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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect Tesco delivery to be on time

176 replies

Mellowyellow222 · 12/02/2022 22:01

So I know this is a minor issue. But - I pay £4.50 for a one hour slot for my Tesco delivery.

About 50% of the time I get a call on my mobile about an hour earlier from a stroppy delivery driver telling me he is at my house and there is no one home. I remind them of the time of my delivery every single time and they still seem to think I am in the wrong.

I always try my best to be home half an hour before my slot, but my weekends are busy and I pay extra for the one hour slot for a reason.

Am I the only one this happens to - it’s the ride attitude that really gets me - as if I am in the wrong to not be home one hour before I ordered the delivery.

OP posts:

Babdoc · 13/02/2022 10:10

Complain to the store. Or switch supermarket. I have no problems with Waitrose or Sainsbury’s - they always arrive inside their booked slot, and that’s despite Waitrose having to drive 50 miles to reach me (rural Scotland.)

Skinnydog · 13/02/2022 10:14

Husband used to do this, it’s because they’ve finished they’re round and your last and they want to get home or it’s more convenient for they’re route and means they can catch up a bit. My husband found it quite stressful trying to find houses and keep everyone on the list on time, some you’d be a bit early some bit late etc. absolutely no excuse for them to be rude to you though x

BatshitCrazyWoman · 13/02/2022 10:25

I find in my area, Tesco will call me if they're early. Asda, on the other hand, often arrive more than an hour early, don't call first, and are surprised when mention it. I tend to have home deliveries when I'm in the house anyway, waiting for deliveries from other retailers/tradespeople arriving so it's not too much of a problem.

Eightiesfan · 13/02/2022 10:26

I think this is more to do with the driver and possibly your reaction to his phone call. We have two deliveries a week and occasionally they will phone us to ask if it is okay to come early. The drivers are always very polite so my experience is vastly different.

Also, a couple of times I have been late to receive a delivery, and when they have called me, they have always been very helpful and said they will do the rest of their deliveries and leave us till last.

Onelifeonly · 13/02/2022 10:27

I am lucky. Our Tesco drivers always text to say if there'll be late, even if it's only by 20 minutes. They usually aren't, even if they've said they will be. The other day I had a text to say he'd be 50 minutes after the end time which annoyed me as it would have meant us putting our shopping away after 9pm, but he turned up two hours earlier than that, at 10 minutes before the slot started.

Once when I was at home some hours before the booking, the driver turned up and I agreed to take the shopping. He told me he would have come back had I not been in.

They always ring our doorbell before starting to unload.

I've always been impressed with them and often had a bit of a chat with the driver - it's clear they do their best to make up time where they can to avoid being late, so I guess that's why they sometimes try to deliver earlier.

Only once had a late delivery postponed to the next day.

I pay for a year at a time too which means I can choose all the expensive slots and not care. Much cheaper in the long run.

If you're having problems, complain to Tesco and say you know they do better in other areas! PS I don't work for them and never have!

swampytiggaa · 13/02/2022 10:28

@Nat6999

I'm always glad when my Ocado orders are early, usually we have everything away by the time it should be delivered, I had a phone call last time that my man was delivering round the corner & did I want my stuff early, no pressure, I could have said no. I imagine the delivery staff aren't well paid & maybe getting finished early is the only perk they get.

Delivery drivers get paid by the hour. If they finish early they get paid less. Plus delivery drivers are classed as skilled workers so earn more than standard in a supermarket.

I work in home delivery in case you wondered

Original poster

Mellowyellow222 · 13/02/2022 10:29

The phone is usually a voice saying this is Tesco I’m at you house where are you. I will say oh sorry my delivery is booked for 4pm and they will say I don’t know anything about that I’m here now where are you.

There is always a tone and a grumpy attitude. I often wonder would they be rude to a man.

I will then rush home (silly of me) and they are still waiting outside.

OP posts:

AllOfUsAreDead · 13/02/2022 10:31

@chiickenandchiips

Mumsnet really is crackers sometimes.

In the real world nobody would book a slot a whole hour before or after the actual convenient time for them just to suit a huffy driver that can't be arsed turning up at the booked time 😂😂😂

A lot of them on mumsnet don't do anything though

they are available at all times, got nothing else to do.

Yanbu op. You paid for a slot, they should be arriving in that slot, not before or after it. Not your problem the delivery driver can't tell the time.

MsChatterbox · 13/02/2022 10:34

Yes that's very annoying. Would you be able to do a click and collect? Then you can just get it when it suits you within the slot.

Whatwouldscullydo · 13/02/2022 10:41

Yanbu op

If you wanted a 3-4 slot you'd have booked a 3-4 slot not a 4-5 slot.

The whole point of picking the slot is so you don't have to wait in all day fir it.

Of course if you show up early it's likely no ones in. So either call and check it's convenient first or just show up on time.

Your desire to clock off early is jot ky problem

Whatwouldscullydo · 13/02/2022 10:41

Not my problem

Eightiesfan · 13/02/2022 10:56

@Mellowyellow222

There is always a tone and a grumpy attitude. I often wonder would they be rude to a man.

I will then rush home (silly of me) and they are still waiting outside.

That attitude should be reported. How can he say he knows nothing about your delivery slot, he’s driving the bloody van!

Notmenotme · 13/02/2022 10:59

You need to ring customer services and tell them - you can get cheaper slots by being available for longer - but you’re paying the £4.50 for the pricier slot! They should be refunding your delivery cost every time they are not within the window!!

Lovemusic33 · 13/02/2022 11:01

They always call me to ask if it’s ok to come early, I’m happy for them to do this if it means they can clock off work a bit earlier. They phone if they are going to be late too and this is fine, sometimes they get stuck in traffic or have a issue with the van. It’s rare that they are really late.

HeyItsPickleRick · 13/02/2022 11:08

YANBU, but it must vary by area. I use Tesco and if they'll be early they ring and check we are in!

Whatwouldscullydo · 13/02/2022 11:08

They always call me to ask if it’s ok to come early, I’m happy for them to do this if it means they can clock off work a bit earlier

Why?

I mean be happy if they come earlier because u really wanted thr 3-4 slot but it wasn't available.

Be happy if it actually works out better fir you.

But to be happy because someone else ended up having to not do the job they are paid to do is a bit weird. I mean I'd love to close early but I can't.

Plus given different slots are different prices if I'd paid a higher rate because the cheaper ones weren't available then it arrived at a tine where I'd have got the cheaper rate I'd be a bit miffed if I'm honest. It's mot like we get refunded the difference is it

BABAHOTEL · 13/02/2022 11:11

@Whatwouldscullydo

They always call me to ask if it’s ok to come early, I’m happy for them to do this if it means they can clock off work a bit earlier

Why?

I mean be happy if they come earlier because u really wanted thr 3-4 slot but it wasn't available.

Be happy if it actually works out better fir you.

But to be happy because someone else ended up having to not do the job they are paid to do is a bit weird. I mean I'd love to close early but I can't.

I like being nice to people, doesn't mean I can do the same but if they can then great!

Aurelia1313 · 13/02/2022 11:12

Ah they do this to me! It's really annoying! I know I'm not going to be in that's why I didnt book a slot an hour earlier. Funny that. I have shit to do at weekends visiting family taking my daughter out so I book a slot convenient for me, that's the whole point of the service.

Whatwouldscullydo · 13/02/2022 11:13

Whys it being nice though?

I mean its hardly nice to just assume someone else's time doesn't matter as much as your own so it's OK to inconvenience them is it?

shrunkenhead · 13/02/2022 11:38

Just book an early slot and have your nap after. I usually get my delivery first thing 6am.

britnay · 13/02/2022 11:39

I once had a weekend slot booked for 3-4pm and he showed up at midday, because he'd done all his other deliveries for the day :o

misspercy · 13/02/2022 11:43

I had one turn up ridiculously early the other day - I happened to be working from home and between meetings, so I let him in.

He was really apologetic, and explained because of how they'd timed his schedule that day, he would have missed my actual slot, so he took a chance that I'd rather have him come early than not at all. He was right - I'd rather have had my groceries at the wrong time than go without.

The drivers used to always call before lockdown to check if I wouldn't mind accepting a delivery at the wrong time - these days, they usually take a punt that I'll be at home (they're not wrong).

However, I've never had a driver be rude towards me about not being in and able to accept a delivery. They know they're taking a gamble.

PS For anyone who doesn't use Tesco, all the slots are the same price these days. They used to be different depending on the time of day. I use a delivery pass (more or less paid for using Clubcard points) so it's all the same to me.

Florenz · 13/02/2022 11:44

You can never guarantee a timeslot due to traffic and other issues. The timeslots given are never guaranteed but an estimate of when the driver is likely to be with you. If you want shopping at a specific time, go shopping yourself or pay a personal assistant to go shopping for you (which would cost a lot more than £4.50)

SazCat · 13/02/2022 11:51

@shrunkenhead

Just book an early slot and have your nap after. I usually get my delivery first thing 6am.

But why shouldn't she book her slot when she wants her delivery?! Surely that's the point!

I'm often quite happy to have an earlier delivery, I do prefer them to call which they usually do.

But I have also had a few occasions where they've arrived early and been banging the door when I'm feeding baby or putting her down. When I answer after a little while most are apologetic but a couple have had a bad attitude.

I recently had a voicemail left "this is ocado, I'm outside your property so can you give me a call back ASAP" then when I called to explain I'm not in (which I knew I wouldn't be, hence booking delivery for a specific time...) they were not very happy about it!!

newbiename · 13/02/2022 11:53

@shrunkenhead

Just get home early.

She's paid for an hour slot.

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