Tesco's on-line shopping

BusterCl

We use Tesco's on-line shopping facility regularly and I'm becoming concerned about a trend that has developed - items not delivered because they are "not available today". (we decline to take delivery of alternative brands).

Our latest shop included a total of 22 items with a total value of just over £80 plus £3 delivery. When the stuff was delivered 8 items were missing ("not available today") and the goods delivered cost just over £50, around 62% of my order. When I phoned to complain I was told there was nothing they could do.

The odd thing is that all the items missing were the discounted items, none of the full price items were missing. If I was cynical I would wonder if this is a deliberate strategy by Tesco. Imagine the effect on Tesco's profits if every order they delivered comprised of goods at full price (and possibly more expensive than competitor's prices) and none of those headline-grabbing discounts! A nice little earner!

Anyone else had the same experience?

sarah1972

BusterCl wrote: »

We use Tesco's on-line shopping facility regularly and I'm becoming concerned about a trend that has developed - items not delivered because they are "not available today". (we decline to take delivery of alternative brands).

Our latest shop included a total of 22 items with a total value of just over £80 plus £3 delivery. When the stuff was delivered 8 items were missing ("not available today") and the goods delivered cost just over £50, around 62% of my order. When I phoned to complain I was told there was nothing they could do.

The odd thing is that all the items missing were the discounted items, none of the full price items were missing. If I was cynical I would wonder if this is a deliberate strategy by Tesco. Imagine the effect on Tesco's profits if every order they delivered comprised of goods at full price (and possibly more expensive than competitor's prices) and none of those headline-grabbing discounts! A nice little earner!

Anyone else had the same experience?

If you accepted substitutions you probably would of ended up better off as they price match all subs.

I sometimes get items that I have ordered that were on offer subbed but always for something more expensive but I only pay my original amount.

hgotsparkle

I think its probably more to do with what is in stock in your nearest store rather than a money-making strategy. they don't get deliveries of the sme thing everyday so they are bound to run out of things, if nothing has been put on the shelf to replenish that item, then the item isn't available. It could well be that it was replenshed on shelf 2 hours after yours was picked, but as it wasn't at the time, theres nothing you can do.

Opt for substitutions instead, like the poster above said, you get price matched on all subs so you end up better off. If you don't like the options, and you are able to get yourself to a store, then do your shopping instore.

GalaxyStar

It's just not there, don't forget there are customers in store buying too, if it's gone and ran out that's it can't do anything else about it unless you try again on your next order when they've had a delivery. Get subs, if you don't like the subs then just say you dont want them, the driver will take them back and you get refunded for it. You won't pay more than the price of the original order anyways. It all depends on who gets there first, your picker, another picker with the same order or another customer! They do try hard to ge tthe item there's no deliberate strategy

pelirocco

BusterCl wrote: »

We use Tesco's on-line shopping facility regularly and I'm becoming concerned about a trend that has developed - items not delivered because they are "not available today". (we decline to take delivery of alternative brands).

Our latest shop included a total of 22 items with a total value of just over £80 plus £3 delivery. When the stuff was delivered 8 items were missing ("not available today") and the goods delivered cost just over £50, around 62% of my order. When I phoned to complain I was told there was nothing they could do.

The odd thing is that all the items missing were the discounted items, none of the full price items were missing. If I was cynical I would wonder if this is a deliberate strategy by Tesco. Imagine the effect on Tesco's profits if every order they delivered comprised of goods at full price (and possibly more expensive than competitor's prices) and none of those headline-grabbing discounts! A nice little earner!

Anyone else had the same experience?

You seem to be under the misapprehension that Tesco make less profit on special offers

Nickolai

Did our first and possibly last shop this weekend.

Primarily wanted a bottle of malt as a Christmas present, took advantage of the first shop £15 off offer. Ordered on my tablet for delivery between 8 and 9 Friday night. No problem.

Did add a few items and noticed that a couple of things were unavailable so swapped those for an alternative.

Was in the middle of cooking dinner when the delivery arrived, so wasn't in the mood to start rummaging through bags rejecting items. Friday night, dark and miserable I just wanted to get it delivered.

The scotch was out of stock, swapped a peaty malt for a fruity speyside, that I rejected. The two packs of 'Keep me' bananas were substituted for two packs of 'Eat me' Bananas. The two 500grm packs of Spinach came with a best before date of the next day.....a load of ripe bananas ( which we only have as lunch items during the week) and a kilo of spinach best eaten in the following 24 hrs.

The way I looked at it there are two options, accept the substitutes or reject them but then you have to go shopping for them anyway which defeats the purpose of shopping online.

Apparently and I didn't see this when I ordered on the mobile site there are options to add comments re substitutes. Just expected a bit of common sense, loose green bananas and smaller packs of spinach with longer dates maybe?

Wasn't a disaster but can't see us rushing to do another online grocery shop anytime soon.

sarah1972

Nickolai wrote: »

Did our first and possibly last shop this weekend.

Primarily wanted a bottle of malt as a Christmas present, took advantage of the first shop £15 off offer. Ordered on my tablet for delivery between 8 and 9 Friday night. No problem.

Did add a few items and noticed that a couple of things were unavailable so swapped those for an alternative.

Was in the middle of cooking dinner when the delivery arrived, so wasn't in the mood to start rummaging through bags rejecting items. Friday night, dark and miserable I just wanted to get it delivered.

The scotch was out of stock, swapped a peaty malt for a fruity speyside, that I rejected. The two packs of 'Keep me' bananas were substituted for two packs of 'Eat me' Bananas. The two 500grm packs of Spinach came with a best before date of the next day.....a load of ripe bananas ( which we only have as lunch items during the week) and a kilo of spinach best eaten in the following 24 hrs.

The way I looked at it there are two options, accept the substitutes or reject them but then you have to go shopping for them anyway which defeats the purpose of shopping online.

Apparently and I didn't see this when I ordered on the mobile site there are options to add comments re substitutes. Just expected a bit of common sense, loose green bananas and smaller packs of spinach with longer dates maybe?

Wasn't a disaster but can't see us rushing to do another online grocery shop anytime soon.

I personally would never have a delivery that late on a Friday night as the stores are usually busy on a Friday so you will get what evers left. I always go for a lunchtime/early afternoon slot but I do appreciate not everyone can do that.

hamsterfan1

We found out the other day that our deliveries don't come from a store at all but a handling centre,makes you wonder how they ron out, unless everyone is ordering the same stuff.

jon81uk

Most people still get online orders from a store, Tesco don't have many central delivery locations.

Apparently avocado have a very accurate live stock system so you almost never get substituted

Armorica

Tesco is usually from the store.

Ocado comes from a warehouse and I almost never get substitutes - those that are, are well chosen; Tesco it was almost every shop.