Ocado slots

[HealingCalmingSoothing]

For those with the smart pass have you now been managing to get slots?

Just went on their website and wait was just one minute, then I had lots of options for slots.

They seem to have got their act together pretty quickly. Prices seem to be higher though but I think that's the lack of special offers.

Checked Sainsbury's and cant even log in so the same situation there

If you get an email from ocado saying you will get a slot every week, and say you can book 2-3 weeks ahead. Don’t wait for the email to tell you that you have been put on the priority list. Their email system has died.

I have just been logging on 2-3 times a day to check. Managed to get a slot for 22/4 in the weekend, and another for this Wednesday this afternoon.

Exactly like @Ceara said. You know where you stand from that communication email. But there will be no emails or texts telling you that you are now in a priority queue. You can logon when you are in a priority queue or you can edit an order. Otherwise you are bumped out and say you can’t.

And don’t be disheartened if you are only on the 4 day slots. I’m in the most loyal but only saw the slots this Wednesday at 4.45pm today. They must have held them back for last minute orders. I couldn’t see Wednesday ones before even though I booked one for 22/4 in the weekend.

That's really disappointing to hear they aren't using more social responsibility when they allocate the slots
I do need to use them though as health problems mean it's not viable for me to be on my feet for hours at a time whilst shopping.
I am grateful for my slots and would be really stuck if I couldn't get a delivery from them.
I always ask my friends if they need anything and order for them.

Just logged in and there was lots of slots for tomorrow. Managed to pop an order through.

For those that will moan we've combined shops so I can shop for us, my parents who are staying at home and my grandparents.

I am so stressed over this. They can’t guarantee me any further deliveries and I am only allowed to try to book a few days in advance, so they are forcing me to hoard food.

I have just edited my long ago booked delivery for this Thursday night to get over £300 of shopping because I have no idea when I will be able to get food again after this. I feel bad because I know hoarding isn’t the right thing to do and makes less available for those who need it in the short term, but how else can I ensure we have food if I can’t make future bookings in advance to plan?

I am so upset and angry that Ocado has forced me into this position. It would be so much better if they could share out and ration the deliveries properly so that we all get a reasonable amount of food with assured future dates.

I wouldn’t even mind if they said everyone can only have food once a fortnight and we have to ration it out, at least then we would all have certainty going forward.

I don’t want to have to use the government parcels or charity handouts as I feel these should be kept for people in financial need of them.

Well I’m even more pissed off now I’ve found out my neighbour whose last delivery was the same day and time as mine has a new slot for Saturday. Apparently got straight in this morning and was able to book it. I can only see this Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday and no availability. Both of them are still going out daily to work in a school and can therefore go to the shops but like most would prefer to avoid. This is why vulnerable and shielded people can’t get slots. Arseholes. Also they don’t pay for anytime smart pass and aren’t even loyal weekly customers, they use Morrisons and Sainsburys sometimes.

It’s as I’ve thought, naturalbornwoman, they just seem to be picking names out of a hat to decide who is worthy of having delivery slots.

@NaturalBornWoman it’s impossible to only see three days. If there is no availability you see a calendar of the entire April greyed out. It sounds like you didn’t know how to use the UI and didn’t click on the calendar.

You can’t scroll the three days! You must click on the calendar to bring up April to see the rest of the slots. It says so on the webpage itself.

Like this. Right up there next to your address it says click on the calendar.

you can’t scroll the three days! You must click on the calendar to bring up April to see the rest of the slots. It says so on the webpage itself.

When I click on the calendar the 3 days have a green box round and the rest of April is greyed out. Of course I know how to use the calendar! 3 days are potentially bookable but no availability.

That green box is the current 3 days. If there are slots. You can then click on them. They have changed how it works from before.

There are no other available slots. Nothing is clickable.

Only 3 days were visible to me yesterday. Now it won't even let me on the site.

No nor me, it’s back to saying log in and if returned to this page you don’t have priority access. What a shit show.

I think it depends on area. I was able to book for my vulnerable parents

I took to Twitter at the weekend to complain about the way they have been handling this, that DH is on the vulnerable list and he & DS need to be shielded. I got an apology and a link to complete a shielding vulnerable person form, and they said there would be slots made available. There weren't, and still aren't. They still took my payment for the smart pass But you areallowed to get a refund if you've not been able to book a slot during that month.

When this is over, I'm cancelling my Smart Pass. Just keeping for now, just in case they come up with a slot.

I get exactly the same as you, @NaturalBornWoman - I've worked in web usability so don't think it's just because I don't know how to work the interface!
However, the email I had said that I would be getting access on Tuesdays (hidden in the midst of the text, I didn't notice it first time I read it) so I'll be interested to see what happens tomorrow...

When we couldn’t get an Ocado slot we tried local farm shops. They did a good job with fresh fruit and veg. Another thing we tried was a meat box from a local farm who usually supply restaurants. The only drawback is that it’s cost us a lot and with our finances cut drastically we need to work out a way to save money now

So I have been given a priority booking thing (being previously loyal smart pass etc etc) and can now get slots.

But I am fit/healthy and actually enjoy quietly pottering around lidl without kids when DH gets home so haven’t used them... do you think if you booked one and then cancelled it while someone else was logged onto site and standing ready, they could nab it
(or is it possible as a customer to donate slots to someone else more in need?)

(I am in south west)

I just got a slot for Saturday! There were plenty for next Tuesday on (in south/south west here)

@Allthecandles what a strange attitude you have. Are you suggesting that all other experiences here are imagined? And that actually Ocado are managing just fine? Very odd. But we are living through strange times which will have an impact on rational thinking I suppose.

Maybe south west is not in excessive demand and I’m not special

@fizzybootlace all your arguments only work if these vulnerable people have a smart pass account. Until such time they incorporate them into the system the only people being offered from outside their list are smart pass customers. Therefore we are not taking a slot from anyone. Last night when I went on there were loads and I'm in the SE they are released at 6pm each day and I went on at 8:30pm in order for those most in need to have a chance. You don't know what's going on in people's lives and unless these vulnerable people have a smart pass account they weren't going to go to them anyway

There are people that literally cannot leave the house for another 10 weeks or are disabled and people here don't fancy going out!! No, nor do I but can you please have a thought for these people and maybe reduce your deliveries to every 2 weeks?

That's not how it works...

My DA is on the sheltered list. She had emails from 3 supermarkets offering her priority slots - she's gone with Tesco - and she has received her first food parcel too. It's a frightening time, but she is being accommodated, as hopefully are the other people on the 1.5 million list.

Between them, Asda, Waitrose, Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons can accommodate the shielded list and also serve their regular customer base - who they do still need if they don't want their businesses to suffer. This also keeps more people staying at home, as we have been requested to do.

And everyone should be happy.

Though of course, it never works out like that.