Tesco Substitutions on Meal Deals/Multibuy Offers

asileiram

Hi

I'm currently battling with Tesco regarding overcharges to my Online Shopping almost every month.

The main problem is that when Tesco substitutes a product that is part of a Multi Buy/BOGOF/Meal Deal etc - you are automatically charged the full price of each product.

For example last month I purchased the £10 Meal Deal and got:
Chicken Kievs, Rosemary Potatoes, Cheese Selection, Wine

The Cheese selection was not available and they substituted for a different brand. This automatically cancelled the deal and I was charged over £21 for a deal that should have been £10.

Tesco at first apologised and refunded me the difference plus a £10 goodwill voucher, but this month when it happened again (Fish Pie instead of Fish Cakes), they refunded the difference but told me it was basically my fault and when the driver is on my doorstep I should be returning ALL products that are part of a deal if one is substituted. (can you imagine going through all your bags to find the rest of the products and handing them to a driver who does not have it on their list of substitued items? They would never get to a delivery on time).

The guy I spoke with on the phone also admitted that the order pickers should be substituting only from the meal deal and if I got something else I should refuse - how am I suppose to know what else is in the deal when the delivery is on my doorstep?

My second problem is that I know this has been happening for probably up to two years but because the amounts were smaller (eg not over £10) I accepted that the final price was simply higher than the guide price for other reasons (I never buy 'weighted' items and always check promotions are available on my delivery date so it should always match). I asked Tesco for all my previous invoices so I can check them all to see how much they have overcharged me over the years and they said they can only supply up to 6 weeks previous - the same as my online account, and therefore I have no way to prove it.

Any suggestions or comments?

Ilona

Errrm........shop elsewhere :idea:

Sorry, no help at all, couldn't resist it.
Anybody else got the answer :question:
Ilona

Just noticed you are a newbie, don't let me put you off. Welcome

on-the-count-of-three

asileiram wrote: »

Hi

I'm currently battling with Tesco regarding overcharges to my Online Shopping almost every month.

The main problem is that when Tesco substitutes a product that is part of a Multi Buy/BOGOF/Meal Deal etc - you are automatically charged the full price of each product.

For example last month I purchased the £10 Meal Deal and got:
Chicken Kievs, Rosemary Potatoes, Cheese Selection, Wine

The Cheese selection was not available and they substituted for a different brand. This automatically cancelled the deal and I was charged over £21 for a deal that should have been £10.

Tesco at first apologised and refunded me the difference plus a £10 goodwill voucher, but this month when it happened again (Fish Pie instead of Fish Cakes), they refunded the difference but told me it was basically my fault and when the driver is on my doorstep I should be returning ALL products that are part of a deal if one is substituted. (can you imagine going through all your bags to find the rest of the products and handing them to a driver who does not have it on their list of substitued items? They would never get to a delivery on time).

The guy I spoke with on the phone also admitted that the order pickers should be substituting only from the meal deal and if I got something else I should refuse - how am I suppose to know what else is in the deal when the delivery is on my doorstep?

My second problem is that I know this has been happening for probably up to two years but because the amounts were smaller (eg not over £10) I accepted that the final price was simply higher than the guide price for other reasons (I never buy 'weighted' items and always check promotions are available on my delivery date so it should always match). I asked Tesco for all my previous invoices so I can check them all to see how much they have overcharged me over the years and they said they can only supply up to 6 weeks previous - the same as my online account, and therefore I have no way to prove it.

Any suggestions or comments?

The simplest way round this I have found is to specify on the substitutions option part of your order that you only want substitutions that are part of the meal deal. (Give a couple of preferences if you like too.) This has always worked for me.

It seems that they are trying to match what you have ordered as closely as possible, as you say, cheese for cheese, fish pie for fish cakes etc, when you would have perhaps happily accepted chicken if it was part of the deal. The picker wouldn't know that unless you specified you wanted a substitution within the deal as they probably wouldn't know you were buying a deal, some-one else would be dealing with the wine or perhaps the dessert section of your order for example.

When you receive your order, substitutions should be listed at the top of your invoice & they are usually packed separately..in a different coloured or inside out bag for example to make it easy to spot. Yes, I know what you are saying about finding the rest of the items from the deal, but it's the driver's job to wait & make sure you are happy with your order. No need for any unpleasantness, just explain nicely that you are having to find items to return & he won't mind one bit...he'll be used to it. Actually he'll more than likely be able to help you. Apart from the wine the other items will have been packed with the chilled items in your order & he'll know where they are. You won't hold him up any more than a set of red traffic light for example.

As for your last problem, sorry can't help with that if records don't go beyond 6 weeks. My only suggestion is to look at the ones you have got & try to see from those how the price you have been charged is higher than when you ordered and check your orders as & when they are delivered. I've nearly always been charged less than estimated, but then again I often do have a few 'weighed' items & they tend to err on the generous side in their estimations on these.

joerugby

If you don't like it, reject it. It's simple. The driver will wait for you and will not mind at all.

asileiram

The issue is not that i don't like it/want it, I'm happy to accept it but I don't want to pay full price for all the items after asking for the Meal Deal.

I think some of the comments are right - I should just change to a different supermarket! :-)

OrkneyStar

Shop instore ?

on-the-count-of-three

asileiram wrote: »

The issue is not that i don't like it/want it, I'm happy to accept it but I don't want to pay full price for all the items after asking for the Meal Deal.

I think some of the comments are right - I should just change to a different supermarket! :-)

Ah, that's the agenda, I see. I suppose I should have guessed really.

geordie_joe

asileiram wrote: »

Tesco at first apologised and refunded me the difference plus a £10 goodwill voucher, but this month when it happened again (Fish Pie instead of Fish Cakes), they refunded the difference but told me it was basically my fault and when the driver is on my doorstep I should be returning ALL products that are part of a deal if one is substituted. (can you imagine going through all your bags to find the rest of the products and handing them to a driver who does not have it on their list of substitued items? They would never get to a delivery on time).

asileiram wrote: »

The issue is not that i don't like it/want it, I'm happy to accept it but I don't want to pay full price for all the items after asking for the Meal Deal.

But you didn't pay full price for them, you got the difference refunded.

They were right to tell you to check the items while the driver is there. Even if you only checked the total on the sheet he gives you against what you were expecting to pay, you would spot an increase of over £11.

Don't worry about the driver not having time for other deliveries, that's not your problem, he's at your door and you shouldn't let him go until you are satisfied with what he delivered.

asileiram wrote: »

I think some of the comments are right - I should just change to a different supermarket! :-)

Might not make any difference, and might be even worse. No store is good or bad all the time. It depends on the store your shopping comes from, the people who pick it and the people who deliver it.

Marvel1

Have you tired selecting don't substitute or substitute with a comment?

madpiano

As convenient as online shopping is, you will save a fortune shopping yourself. You will find that most of the items that have been substituted are actually in stock and on the shelf. I used to be happy to pay the delivery charge for the convenience until one day, when I realized I forgot to order a couple of things and went to the shop about 1 hour after I got my delivery and found several items that had been substituted for more expensive things were actually in stock.
Of course I can refuse substitutions or send them back, but it doesn't really help, if you need them?