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

[Worried1305]

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?!

We were in Asda shopping on Thursday - it was absolutely rammed and half the shelves were empty.

The pickers stood next to no chance.

I don't understand how people don't understand. The stuff which is pre-ordered is clearly marked (at least on the tesco wesbite). Things in this category I ordered were the turkey, gammon and a special smoked salmon party food thingy. The rest is subject to availability at the time your order is picked. I order all ambient stuff throughout November and December, so it's just fresh stuff to worry about. My order was delivered on 22nd with no subs or missing items. Ours comes from a central distribution centre. I agree with PP about amending orders at the earliest opportunity to supermarkets can order the right amount of stock.

This is a good way to do your supermarket online orders..I very rarely get subs as I know by night before if something isn't in stock.

It all gets a bit disastrous when they turn up with three bottles of expensive whisky you won't drink because you forget though!

Maybe they don't get how it works? You reserve a slot, not the food.

I tend to use Waitrose for my Christmas food. Great quality fruit and veg and lots of nice treat items.

Don't even! I was completely aghast, ordered mine way way back. And they turned up with next to nothing and very poor substitutes. Even products going OUT OF DATE on the day of delivery, who does that two days before Xmas? It was Asda by the way. I never get worked up about these things but not physically kept well and to save me lugging shopping into house when I've many kids and other things to do, I was trying to be pro active. Ended up back at shops. Other supermarkets haven't been great for fresh produce either

I ordered my Christmas turkey from Sainsbury's I paid a deposit for it therefore it's reserved and when I go in this morning to collect it I will pay the balance and it's mine .
Booking a slot without any sort of deposit does not reserve any items , it's just a delivery slot .

@Sunshineandrainbow I don't understand how they can get it so wrong when they have the orders months ahead. I've never had an issue with M&S, even during the pandemic. I pay their extortionate prices at Christmas for peace of mind!!

The most annoying part is they don't even tell you. I had 2 emails from M&S food yesterday reminding me to pick up my order - no mention of missing items. I feel for those who booked slots for today who'll end up trawling Tesco for the last sad little turkey on the shelf 🙈

That's why you do at M&S - you pay a £50 deposit. They still didn't fulfil my order though.

*what

If supermarkets want to encourage online orders, they should keep their customers happy

I'd be v unimpressed to have loads of missing items, when the shop has known since October what I wanted

Why don't people just go to the shop themselves?

We've pre-ordered from M&S every year for the last 6 years and never had an issue. It's really just the Christmas dinner, sides and desserts though, still need to get the usual bread, milk and other bits but we just pick them up when we're there. Agree that it's only the places where you pay a deposit that you are guaranteed getting what you ordered. Ordinary supermarket delivery slots are just that - ordinary slots. You won't get any priority, they'll just give you what's available when they pack it up.

Why did you have to throw it all out? Unless it was frozen meat and sat on a baking hot room all it would be fine.

It does make you wonder how people had food on Christmas day before online shopping?

In my little corner of the world I went to 4 different supermarkets yesterday and they were all the same busy as any other Saturday of the year and the shelves weren't noticablely bare

Exactly! I had text and email to say good news! my order would be ready at allocated time. Liars

I knew substitutes and missing items would happen, because it happens every year. Mine's on it's way with missing pork pies, croissants and dip. Going to get those from the corner shop. Everything else is on its way though, so I'm happy. Only one year I have zero subs and nothing missing, through Ocado. They were the best, just a little expensive. But perhaps I'll use them from now on, just for Christmas.

But if all the people who had online orders had decided to sack that off and go into the stores they would have been so much busier. They were quiet because people order online.

We only use Ocado these days. They are the best.

No not really because the orders in the shops I go to are picked by staff who walk round in the same way that the customer would and take the food from the same shelves

Looking at you Tesco where the number of actual shoppers is about the same as the number of shopping pickers who take up more room with their huge trollies 😀

the thread was worth it for the pigs in planets typo

@visionsofsplendor but they are picking multiple customers shopping? Your avg picker covers one area/a few aisle and is picking for many orders. So you probably have less pickers than you would customers had they done their shop in person.

The people saying if they know what I wanted since October I should have it, I seriously suggest going to work in a supermarket or supply chain. You literally have no idea how impossible it is to guarantee a food item booked in October will be available at Christmas.

They can endeavour to fulfil your wishes, but that's it. People really have very unrealistic (and entitled) expectations. 🤣

I don't think it's entitled to think it's reasonable to expect christmas staples to be available during heavily advertised Christmas slots. Sure people understand you reserve the slot and not the actual food, but perhaps shops shouldn't be so greedy in releasing so many slots and delivery fees if they know they're unlikely to be able to deliver much. Asda is awful each and every year, why anyone still bothers with them is mind blowing.

@autumnleavesfall it is entitled to not realise that these items are also not available in the shop. A delivery slot is actually heavily subsidised by ££ by the supermarket. It costs more for them to deliver, maintain vans etc. and offer the service than they charge. It's a loss leader for them. They do it to capture more of the market, not make more money. Therefore the slot absolutely should not come with the priority status some people are expecting.

Lorry's breakdown, suppliers often short the supermarkets or have production issues, refrigerators break.

These are a few very minor issues that can impact availability of products. Forecasting demand is difficult also and more complex than people realise. Orders are placed with suppliers in the SUMMER. Supply chains are very complicated like that

It is absolutely VERY entitled to think because you've paid £7 for delivery (that pretty much covers the cost to have the items delivered with all the oncost associated) to expect everything to work perfectly and to complain when inevitable issues arise.