to note that my local shopping centre was almost empty yesterday afternoon. It has a big Sainsburys in there, and that wasn't queueing either. Had a mooch around M&S and bought my Christmas wrapping paper....

[Ihaveyourback]

I don't make do with whatever I can get when things are already so miserable! No way!

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

Meh, we'll have 3 weeks in December, and if we don't people will just have to make do with whatever I can get.

[Aesopfable]

Christmas eve used to be fun. There was a festive buzz about town centres as everyone finished their Christmas preparations. More recently they have become sad - shops half empty with the broken leftovers, decorations taken down and displays broken up as staff hurriedly prepare for the sales and a few desparate looking folk sifting through the remains in search of last minute presents.

[Ihaveyourback]

It is like christmas eve! Incredible numbers of people out shopping for christmas. It is actually quite lovely in the cold winter sunshine.

[Thesearmsofmine]

I always book my slots in advance, there is a certain slot that I know is most convenient to me and so I make sure I book it in advance, the same as I book any other service be it hairdressers/train tickets/a prebooked taxi. I currently have my next 3 slots booked in and have done this for the last 10 years.

[VoluptuaSneezelips]

@cologne4711

that's literally how online shopping works! Yes you "hold a slot", and you fill your baskets with what you need and want the day before. How else would you manage

it isn't. Before covid I could log on the day before, choose a slot for the following day, do my shop and it arrived the next day. I never felt the need to reserve slots way in advance.

Supermarkets should cancel all delivery slots for the next 4 weeks, make the able-bodied use click and collect or shop in the shop and rebook home delivery slots for those with evidence that they are vulnerable.

Sorry couldn't figure out how to quote LucillevsLowkee post as there was no quote button on it.

My inital post seems a bit dramatic now I read it back. I was in full on panic mode at time of posting, calmed down a little now and will just have to hope I manage to get a cancelled slot. Thankyou for the further post with info in it about help, will start looking into that.
Im only classed as moderate risk though so i dont get prioty slots or access to food parcels etc which is frustrating as one of my medical conditions causes me to be housebound for periods of time.

Just to clarify I wasn't talking about placing your order and it arriving next day or within a few days though which is what I have always done.
During the initial lockdown people were putting items in the basket so they could reserve not just one slot but multiple slots for several weeks in advance of needing it. Lots of talk about it on older covid threads with people saying they were doing this during initial lockdown - was also the woman in the papers who was selling slots iirc.

[IceCreamAndCandyfloss]

@cologne4711

that's literally how online shopping works! Yes you "hold a slot", and you fill your baskets with what you need and want the day before. How else would you manage

it isn't. Before covid I could log on the day before, choose a slot for the following day, do my shop and it arrived the next day. I never felt the need to reserve slots way in advance.

Supermarkets should cancel all delivery slots for the next 4 weeks, make the able-bodied use click and collect or shop in the shop and rebook home delivery slots for those with evidence that they are vulnerable.

So all the loyal online customers pre covid shouldn’t be able to use them? Not exactly good for customer service or sales to stop the regular users using a service.

Making everyone go to the shops isn’t going to help lockdown is it.

[Redwinestillfine]

There's a lot of inaccurate information about how online supermarket shopping works. You can't book a slot with one or two items! You just need to put in a minimum spend of stuff in your basket and check out. You can then adjust your list if required the day before. For those who regularly online shop this is standard (as is booking slots as they come up). It's being organised, not 'holding slots' to be selfish!

[cologne4711]

that's literally how online shopping works! Yes you "hold a slot", and you fill your baskets with what you need and want the day before. How else would you manage

it isn't. Before covid I could log on the day before, choose a slot for the following day, do my shop and it arrived the next day. I never felt the need to reserve slots way in advance.

Supermarkets should cancel all delivery slots for the next 4 weeks, make the able-bodied use click and collect or shop in the shop and rebook home delivery slots for those with evidence that they are vulnerable.

[Mrsfussypants1]

Primark Newcastle has ques around the block right now. Im not shopping but have cut through town on the way to an appointment, so busy, but also a little sad, i wonder which shops won't make it through this.

[FrappuccinoFan]

Yes, the till queue at Lush were ridiculous! You’d have thought their Boxing Day sale was on!

[bluebeck]

I just got back from our local huge shopping centre which includes a gigantic Tesco and enormous M&S as well as Next and other stores.

No queues to get in, no busier than usual walking around and didn't have to queue at checkout at either Tesco or M&S. All round pleasant experience to be honest.

Everyone in a mask.

However, as I walked home past a large family pub, it was heaving and the car park was full (check out the time!)

[user1494055864]

@xoxogossipgirl2020

I went to lakeside today - the queues were something else, I did have a little laugh to myself at the monumental queue for lush! At least nobody will run out of bath bombs!

Lush bath bombs have a really poor shelf life, so they'll all be gone off by Christmas!

[BluebellsGreenbells]

I’ve heard the backlog for delivery is massive and about to balloon.

Order earlier rather than later.

[xoxogossipgirl2020]

I went to lakeside today - the queues were something else, I did have a little laugh to myself at the monumental queue for lush! At least nobody will run out of bath bombs!

[SantaMonicaPier]

We have a lot of gifts to buy. Starting in September helps spread the cost and also eases pressure on the independent retailers we buy from.

[unchienandalusia]

Am astonished anyone has even started their Christmas shopping, let alone worried about finishing it. Christmas is 8 weeks away!?!?

[ancientgran]

I had a Sainsbury's delivery booked for this Wednesday and the following Wednesday before we heard about this lockdown. Just had a look and nothing available this week and next week has been taken down. I've had a weekly delivery since beginning of April so hoping it will continue.

[LucillevsLowkee]

to add: contact your local council, or check your local FB group. There are many help groups across the country with volunteers shopping and delivering it to you. You might not want to ask for a big shop, but you could get at least a few basics if you are that desperate.

Also check your local greengrocers etc. Many offer delivery of basic items too, and are not more expensive than supermarket. Aldi is possibly cheaper, but Aldi doesn't deliver anyway.

[LucillevsLowkee]

@VoluptuaSneezelips

Well delivery slots are now booked up for the few next bloody weeks, I seriously wish they would remove the ability to hold a slot as it was like this last time we went into full lock down too. I can guarantee its mostly people who don't actually need any shopping and/or who are able to actually go to the supermarket but the selfish twunts are place holding the bloody slots with one or two items. Unlike last time though i don't have enough food to last till there is an available slot, guess i will have to skip meals on some of the days.

that's literally how online shopping works! Yes you "hold a slot", and you fill your baskets with what you need and want the day before. How else would you manage?

It's exactly the same with normal shopping! Why else would people take a shopping list? Your needs vary, you don't buy the exact same basket content every shop.

It's regular online shoppers who made the whole concept possible anyway, why do you think there are delivery vans and delivery drivers ready?? At a push, you could blame people who never use the service and block it, surely they were managing very well until last week.

Being angry about customers who plan, and have regular slots booked in advance is ridiculous.

I've never known about anyone booking a slot only when they decided they needed a delivery before.

[JaceLancs]

I went to Sainsbury’s on Saturday no busier than usual no shortages -
Yesterday went non food shopping for a few Xmas presents just like a normal Sunday - the only place that was busy was Costa and that was mainly due to people sheltering from the rain!

[Etinox]

🤷🏻‍♀️ Amazon.
I’ve posted several times about tipping the drivers. If everyone gave the drivers a £ or 2 it would make a big difference.

[VoluptuaSneezelips]

Well delivery slots are now booked up for the few next bloody weeks, I seriously wish they would remove the ability to hold a slot as it was like this last time we went into full lock down too. I can guarantee its mostly people who don't actually need any shopping and/or who are able to actually go to the supermarket but the selfish twunts are place holding the bloody slots with one or two items. Unlike last time though i don't have enough food to last till there is an available slot, guess i will have to skip meals on some of the days.