Aldi Won't Deliver To Non-residential Address?

Jimj40

Well, the title sums it up but, briefly, I live abroad but still shop extensively in the UK and have goods shipped to me.

One thing we can't get here (in Bulgaria) is decently-priced good coffee pods, which fortunately(?) Aldi do stock. Following their retreat from the whole of the Balkans - after being soundly trounced by Lidl - I have to rely on online shopping to obtain them here. I'm registered with them but they refuse point-blank to deliver to a non-residential address, ie the shippers in London; Aldi Customer Services basically have no idea why that is but just make up different "reasons" when pressed for an answer. It seems to be as much a mystery to them as it is to me but then they had no idea that Aldi used to be in the Balkans and then pulled out, so the "Big Picture" is seemingly above their pay-grade..

I know it's probably a silly question but is this refusal to deliver to a particular "type" of address strictly legal? It's very galling, especially since they simply cancel orders without giving any notification that they have done so and one is left wondering when the goods are going to turn up until eventually discovering that they aren't....

PS Their Nespresso pods are GOOD!

sarah1972

Jimj40 wrote: »

I know it's probably a silly question but is this refusal to deliver to a particular "type" of address strictly legal?

Perfectly legal.

My husband was having a christmas party at work and I wanted to send a Tesco grocery order to his work with nibbles etc and they said that they dont deliver groceries to non residential addresses.

DCFC79

Nothing wrong with who they choose to deliver to, theres a few options available to you, move back to the uk, get a friend to buy them then ship them to you or you find an alternative to buy.

Jimj40

Well, I'm certainly not looking to move back to the UK - among other reasons PC and social media hysteria seem to run the show, Council Tax is at a crazy level for nothing much in return etc.

Other companies (and supermarkets) have no problem delivering to the shipper's address - and I don't really see the problem anyway: do they think I'm going to steal their market share in coffee pods by buying a few boxes and selling them at a loss in the Balkans? It's bonkers to get free delivery to an address where I don't want something just so I can ship it to where I do want it so it can be onward shipped to yet another place where I want it, even if the longest leg of the shipment is actually vastly cheaper than the costs within the UK.

And if you know of another store chain that sells Aldi's own coffee pods I'd be happy to buy from them.... :think:

Jimj40

sarah1972 wrote: »

Perfectly legal.

My husband was having a christmas party at work and I wanted to send a Tesco grocery order to his work with nibbles etc and they said that they dont deliver groceries to non residential addresses.

That's quite possibly the case - but not everything that big companies choose to do should be regarded as legal just because they do it...

alanq

Seems a reasonable policy.

Consider the scenario:
Van turns up at a business address.
Someone is summoned to accept the delivery while van driver waits.
Someone (who may or may not be the actual customer) eventually accepts the delivery. .
Customer later disputes that delivery arrived or that items were missing / damaged.
Why would a business want the hassle of dealing with disputes?

Some businesses will not accept personal deliveries for their staff - perishables are likely to be particularly unwelcome.

Sainsbury's does deliver orders placed by businesses to businesses.

dlusman

Jimj40 wrote: »

I know it's probably a silly question but is this refusal to deliver to a particular "type" of address strictly legal? It's very galling, especially since they simply cancel orders without giving any notification that they have done so and one is left wondering when the goods are going to turn up until eventually discovering that they aren't....

A business can set up any sales/distribution service they want as long as they dont discrimate against particular groups. Others may know better but I believe it includes race, color, religion, nationality, disability, sexuality.

So you can decide you are only going to deliver to Mr & Mrs Smith down the road if you want ( whether that is a good business model is another question)

eddddy

Jimj40 wrote: »

I'm registered with them but they refuse point-blank to deliver to a non-residential address, ie the shippers in London; Aldi Customer Services basically have no idea why that is but just make up different "reasons" when pressed for an answer.

Are you sure that the problem is that it's a commercial address?

Presumably other overseas customers might use that same shipping firm (same address). Aldi may have had problems with deliveries to that address - e.g. use of stolen credit cards etc - and so blacklisted the address.


Or could it be that Aldi is more cautious than other supermarkets about delivery addresses which are not the cardholder's registered address?

vivatifosi

Aren't Aldi coffee pods designed to fit Nespresso machines? If so, have you tried whatever the Bulgarian generic version of Nespresso is?

Tigger1000

They do deliver to non-residential addresses - they deliver fine to our foodbank. Which is NOT in a house, and the address clearly reveals that!

C_J

sarah1972 wrote: »

Perfectly legal.

My husband was having a christmas party at work and I wanted to send a Tesco grocery order to his work with nibbles etc and they said that they dont deliver groceries to non residential addresses.

I regularly (at least twice a month) have grocery orders from Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose delivered to my work address for social events.