Sainsbury’s shopping fury

[Quit4me]

I usually shop at Tesco’s and get a delivery, but obviously at the moment it’s tricky to get a slot so a couple of times I have ordered with Sainsbury’s.
We are a family of 5 (3 kids all older than 7) and get through a fair amount of food esp in lockdown- around £130 a week.
Last night we had a delivery booked at 8-9pm. We live in an area that yesterday, only had a dusting of snow.
Waited until 10pm with no delivery and no email or text to say where the delivery was.
Spoke to customer services via online chat- our delivery had been cancelled due to bad weather. No text or email.
My money should be refunded in 3-5 working days! They advised rebooking a slot of click and collect.
Great. So no fresh food for the kids today. Not enough milk or bread. Too late in the evening to drive and get something.
Am I just supposed to fork out another £130 before the money has come back (possibly not until next Monday?)
I asked why I wasn’t informed earlier and had to find out myself, got no response back.
AIBU to think this is shocking service?
I know we are in a pandemic and there has been some snow- but it’s really not snowed heavily here.
The other think that has annoyed me is previous deliveries I have had from them, things just haven’t been in the shopping at all. When questioned, they give me a credit note against a future order?
Why? If I pay for something that doesn’t turn up, I expect the money back in my bank, not a voucher?
Tesco always refunds. I hadn’t realised Sainsbury’s were so crap?

Tesco cancelled on me this morning but at least we got a phone call.

Sainsbury driver just delivered here despite heavy snow but he got stuck. Thankfully DH and neighbours dug him out. Problem is the vans are automatic and the drivers can't chose to start in second gear

I wish everyone who has had an issue realises how much the delivery supermarkets have stepped up to add slots during the pandemic. My store has more than doubled the vans, drivers, pickers etc while still working in the same very restricted space. They work their socks off. And inevitably there is a breakdown in logistics on the rare occasion..

Sainsbury’s are generally reasonably reliable in our area but occasionally we get very short dated goods that it is difficult to consume within time eg 2 or more lots of meat/fish with a use by date of the date after delivery.

I've had problems with dates and quality for fresh stuff.

I don't order fresh fruit or veg from them now. It's just not worth the faff. Our local greengrocer takes phone orders and you can collect a box of veg.

Sainsburys have been a life saver for us during this pandemic. Never had an online delivery with them before but have had one a week since March without any problems and the driver is friendly too.
Managed to get one slot with waitrose and they canceled cos of snow.

I remember a couple of years ago when we had a foot of snow, and our Ocado driver broke down in the next village. He phoned, and let us go out to him, and unload from there. He said he shouldn't have done it, but didn't want us to be without food, bless him.

@HeddaGarbled

Just to counter this, yesterday our Sainsbury delivery driver carried the crates up our snow-bound track on his shoulder as he didn’t want to risk it in his van. He said he’d helped several colleagues dig their vans out when they’d been stuck in snow at various times through the day, but still managed to get to us on time.

I also had exceptional service from Sainsbury's yesterday.

Yesterday, the weather was awful where I live (very rural, the house is accessed via a long bridleway), and I had a delivery due in the afternoon. I called Sainsbury’s at 8am to cancel because there was so much of snow and ice, I was convinced the driver wouldn’t be able to make it down the path. I called again at 11 to make sure that the delivery was definitely cancelled.

Towards the end of what would have been my delivery slot, I was surprised (to say the least) to see a delivery man walking towards the house pushing a stack of crates - he said he’d been told that the customer cancelled the order due to the weather but he thought I might have changed my mind! He'd very sensibly parked just off the main road but it couldn’t have been easy pushing the crates down the treacherous path. He was very friendly, wore a mask and kept his distance; he said he’d never let a customer down - it really made my day!

I’ve had a nightmare with Sainsbury’s recently. My order was also cancelled yesterday due to bad weather. This didn’t surprise me as it’s been pretty bad where we are, but I didn’t receive notification until this morning, and even then it was an email ‘confirming my cancellation’ - no apology or info on how to rebook.

Three weeks ago they only delivered about two thirds of my shop. I then had to spend three days trying to get a refund for the missing items. Nightmare.

I’ve been using Sainsbury’s online for 10 years now and this is the first year I’ve had problems, but something is definitely going very wrong with that company right now.

I have an account with Sainsburys, and when my current pass runs out they will not be getting any further orders from me. Why? Last week I had cause to complain about the behaviour and attitude of their delivery driver, who, I am not joking, threw a crate full of food through my door without looking to avoid catching Covid from me (I don't have it!). I am disabled, use sticks to stand, and was nearly knocked flying - which could have caused me serious injury.

When I complained about this I was told, in writing, that customer service is "optional". Optional!

My response was "so is being a customer". Unfortunately I can't afford to cancel my account right now because I depend on my deliveries, and have paid for a pass. I can't go to the supermarket because I can't cope with them at the moment due to my disability. But the minute I have an option, I shall be using it.

@Twillow

I wish everyone who has had an issue realises how much the delivery supermarkets have stepped up to add slots during the pandemic. My store has more than doubled the vans, drivers, pickers etc while still working in the same very restricted space. They work their socks off. And inevitably there is a breakdown in logistics on the rare occasion..

And they have done it all without any thought of profit? Thought not.

Lots of Tesco orders are being cancelled locally to me.

I’ve always found sainsburys really good. Also you can have a cash refund if you call up and push them to do so. Vouchers are more easily processed than cash which goes via another team from customer service. I had a relative working temp at the start of the first lockdown for them. The ridiculous complaints about drivers make be think those people are bloody saints. After delivering someone’s shopping a driver patted a dog on his way back to his van. Complaint was put in against the poor guy.

Asda have done this twice to my sister recently. She can't drive. Lives in a village. They also couldn't return money for 3-5 days. She is never well off and it was just not well handled. I think it's a disgrace as you need your food shop.they should get it delivered the next day asap and refund delivery and give vouchers. Communication is so important.

I like Iceland’s as they been great round here during the pandemic but sadly they don’t sell nappies so I don’t use them much

You shouldn't have to push them to refund though, with normal supermarkets it's automatic (as it should be).

You see, that's what pisses me off about this country.
We all pay for goods and services in good faith. We are then supposed to be sodding grateful if we get it at all, ecstatic if it is complete/all there, keep our mouths shut if it goes wrong, wait forever for it to be fixed but only after multiple phone calls/emails (most of which they ignore or forget). Also, for some reason I cannot fathom for the life of me, much of corporate UK thinks we all have the money to pay for every thing at least twice. I am not aware of the job that pays you again if you inform your employer that the local supermarket (amongst others, looking at you, Virgin Media) has borrowed or nicked a large portion of your wages and is not keen on giving it back any time soon.

Then to top it off, they spam you wanting a glowing positive online review that they, quite frankly, rarely deserve.

The odd rant feels good.

I will say that the drivers themselves ave (with one notable exception*) always ben really courteous and helpful. Prior to covid they would offer to take stuff through to the kitchen (I didn't accept as I have a houseful of stupid dogs, but they offered).

The rude was was an absolute rsehle.

Yanbu I had this happen with snow the other week and I was cross too. Had booked 9-10pm slot so rang to complain and the chap obviously reading off a script kept saying it was due to the weather and staff not coming in, but my argument was that they must have known hours before they couldn't do it so why not let me know easier so I could have sorted something out. The cancellation email finally came at 5am the next morning!! He did say they hadnt taken money though... and he gave me £5 voucher too.

I only get a shop delivery for frozen items and store cupboard essentials. Everything else I like to see the sell by date etc.

So I use Iceland for delivery and they are fantastic!!
Never been late, cancelled or had any problems. Very rarely do they not have what I ordered and subs have been fine. Plus free delivery over £30 and lots or delivery slots usually.

Sainsbury’s have worse vans than Tesco. Some don’t have freezer sections! Packed with ice. Pretty shoddy.

@user234987653

You see, that's what pisses me off about this country. We all pay for goods and services in good faith. We are then supposed to be sodding grateful if we get it at all, ecstatic if it is complete/all there, keep our mouths shut if it goes wrong, wait forever for it to be fixed but only after multiple phone calls/emails (most of which they ignore or forget). Also, for some reason I cannot fathom for the life of me, much of corporate UK thinks we all have the money to pay for every thing at least twice. I am not aware of the job that pays you again if you inform your employer that the local supermarket (amongst others, looking at you, Virgin Media) has borrowed or nicked a large portion of your wages and is not keen on giving it back any time soon.

Then to top it off, they spam you wanting a glowing positive online review that they, quite frankly, rarely deserve.

The odd rant feels good.

This is totally what I mean. In what world do I pay for something, that doesn’t get delivered, and then get a voucher refund? Maybe I don’t want to shop again with you and your crappy service- give me my money back as I didn’t get the goods! Honestly don’t know how they can continue to get away with this practice? The last think I said on the live chat was - why was I not told about the cancellation earlier? It’s now 10:30pm and I have no fresh food in for my 3 children. I can’t afford to do another big shop before I get this money back?? I got no reply. Absolutely disgraceful

I agree it is a terrible practice that can put some people in hardship and even if it doesn’t it is absolutely not right that they keep your money whilst withholding the goods you paid for!

there must be something that can be done about this