New to online supermarket shopping-any tips?

Steve_L

Both items were still shown as being in stock. I've just tried to add them to my order. They're now shown as unavailable. (Sigh,)  At least, the original order was undamaged. I'll try again over the weekend. With luck, I'll eventually get "all my ducks in a row". At least I know what to do & what not to do. No thanks to the instructions, which were written by someone who knew what they were doing. However, they forgot that they'd be read by someone who didn't. 

Steve_L

I'm a nervous wreck. I tried to amend the order. But now, my trolley showed the amount of my order, the order status as "amending" and the reminder to place an order had re-appeared, suggesting that my order was somehow "damaged". So, I rang ASDA, It's a freefone number, doesn't take too long to get an answer (don't use option 3 for "anything else": you cut yourself off) and the people on the phones have the patience of saints. However, following the advice of the first one revealed more unavailable items and dropped the total to below £40 and triggered the "pick & pack" and delivery charges! The second person guided me back from this to where I started from. The same total of just over £40, so no charges, and the unavailable items are still on the order, so it's their responsibilty to find substitutes. I won't try to amend an order again. Even if the new items are in stock, if other items are now unavailable, the risk is just too great. You seem to need a "fudge factor" of £10 each to allow for both eventualities.

minimad1970

Steve, the icon you describe as looking like the BR logo gives you similar-ish items to the one that's out of stock.

Steve_L

minimad1970 said:

Steve, the icon you describe as looking like the BR logo gives you similar-ish items to the one that's out of stock.

Thanks. I note your use of the word "simiar-ish. So, what they want you to buy instead. There should be a way of getting back to the online shopping pages, to be able to see everything, but why do I suspect that they don't make it obvious?

The system should work, but only if the overwhelming majority of items are always available. Unfortunately, stock control has always been ASDA's "Achilles heel". In the years when I shopped in store and price was the primary concern, I always had to note duplicate items at the same price at Sainsbury's and/or Tesco, for when ASDA didn't have them. It was a rare for me to get everything I wanted in ASDA. ASDA (and others?) pick online shopping orders in store, not in a dedicated warehouses. Now, of course, things are worse.

I noted something worrying when I rang ASDA. The automated system immediately advised me that lots of things were outof stock. At first sight, this seemed fair enough. or, do they think that apologising for this absolves them from doing anything about it? Of course, they are trying. But, "No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." Why do I suspect that, as the supply chain has returned to normal, this may mean that the old complacency has returned. 

I await my delivery on Monday with interest.

minimad1970

Steve_L said:

minimad1970 said:

Steve, the icon you describe as looking like the BR logo gives you similar-ish items to the one that's out of stock.

Thanks. I note your use of the word "simiar-ish. So, what they want you to buy instead. There should be a way of getting back to the online shopping pages, to be able to see everything, but why do I suspect that they don't make it obvious?

I think there's a "back to shop" button.

Steve_L

You're not wrong. They were hiding it in plain sight. That's not playing fair.

Also the suggested alternatives look like they could be useful. But they can also be inconsistent. For example, ASDA salted butter at £1.55 gives the next most expensive Country Life salted butter at £1.65. However, ASDA unsalted butter at £1.55 doesn't mention the Country Life alternative (which was in stock), but does give the Lurpak one at £1.70. Poor programming or are we dealing with Arkwright from Open All Hours, just in a bigger shop? With your help, I think that I'm beginning to pick up the finer points of this home shopping lark.

pumpkin89

I think the algorithm will take into account sales data as well as price.  Most people buy salted butter for general use and unsalted for baking.  Lurpak has done a lot of marketing to convince people it's best for baking, so I wouldn't be surprised if Lurpak is the more popular alternative.

Steve_L

OK. Yesterday's delivery was our most successful to date. No unavailable and unsubstituted items. The only substitution was my balti mix, which was swapped for hot bombay mix, which is what it is without a  different name. Whether this was by luck or judgement is academic.

millie

My Asda delivery that is supposed to coming tomorrow  will not checkout the amendments they have a technical issue. As there are only 2 random items that I put on to reserve the original slot I am going to have to cancel it before 10pm unless I want to pay £2.50 for the 2 items and £7.00 in charges.
I have spoken to customer services twice today and they seem to completely unconcerned about leaving me with no shopping. All I get is we have a technical issue we are trying to resolve and to keep trying. It was the same all day yesterday, Every time I try a penny just comes off my credit card

TheBanker

Hi
I hope people don't think I'm being rude, but I would suggest not putting 'random' items in your online shop just to reserve a slot. Because if you do, you run the risk of paying a delivery charge for the 'random' items that you might not want, if there is a problem updating the order. I know people here are talking about a problem on Asda's website, but it could equally be a problem at your end e.g. loss of internet connection. Or you could just forget, like I sometimes do. I am more likely to forget at the moment when different shops have different cut-off times for updating orders. 

I always fill my basket with things I want (most of the supermarkets will let you copy your previous order). That way, if I forget to update the order, I'll still get a delivery of food that I will use, and won't be left hungry. It might not be exactly what I want, but at least I won't be wasting money or wasting a Click and Collect slot. 

I know of someone who was ordering for their vulnerable mum. For some reason they held the slot with two expensive bottles of vodka, then forgot to update the order. Result: Mum had no food, she had unwanted vodka, and they couldn't get another slot for 10 days so someone had to go out for the shopping. And the shopping that was bought had to be very basic/cheap items as the shopping budget had been spent on vodka.