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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

“I ordered my online shopping way back in October…”

99 replies

Worried1305 · 23/12/2023 19:03

Seeing this on a lot of threads right now - “I was the first person to book my online shop back in October, so how dare they not show up today with my wine / stuffing / potatoes / etc”.

AIBU to think people don’t understand how online food shopping works?!

OP posts:
tomatoontoast · 23/12/2023 19:21

I completely agree!

LittleBearPad · 23/12/2023 19:22

Depends on the shop. Ocado is different to most online supermarkets - which is why they have the fewest subs.

Nasahoodie · 23/12/2023 19:24

I agree. You're guaranteed the slot not the produce.

But it's still annoying. My food shop turned up on Friday with 6 pints of milk that go off tomorrow and a loaf of bread that goes out of date on Christmas day. 🙄

BoohooWoohoo · 23/12/2023 19:24

Sorry but you are wrong. Some online supermarkets like Ocado claim to save your order until dispatch rather than the traditional supermarkets where you find out what you get on the day.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 23/12/2023 19:25

I agree with Ocado as they have no shop fronts but with the others it’s the same every year

Hipnotised · 23/12/2023 19:26

I ordered the heavier bits for delivery today (a few prosecco, milk, orange juice, a chicken for Sunday dinner plus some staples like bread) to arrive between 6-8pm...it's not even packed yet, what's the betting it gets cancelled!

ChanelNo19EDT · 23/12/2023 19:26

Well I didn't order back in October but I was surprised tesco weren't better prepared, they were out of all the Christmas sides id orderEd. I didn't complain but I thought they might have anticipated demand for the items I ordered.
What is it that I'm not understanding

ichundich · 23/12/2023 19:31

Well, what is the point of booking a delivery slot early if you can't even be certain that everything you've ordered arrives? I don't understand why supermarkets don't operate a first-come-first-serve system for online orders.

Autumnleavefall · 23/12/2023 19:33

People understand but it's still frustrating I imagine. Supermarkets make a big song and dance about booking christmas slots so people book nice and early and then don't even get basic christmas stuff.

TodayForTomorrow · 23/12/2023 19:34

@ichundich they sort of do, but you reserve the slot, not the food. So if I got the last packet of pigs in blankets today, and your online picker comes round after me, then I was first come first served.

KittenKins · 23/12/2023 19:35

I ordered November. I had no option but a 22:00 - 23:00 spot so I expected a lot of substitutions. In the end out of 90 item's (mums one glass bottles of wine included), 8 were substituted. It's Christmas, expect no less.

It did men I had to brave Morrisons today, actually, while busy, summer is worse.

mondaytosunday · 23/12/2023 19:36

I thought they did reserve certain items like a special turkey - I've often seen them listed as 'sold out' in November, and it's not because people have bought them, but they have ordered them.

MermaidEyes · 23/12/2023 19:54

This is why I always book a slot for 3-4 days before Christmas. Most food still in stock, usually has dates that will last until Christmas Day, and if anything doesn't turn up I have a few days to source it in the corner shop.

KylieJennersMakeUpSponge · 23/12/2023 19:55

Lol yes I always think this too!

LinnieM · 23/12/2023 19:56

Autumnleavefall · 23/12/2023 19:33

People understand but it's still frustrating I imagine. Supermarkets make a big song and dance about booking christmas slots so people book nice and early and then don't even get basic christmas stuff.

Exactly this. Why bang on about releasing Christmas slots so early when people can’t even get bread, meat and a bloody pack of mince pies delivered

Doggymummar · 23/12/2023 19:56

Mine came in Thursday, no substitutes

Prawncow · 23/12/2023 19:57

Ocado do it differently. Not just for Christmas but generally.

If I decide on a Monday to add tenderstem broccoli to a shop due on Thursday, Ocado won’t let me add it if they’ve already sold all the available stock. It will say out of stock.

lemmein · 23/12/2023 19:59

I expect supermarket shopping to be incomplete at Xmas but I've just collected my M&S food order and half of it is missing. I thought the whole point of ordering early with M&S was they make sure they can fulfil all orders 😫

Mynewnameis · 23/12/2023 20:00

At least tesco food to order was reserved after 14th . It did mean i ordered some expensive lobster I probably should have cancelled 🙃

Jeannie88 · 23/12/2023 20:00

I've found tesco to be excellent! Even today the few substitutions were more expensive than original products and nothing had to be omitted. Same every time I go for click n collect. I placed the order 2 days ago, now there are no spaces until end of month! X

Prawncow · 23/12/2023 20:09

lemmein · 23/12/2023 19:59

I expect supermarket shopping to be incomplete at Xmas but I've just collected my M&S food order and half of it is missing. I thought the whole point of ordering early with M&S was they make sure they can fulfil all orders 😫

Wow. That’s really surprising. My sister has used M&S Christmas food orders for years and never had a problem.

Prawncow · 23/12/2023 20:09

Posted too soon. Did they give you any explanation lemmein?

OnlyTheBravest · 23/12/2023 20:14

@Worried1305 I did not realise that Christmas orders were not prioritised. I thought that the reason orders are locked so early at the beginning of the month was that they put aside online orders. I would expect anything added after the initial order to potentially not be available. Seems a strange way to do it. To be fair, this the first year I used an Christmas slot. Thanks for clearing that up.

Hipnotised · 23/12/2023 20:16

Hipnotised · 23/12/2023 19:26

I ordered the heavier bits for delivery today (a few prosecco, milk, orange juice, a chicken for Sunday dinner plus some staples like bread) to arrive between 6-8pm...it's not even packed yet, what's the betting it gets cancelled!

Yep...just had an email - it's been cancelled. 🙄

Andywarholswig · 23/12/2023 20:16

I had my Christmas shop delivered today in case I needed to get bits, but fair play to Tesco it was all there with good dates and I’m delighted.