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

@milky77 You have found a joy in supporting farmers that you may never have explored. If you can afford it maybe it is a tasty, affordable and morally satisfying way forward for you.

I pay 3.99 a month. Spend about £70 a week. I’ve not had a single email from them but have managed to get slots - first as had a reserved slot and now the site lets me in all the time, I check every few days and have managed to get a delivery this weekend and now the next 3 weekends. But no loyal customer email! I’m not sure it’s a scientific as that, it seems utterly random. And I would have deliveries less often but it only shows me the weekly slots (not ten days gap it only offers me 7 days). And because I’ve not had a single email I can’t predict how long I’ll get this . I definitely can’t complain, but it’s very random.

@RedTeam - People in your situation - who physically can't get to the shops and have always used online deliveries for that reason - should have that service protected, yes. They should be grouped with the shielded people to receive priority slots. But I also agree with @TheGreatWave, that there are plenty of people who have managed fine without online deliveries up to now and are suddenly trying to argue that they're more deserving of slots than people who've facilitated online deliveries up to now (and without whom, such services wouldn't exist)

Well the delivery slots that were there at 8am are still there now. I’ve not booked one because I don’t need it.

I’m disappointed but do understand. I probably will switch to Waitrose

Good luck with that too, I’ve used them so am a registered customer but I’m just seeing no slots whatsoever for delivery or click and collect. I wasn’t keen on them anyway, I found I had a real issue with short dates and subs, but honestly anything would be a relief at the moment, it’s so stressful.

I never got the loyalty email but I now seem to have lots of slot availability where I am 🤷🏻‍♀️ I've also never paid for a smart pass!

Infuriating!!

But I also agree with @TheGreatWave, that there are plenty of people who have managed fine without online deliveries up to now and are suddenly trying to argue that they're more deserving of slots than people who've facilitated online deliveries up to now

Yes exactly. I’ve been online shopping since it was invented and right now I’d be happy to halve my access so that other people who are shielded like me can get access. I don’t see why I should get completely shoved aside for all the others.

@PowerslidePanda I agree it is all about the self perception of who is more deserving.

RedTeam £800 per week! You def should be on a VIP list

I know! £800 I have been divvying up shopping and itemising bills all day. I’m in danger of being Ocardo local.

4 households and ‘the bits’ for several more

‘The bits’ code for alcohol

Got a couple celebrating their 50th asked for a bottle of ginger wine?! New to me. On the upside I am going to smash the shopping list threads

List

@Snog I am also paying 10.99 for anytime smArt pass monthly. I used to pay 8.90 a month for six month membership but then stopped when I could not get any slots. Renewed my smart pass when started getting some slots again and it was 10.90 already. But I spend at least 500 a month and now am getting slots every 10 days which is ok

Lowly not quite loyal enough SmartPass update.

My delivery should arrive this morning. No subs, all there.

Have just placed an order for two weeks hence for vulnerable relatives.

So it will be at least four weeks from today until I'll get another delivery to my own household. Will have to be inventive. Maybe I'll score a Waitrose slot. [Actual gold dust round my way.]

I pay £1.99 a month for smart pass and I’m on 14 day deliveries. I’ve got a delivery coming today and I can see slots for 14 days time (just one day)

Does anyone know if it has to be bang on 14 days or whether I can get a slot after say 17 days to coincide with payday?

I've been extremely pissed off with Ocado, I moved to the sticks two years ago and have used them ever since.

I had a years free delivery and now pay £3.99 per month smart pass anytime delivery. I guess I spend £550 to £600 per month.

I had a delivery 28th March and the next one I was able to book was 24th April, not happy didn't even cover it.

I logged on Friday evening and managed to get a delivery Sunday, yippee but where have all the Walkers crisps gone are they the new toilet rolls.

Seeing this thread prompted me to log in and I've just booked for 1st May.

I just need to get one next weekend and I'm sorted.

I'm on immunosuppressants so sticking to the rules but Ocado aren't aware.

I really miss Ocado. They have delivered most weeks for at least a decade, so I just used to top up with odds and ends. We're avoiding bigger supermarkets as shops in walking distance have no queues - food is heavy!

It of interest I went onto their website last night (8:15ish) and there were loads of spaces for today and tomorrow in Somerset. I was sorely tempted to nab one, but messaged friends (have food to last most of this week).

It's a shame that there isn't some sort of central database to help vulnerable find out which supermarkets/online have capacity to deliver to their postcode. I suspect there is spare capacity in many towns - I am just not seeing Ocado lorries that used to deliver to a big % of local houses.

I currently pay £3.99 a month for an anytime pass and have been an Ocado customer for many years - although not a very big spender as I split my shops with other supermarkets. When the Ocado site was impossible to get onto a couple of weeks ago, I managed to book a delivery with Morrisons instead, which I’m sharing with my parents. I haven’t got any deliveries booked with Ocado at the moment but can now access the site and see slots available up to 2 May. Apparently I’m on the every 10 day list. I feel that Ocado management have handled this crises woefully. The poor, confusing communication and seemingly random access to slots - not based on need but their own criteria - has caused untold stress to lots of loyal and vulnerable customers. I wouldn’t have minded not having access to slots if I knew they were going to vulnerable households but it seems as though access was either nothing more than a lottery or simply down to who spends the most.

We have been loyal customers since Ocado began trading. We have an anytime smart pass. We spend about £600 a month with them. When the virus kicked off we couldn't book a slot, waited 3 hrs plus to login etc. Now, we login almost immediately (not on the app but website) and most things come without subs, and we have even managed to buy things a couple of days before for my in-laws with little bother. Given how things are right now, we cannot complain.

As for the cost of the smart pass, we don't drive and would rely on getting a black cab home, which is about £10-15 so we see it as good value.

I’m apparently in the 14 day group! I’ve got in booked for 21st but now can’t see anything ahead, again. If it’s every 14 days, fine. (Not ideal due to my children’s allergies etc but we can make do) but it’s so frustrating/disheartening to see tgat other people can book several in advance, which makes me feel more stressed about getting one 14 days after my last. And certainly makes me feel like I’m in a less prioritised category.

I'm in the every 14 days category. This morning I have booked a slot for Monday 27th as that's when we have enough food to last until. Prior to booking I could see slots every day up to the 27th. Now I have booked I can't see any and presume I won't see any until after that delivery has arrived, which is fine as long as that is actually why happens and they don't change the goalposts again in the meantime.

I also only pay £1.99 for my anytime smart pass and usually only have a delivery every two weeks, spending about £70 a time.

I've had an order every week since the lockdown no problems

Looking back over the month before lockdown I spent
481.53
226.00
397.13
110.75
317.55

I've given my in laws food from all 5 of those
The 5th one is coming today

I am convinced the food is more expensive then usual with them
I don't know how to go about getting food from somewhere else now as I haven't registered with them

It's way too expensive

I got the email saying every ten days but it’s letting me book every week. Loads of slots available. I’m doing one a week for me and the other week for my mum.

FYI, for those without priority access, the site currently states:

For customers without priority access, we estimate the following slots will be released at 6pm today: Wednesday 15th April - 9,000, Thursday 16th April - 9,000.