Ocado smart pass trials, tribulations and tiers

[Milky77]

Background

On March 23, Ocado divided anytime and midweek smartpass members into random groups for access then realised that didn't work so divided us again into most loyal, loyal and near to miscellaneous tiers with having different levels of frequency for order delivery and indeed how many slots you can book in advance.

Certainly the most loyal and probably generally high average spend compared to local populations are the only ones being treated well. They are allowed to still book every seven days, can book 2-3 weeks in advance and are encouraged to book several slots over this time.

The rest of us are being treated with varying levels or service, disappointingly some have not had a single email since March 23 and still don't have access.

Those anytime pass members on the extremely vulnerable list by NHS England should be able to book every 7 days though aren't given the ability to book 2-3 weeks in advance. A few are apparently being called for fortnightly orders.

Ocado has been too greedy. They blame poor service on helping the extremely vulnerable but actually they let too many new and infrequent shoppers place orders putting too much stress on the system.

Complaints on social media are typically met with cut and paste replies. Both the call centre and chat comms have been shut down.

Those with weekly Reserved slots have had their places cancelled. The technology failed, or maybe actually wasn't fit for purpose anyhow

Here was our first thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3862959-Ocado-Anytime-Smart-Pass-holders-have-you-received-priority-access-yet

Let's hope we don't go to a third

Top tip is to try other companies including Morrisons who also deliver from warehouses.

Good luck to all

Interesting, my email said every 5 days too.
I've only ever ordered every 6-8 days even in normal times though so it doesn't make much of a difference to me. I've had a weekly slot again on the same day each week for the past few weeks and every week for the month ahead, I'm happy with that.

7 days for me. And still no toblerone.

Bastards

I just looked and I can get midweek slots as well as saturday now! I don’t need them , how bizarre.
Still no chocolate here . I never get any emails.

I’m going to try tweeting them about no comms to me

Who is getting toblerone and why?

You get offered a free toblerine as you checkout, you can say no i dont want one.
I think ive got free toblerone in the next 3 orders

What? I’ve just checked out an order over £200 and I didn’t get offered free chocolate. Bastards.

Where's mine?!

@FurForksSake what is star reviewing?

I got the every 5 day email too. I was on every 7 days and have been getting a weekly slot for a good two months now which has been brilliant.
For the last month we have also been shopping for another household, full shop not just a few bits so well over £200 a lot of shops not a sign of a free chocolate! I’m outraged.
And someone above thread mentioned anniversary gifts I’ve never scored one of those either. I used to get excited over the free magazine.

Luckily I don't like Toblerone.

Wasn't offered any.

Unless it was somewhere in that pile-on they inflict at the end? I'm always just clicking 'continue, continue, continue' without even seeing what's being offered.

(They wouldn't give me any, anyway. My fortnightly order is getting smaller and smaller as my separate veg box / fishmonger / cheese orders expand.)

You only get the anniversary chocolate/wine if you have a full smartpass

I think if you review a few items on the ocado they call you a star reviewer and get a few items to review. I havent had any this year but had 3 or 4 emails with 5 or 6 items to review.

They’ve told me the free gifts are offered on a random basis.

Well of course !

I think everyone should ask them where their toberlones are

Do you think if I add one and then take it out they might put it back in free ?!

You only get the anniversary chocolate/wine if you have a full smartpass
I've only ever had midweek smartpass and have had the chocolates/wine since the beginning

Unless it was somewhere in that pile-on they inflict at the end? I'm always just clicking 'continue, continue, continue' without even seeing what's being offered.
Whaaaaat! The flash sales at the end are one of the main reasons I shop with Ocado

I've just had a book a slot every five days email. I don't need a slot that often, have been happy with weekly and able to book them
2-3 weeks in advance.

What is weird is that we went from being anytime Smartpass and Regular customers to only being allowed to book a slot a fortnight. Average weekly spend pre-Covid-19 was £50-60. But had been shopping every single week without fail with them for years

As soon as I started buying for shielding neighbours and then helping the food bank to spend a grant which meant the delivery amount went over £200 - I got an email from Ocado giving me weekly slots and ability to book several weeks ahead. Interestingly friends who aren't vulnerable or shielding but had regularly spent £200+ per week had been offered this regularity of slots and 'ability to plan' from very early on.

I've only ever had midweek smartpass and have had the chocolates/wine since the beginning
apologies either way its a smartpass benefit.

I have a smart pass and have never been given toblerone. I am now very sad. I'd love a toblerone.

Yes I’m a full smartpass. It can’t be that random as I’ve never had a free gift

I’ve also had no emails since the pandemic start, despite their assurances that I am

That's funny, kingkuta! I suspect that essentially I don't trust the site (or formerly the app) and after hours of cogitation (rather than just clicking the suggested list) I'm always afraid that somewhere between checkout and completion the whole thing will crash and make me cry. So I don't appreciate all the interruptions. Also, they still don't seem to have grasped that I don't eat meat, don't use shower gel, and don't require random children's toys ... It's a bit of an obstacle course.

But I'm glad it works for you!

I haven't been offered any free gifts recently either.

Usually I get offered an anniversary gift (a choice of chocolate or wine) but my Ocado anniversary is in late March so I suspect this year they were completely snowed under and didn't do any of these extra offers at that time.

Full smart pass member and never been given anniversary present
The pages and pages of stuff at check out is ridiculous.
Although that I hate most is the coupons. Please stop telling me I can save lots when you know I can’t cause I have never purchased any of the stuff (even in another brand) that you and offering money off. At least Tesco stalks your purchases and gives you money off something you want.

I'm really struggling to understand the significance of 'coupons'. They're just a notional amount off an item which I always assume is currently being shown at an inflated price pre-coupon offer. Why do they act like they're offering me pure gold for free?

I have been anytime smartpass for years, regular slot user and highish spender and do get an anniversary coupon to put towards wine and I get an occasional free gift. I was offered a weekly slot once they got a bit sorted in this fiasco, all went fine, great.

Then they put me on their vulnerable priority list. I got an email saying they recognised I was priority so could have a slot every 10 days and I couldn't book more than one in advance with a tense day glued to the Ocado website every 10 days for me to find a slot on my allotted day. Just as loyal category customers get more frequncy and more advance planning I am moved to weekly with ability to book 2 ahead.

AIBU to be astonished and incredulous that as a priority vulnerable customer I am treated less favourably than the loyal longstanding customer that I also am.