Christmas grocery slot from Asda - what's the point?

[whyschoolwhy]

I have a click and collect order booked for tomorrow morning. In the past few days I've gone in to amend it a couple of times, and as I've gone to check out my amends, it's casually informed me that the following items are no longer available:

Turkey crown
Carrots
Nice cheese
Custard
Cream
Mince pies

What's the point of placing an online delivery if the most important items aren't going to be in stock? And also, if I hadn't gone in to amend the order, I'd be none the wiser!

I assume the big chains are not all like this, or no one would use them for Christmas grocery deliveries...

Honestly, if you go to asda, use the self scan machine as you walk around, the queue isnt bad at all x

I booked my Xmas slot for tomorrow but I usually put the things I haven’t been able to get on it rather than relying on it. I’ll also use it for general things like bin bags rather than the main Xmas food.

Ocado are usually fairly good, presumably as it comes from a warehouse so the public aren’t potentially buying it in the meantime. I do suspect there is at least some lining up of stock to orders too, as when I went to edit my Christmas shop the stuff already in my basket was fine but very little other Christmas stuff available ( fortunately the thing I’d forgotten wasn’t essential).

Presumably if items are out of stock you're no better off going to the shop though, unless like a PP your online shop comes from somewhere other than your local store? Mine just comes from the nearest shop so if the pickers can't get it neither can I. Either way I'd have to go to a different supermarket if there was something out of stock that I really needed.

That’s absolutely terrible!! We had our big Ocado shop delivered yesterday and the only things substituted was 5m foil - they sent 20m; and 6 pack of Quavers - they sent 12 pack.

it’s because of problems like this thst I’ve used Ocado for the last 20 years. Because their food doesn’t come from a local supermarket they have much much better control over their stock. I have a regular weekly delivery slot with Ocado and I don’t remember the last time I had more than one substitution, and even then, they substitute with very sensible items. In all the years I’ve used them, I’ve never had anything important missing. Customer services rang me about a month ago to warn me that the supplier who was due to provide my turkey had a problem with a bird flu outbreak, and they just wanted me to know that they had sourced an alternative, and thst if I was happy with this, they would update my order to show the different turkey. Their customer service is amazing.

My strategy is:

• Buy everything non-refrigerated and frozen (including the turkey) a few weeks beforehand
• Arrange 2 deliveries from Asda: on 22nd and 23rd
• Put everything fresh I want on the 22nd delivery
• Once I know what's not coming on the 22nd, update the 23rd delivery to add them on
• If all else fails, grab last minute bits on 23rd or 24th.

This has never failed me and I've never actually had to step into a supermarket for those last minute bits, which is definitely preferred!

Asda have been much better in recent years (save for their awful new website/app which didn't work properly for ages). About 15 years ago they forgot the entire turkey and refused to send it out when I phoned them. That was a last minute dash to Somerfield (remember them?!), it was actually quite fun in the end.

I've a delivery tomorrow and one Christmas Eve, so hoping everything gets delivered. Failing that I have Christmas Eve to go to Asda

Try Ocado next year. They don't have any real life supermarkets. No one can decimate the shelves!

My husband thinks I'm slightly mad....but this is exactly why I get up at 6am on the 23rd and do the main Christmas Asda shop then. Never not been able to buy something as they put stock out overnight, and it means not having to tackle the masses.

I got my Asda order on Saturday and got everything - I was shocked! It depends what they have in stock in the store they are using to to supply. So close to Christmas was always going to be difficult.

I got two subs from Asda today, so was very pleased.

I really thought the sausage meat would be out of stock like it has been for most years, but for once they delivered it. I don't need to find any tomorrow.

Ocado are brilliant. I don't think I have ever had a substitution.

We had our big Ocado order delivered today. In my experience their inventory management is much better - but then it should be as they only have online orders and no in-person customers nabbing random things off the shelves. Their ordering system definitely knows how many items they have, as several of the things we had ordered last week were showing "out of stock" on the website if I started a new basket last night, but they still arrived.

Just buy it in November next time and freeze it.

I haven't done an online shop from asda for many years as i got fed up of half my shop been missing and i always got ridiculous substitutions. I prefer ocado or sainsburys.

It's also ASDA, not just pate pick up. Our nearest ones are dire at the best of times let alone around busy times. Since it gets picked up in the shop it's a big risk.

You're not guaranteed any of the order you place. Otherwise everyone could just fill their baskets with perishables weeks in advance and there could be a lot of wastage.

So yeah it's only if the stuff is on the shelves the moment it's being picked/packed.

To reserve turkeys and stuff it's a different process. I booked one from Waitrose and that does guarantee you'll get one. But regular pick and pack is just a gamble on the day.

As others have said, order anything food cupboard / freezer early. I now just use the Christmas slot for fresh e.g. veg / cream / cheese. Anything freezable eg pigs in blankets, stuffing I order early and freeze. My Asda order today had only one sub - a last minute box of chocs. Which was handy given they cancelled my delivery a few days ago and I had to book click and collect instead! The cupboard stuff with longer dates is more likely to sell out and not be re-ordered, whereas carrots and sprouts are being constantly restocked.

Tesco this morning was using their foyer area for the biggest pile of vegetable crates I have seen!

Happened to us last year. No gravy, pigs in blankets, stuffing etc so last minute dash to the shops. I happened to be in the shops for something else earlier in the week when it was quite quiet and they had all the important bits in with good dates so picked them up then used our delivery slot for all the less important extra bits.

That being said, just had a notification saying no lettuce for the prawn cocktail so I'll be dragging myself out to the shops this evening to avoid tomorrow's chaos.

I think it’s perfectly clear. You’re booking a delivery slot. In no way is that a guarantee that what you order will be available on the day. As we all know they go around the store and pick your items. If it ain’t there it ain’t there. Same as any other time of the year.

My Ocado delivery has just arrived and the only missing item was my watermelon. They substituted my shortbread with a different brand but other than that, everything was as it should be.

The only online supermarket which is reliable is Ocado. They don’t have any customers taking from the shelves, so there’s hardly ever any missing items or substitutions.

You take the risk when you order online at Christmas unfortunately. Mine came last night, no substitutions but not available on a bag of peanuts that we can live without. We did end up with three bags of spuds and some flour that we didn't order though....driver didn't ring us so we managed to donate it locally today for free. Some years have been bad for substitutions but I think as we aren't having a traditional Christmas dinner this time is why we weren't missing anything.

I’ve also used Ocado for many years. I’m disabled and can’t get to the shops easily so I really need a reliable delivery service. I’ve tried all the other supermarket deliveries but always come back to Ocado.