Online grocery minimum spend

alanq

jorivi wrote: »

This is a case for the CMA. How do we get their attention?

I have opened a case with the Retail Ombudsman.

alanq wrote: »

"We can deal with most disputes between consumers and retailers, including disputes in relation to:

• Returning goods
• Faulty goods
• Missing parts
• Delivery
• Customer service
• Pricing
• Misrepresentation
• Product description"

http://www.theretailombudsman.org.uk/page/complaints-we-can-help-with.html

Tesco are relying on Ts&Cs item 11 saying that they reserve the right to make changes. I (with no legal training) am trying to argue that this is an unfair condition.
"Here are some examples of contract terms that may be unfair:...
a term giving the trader the right to change the contract to their benefit"

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/protection-for-the-consumer/consumer-contracts/unfair-terms-in-consumer-contracts/

"10.2 If a term could be used to force the consumer to accept increased costs or penalties, new requirements, or reduced benefits, it is likely to be considered unfair whether or not it is meant to be used in that way. A variation clause can upset the legal balance of the contract even though it was intended solely to facilitate minor adjustments, if its wording means it could be used to impose more substantial changes.
This applies to terms giving the supplier the right to make corrections to contracts at its discretion and without liability. "

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284426/oft311.pdf

Also even after Tesco started sending out the emails changing the Ts&Cs the web site still said "Once a day deliveries (over £25) for every day included in your plan". This has been belated amended to take the change into account. Nonetheless that was what it said when I renewed my Delivery Saver and that is what I signed up to.

Helix

Mine only renewed 2 days before they sent the email saying the limit was going up. Undecided whether to cancel or not.

Rudess

Rudess wrote: »

Reply I got from Tesco CEO office:

Dear Mr xxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for your email and I'm sorry you're disappointed with the changes we're making to our delivery saver plans.

I’ve asked one of my team to look into this in more detail for you, they will be in touch soon.

Kind Regards

Frances Hickling
Chief Executive’s Office

Here is the reply I got today afternoon. A pathetic copy-paste reply, Tesco didn't even bother reading the points I have raised. That's how they respect their customers....
=================================================

Thanks for your email to Dave

I am very sorry that you’re unhappy the minimum basket charge has increased to £40, therefore I’d like to explain the reasons why we’ve made the change.

We’ve taken this decision after much consideration as it falls in line with the shopping habits of the majority of our online customers. We want to be able to continue offering customers good deals for online shopping, including £1 one hour delivery slots and Click & Collect. Of course, we understand that this may impact how you shop with us from now on, but I want to assure you that all the great savings you’re eligible for as a Delivery Saver customer remain the same.

There's no need to worry if your order falls below £40 due to substitutions or unavailable items, you will not be charged the minimum basket surcharge.

As a Delivery Saver customer, you're already benefiting from great savings on your regular grocery deliveries and you're also protected by our Delivery Saver guarantee. This ensures that you'll never pay more on Delivery Saver than you would on regular delivery charges.

I would like to add that this has been a carefully considered decision and we understand the inconvenience this might cause to some. By us increasing the threshold it allows us to continue offering convenient delivery services to our online grocery customers including the delivery to your doorstep as well as click and collect.

Kind regards

David Weaver
Customer Service Executive To The Main Board

alanq

Rudess wrote: »

Here is the reply I got today afternoon. A pathetic copy-paste reply, Tesco didn't even bother reading the points I have raised. That's how they respect their customers....

I got that from Customer Service and also took umbrage that it did not address the issues raised. I am not interested in Tesco's reasoning I just want my deal honoured. On pressing for something better I got a reply referring me to item 11 of the Terms & Conditions which at least was a response of sorts.

pendulum

bundly wrote: »

Perhaps he was just having a moan and exaggerated everything for effect.

That's quite possible.

bundly wrote: »

OK then explain this: Why did the supermarkets, of their own volition, create an online grocery delivery service?

I know you weren't addressing me, but I can't resist.

In a nutshell, it started as a market share grab. The home delivery service was offered to lure customers from other supermarkets due to the convenience factor. It did exactly that, it poached customers from rival supermarkets. It didn't matter that no profit could be made from these new home delivery customers: it was actually better to make a small loss serving them than to let your rivals make a decent profit from them. The bigger the market share you have, the harder it is for your rivals to succeed.

Other supermarkets knew it wasn't profitable too, but they could hardly watch so many of their customers flock to a rival supermarket either... they had to start their own online shopping departments, to protect their market share. This competition has kept the delivery costs to the customer low.

Things got bigger and bigger. Now many of the big players are lumbered with big stores that people are steering away from, and home delivery services that are exploding in popularity, but they are still making a loss. A big loss.

Lidl and Aldi did pretty well to not get involved in all that loss-making crap, and stuck to the principles of good food at decent prices. Good for them.

This is a pretty accurate insight (unusual for the DM): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2707071/Supermarket-giants-lose-100million-year-online-delivery-services-Cost-delivery-means-effectively-paying-customers-shop-them.html

In a few years my prediction is they will all have no choice but to up the prices significantly for home delivery. None of them can keep subsidising it forever. We should be thankful for such a cheap service and enjoy it while it lasts!

KxMx

Heng_Leng wrote: »

AFAIK Tesco home shopping is often loss making. The picking / delivery costs are often more than they make on that shop - even with fees.

Essentially, other shoppers were subsidising these people...

That is making a big assumption- that each and every online grocery shopper could do it in store instead.

When we lived in a rural area we had Tesco delivery. Before this was offered it was local large Co-Op because that was the only one nearby and a decent taxi fare home- we didn't have a car.

I think the stores grumbling about the costs fails to realise, without it, many customers money would not be going through their tills.

While I obviously realise it costs them way more than a quid, they do fail to take into account the above IMO.

Pincher

pendulum wrote: »

In a few years my prediction is they will all have no choice but to up the prices significantly for home delivery. None of them can keep subsidising it forever. We should be thankful for such a cheap service and enjoy it while it lasts!

What about this hybrid scheme instead? They provide a tele-presence device (think Sheldon Cooper on Facetime, in Big Bang Theory, the episode with Steve Wozniak). You go round the aisles yourself, checking expiry date etc. You go back to the charging dock, with your basket. The human clerk loads your shopping into a drone, which flies to you directly! For small loads only, naturally.
A big £200 shop would still need to be delivered by van, profitably.


There will be a an army of remote drone drivers in the world.
A housewife with a home PC could work part time driving drones!

consumers_revenge

Why are you guys not saving a fortune in aldi??????

Just buy a few non available items from tescos or asda on the way back.

gentleorange

I checked my online orders, and however much I intend to budget, my orders are rarely under £40, so I think things will go on much the same way for me!

The only thing I hate is that I regularly receive short expiry dates, and not even just on fruit and veg. A Tesco Finest dessert we got on the 18th had an expiry of the 19th - lucky we happened to see that on the date of expiry! I've started balancing it out by becoming a shelf rummager when I am in store. I will have the freshest bread when I can pick it myself!

KxMx

Tesco are generally pretty good at refunding short dated items, just send them an email after your shop. We regularly check our fresh items and if any don't meet the target date, displayed online next to the item, we usually end up with them free.

It sounds a faff but refunds are refunds and when you buy the same/similar items each time you get to know the date without checking online.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/zones/default.aspx?name=quality-and-freshness