Ocado tips, tricks subs, M&S shortbread giveaways and defectors..

[Garyunicorn]

Carrying on from the old Ocado thread. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/a4045676-Ocado-tips-hacks-Toblerone-and-Christmas?msgid=102560793#102560793

I have been contributing, just changed my name to prevent being outed over something!

The "we'll refund as many as you used on your last order" approach isn't going to impact the size of the bag mountain, as our orders tend to be the same size each week.

That approach worked last time because they stopped charging for bags at the point that they stopped taking them back. I don't know if they're still charging at the moment, but they certainly were a few weeks ago, so not very fair of them to use the same approach this time!

Yes, they’re still charging
I think they’ll be relying on us not keeping count of how many we’ve been charged for, so we must!!!
I haven’t samosaed mine, but just flattening and folding lengthwise & then into tiny squares does minimise the volume

I very rarely get an order from Ocado but even I have already amassed over 30 bags. I will be wanting to return them and get a refund and have counted them and put a post it note on with the number I have.

Can't imagine how many bags a regular shopper will have.

Regarding the bags, when the charity shops re-open I am sure they will be grateful for spare bags and, of course, the skips full of Amazon packaging!!!

I am still samosa-ing away, but have now totally filled my bag storage and over flowing. I wouldnt mind, but even if I try to use these bags to store things in the loft, after only a couple of years they disintegrate to confetti.

Well I'm ow join the long list of customers that have had their order cancelled with a couple of hours notice.

Ocado, you suck.

Has anyone else noticed that, as well as M&S having a smaller "essentials" range than Waitrose, a lot of basic items from other brands have disappeared and they only sell luxury versions? The Gia garlic puree I always buy (used to be 50p) has been replaced by brands that cost twice the price or more, the only chilli rice crackers are from Harvey Nicks.

I always used to buy the M&S 2 ribeye steaks for £8 (in store before they were with Ocado). This week they have changed to being sold by weight, estimated price £8.60. What arrived was smaller than the old pack and cost £9.87!!! Both my packs of 12 bacon rashers only had 11. I freeze them in batches of 3 so I always know how many there were in a pack - I've never had any missing before.

I had to use Deliveroo and Farmdrop during lockdown as I didn't get access to Ocado. I am still using them now, alternating with Ocado. Prices have gone up everywhere but nowhere near as much as Ocado. If I could reliably get everything I wanted elsewhere, I would never use them again.

@orangenasturtium - I too am missing the availability of Gaia Garlic Puree and the last time I was in Asda which must have been October ish I bought 5-6 tubes to keep me going. another posted mentioned they had tried the same in Tescos and they were only allowed 3

They also have stopped the cheapo tubes of Tomato Puree so I got aload of those too.

Product selection does seem to have shrunk. They said they had over 50,000 products before the switch to M&S. I wonder if it's less now.

So we are very fond of Waitrose but have had

• a Christmas delivery where 3/4 stuff was missing

• a computer problem where we couldn't edit the click and collect and were handing large amounts of stuff back to them over the counter

• no receipt and a lot of confusion about a missing item

• stuff arriving last week with a due date the same day

• stuff arriving today with very poor dates and going in the freezer.

(On the other hand, love being given the Sunday Times, and the staff are totally charming, and I love and want to support the JL company). Also the prices seem to be the same as instore Waitrose which is good.

So we continue being part Ocado part Waitrose (as Ocado have their drawbacks too).

I've noticed a lot of old favourites disappear too... And also a fair bit of changes in availability, as often something I buy regularly appears again in the New section after a few weeks.

I've noticed that too @nordica.

Actually, the ribeye steaks appeared as "new" but the only thing new and different (same name, same packaging) was the price. The same thing happened with a pre-prepared beef joint I regularly buy for my DM. They weren't available for a few weeks then came back as "new" and more expensive. So maybe it's a ploy to hide price increases! It's irritating, as they disappear from my favourites and aren't replaced with the "new"same product. Yet all my Waitrose favourites were automatically replaced with M&S products

Got my Ocadoversary £10 email today!
I had literally no idea when it was, or even that I was anywhere near 10 years, so that was nice

Today I got an anniversary email. Apparently 9years I’ve been using Ocado and the first time I’ve had a anniversary email! £10 off wine or chocolate.

I received my anniversary email today too. Only two years here but also £10 off either chocolate or wine.

I feel a bit cheated. But Ocado generally hate me, I don’t get free gifts and I review loads, but no star reviews for me.

9 years and it’s the first time they’ve remembered the anniversary.

My driver has mistakenly driven off with the pan and bowl I ordered (and which are listed on my receipt). I really need them today. Anyone know any quick way of getting hold of the driver? My text message failed to send apparently.

I cancelled my smart pass and got a refund for last month. I couldn't get a slot for ages and I was finding our shopping was so expensive. Sainsburys have come up trumps for me, a weekly regular slot with very few substitutions and we are topping up our necta points nicely.

I think I too and going back to Sainsburys. They wouldn’t give me a slot last March-July so I had to Ocado.

Since sept and the split from waitrose our shopping bill is eye watering. I can’t justify it really.

Well I phoned customer services and they tried to get straight through to the driver but his phone was off. Good effort on their part though.

I agree about prices and the inability to get the basics. I am really missing the Waitrose essential range. Wanted haricot beans last week the only ones were Biona at £1.10 a can or posh glass jars. I just wanted a can of beans

Tried Waitrose click and collect but I found the search function very limited and lots of things I generally buy in store were just not there at all.

I've moved over to the dark side and have splurged £5 on a Morrisons 1 month delivery pass to see how I get on (I think it is £35/year with £40 min order). I like the familiarity of the website and the ability to get a delivery slot.

Waitrose is extremely busy online round here (we'd can't even get Click and Collect from our two nearest) but I use our local shop enough to know the quiet times of day.

I hope you get your bowl Egghead68, It might be worth trying the driver's phone at random times of the day (I am sure I have returned calls in the past).

For some reason thread dropped off TIO, haven't caught up on reading it yet but I'm still frustrated by so many OOS items and damaged items.

I'm having to look at alternates for fruit and veg delivery as I'm semi rural and not driving.
We do have Waitrose local delivery but I haven't looked into it lately to see if slots are available.Have been unable to get Sainsburys slots for months, ditto Tesco.
Fed up of bruised apples every week, ditto pears and bananas arrive battered rather than merely bruised!

Also being overcharged most weeks for bags, eg charged for 12 bags but only 10 were delivered. Order was all there so I wonder if the drivers are shoving items out of one bag and into another, overfilling it, and this is what's causing ripped and split packaging?

Ok so I've now caught up on the thread. I'm seeing so many of us with the same complaints.

For items that have disappeared off the website DO use the 'product request' form, link is at the bottom of the page. (Not sure if it's on the app though).

I've used it several times and the items have mostly reappeared, although it's anyone's guess how long they will be there for.

Agree about basics like tom puree etc having become more expensive.
I'm going to compare our bills before and aftet September to see how much more we're spending now. I know it's more bit unsure how much.

but unsure..

That’s why I’ve been getting an occasional Sainsburys delivery. For tomato purée and tins of basic pulses. It’s really annoying me. I want basic stuff not Harrods or Harvey Nicks. It’s ridiculous.