Asda online shop delivery substitution refund policy

olgadapolga

Bacman said:

Although this is Waitrose but not Asda, Waitrose allow you to "add note to picker" for any items you want, which is really handy as you could say things like "if no 4 pints of milk please supply 6 pinters" or size or wanted alternatives like "if no brown bread please supply x brand in white". I don't think other supermarkets do that, only accept/decline substitute options. It is a nice touch, Waitrose!

Tesco allow you to add notes as well.

Debran

Sainsbury's Online

Just been looking at Sainsbury's online grocery website.  I've not so far ordered from them but it looks to me as though you cannot specify if you want substitutions for individual items - it's all or nothing.

HogMan

Having used Sainsbury's a few times in recent weeks, their substitutions do seem to be sensible, one variety of apple for another for instance They also seem more inclined to decline to substitute rather than offer a vague alternative.  Asda however seem to substitute more randomly, a melon for a pineapple for example.

Debran

As I've only ever had online shopping from Asda I would not be able to judge whether substitutions from any other supermarket where appropriate and, of course, you were not able to return unwanted substitutions due to the pandemic.

My only substitution on my last order was Asda Seasoned Potato Fries in place of Asda Seasoned Sweet Potato Fries.  Cheaper option than sending branded sweet potato fries.

A few weeks prior to this I received Night Cream  in place of my order for Day Cream.  Again, the branded item would have been more expensive.

Asda are now, once again, accepting returns of substitutions.

Stompa

Bacman said:

Although this is Waitrose but not Asda, Waitrose allow you to "add note to picker" for any items you want, which is really handy as you could say things like "if no 4 pints of milk please supply 6 pinters" or size or wanted alternatives like "if no brown bread please supply x brand in white". I don't think other supermarkets do that, only accept/decline substitute options. It is a nice touch, Waitrose!

Tesco do the same.

JaneDoeJohnDoe

Beware with subs. If you order more than 1 of any item you might get a subs for an item which is more expensive per item but only get 1. Therefore the actual cost is less than the total of the items you ordered. So you lose out.
Example - ordered 3 Asda cheapo noodles at something like 22p each. Tot 66p
Got sent 1 Supernoodle at 58p.  

Stompa

The algorithms they use to choose substitutions don't seem particularly well though out.

A while ago I had a 1kg box of bran flakes substituted with a 450g box (albeit containing red berries), meaning we didn't have enough to last until the next delivery.

Today I had two 500g pots of yogurt substituted with a 1kg pot of the same yogurt. Which would be fine if it weren't for the fact that it all needs to be eaten within 3 days of opening.

Steve_L

No algorithm is going to always account for all customers' stated and unstated needs at all times in all circumstances. Or, in other words, life. 

It depends on your viewpoint. For obvious reasons, the supermarkets' prime concern is to minimise the financial cost of any substitutions. I agree with this. I don't want my local store to have to close because it's no longer profitable.

If the picker takes over from their handheld device, then you have the potential problem of experience. If the substitution involves something they've never heard of, then you get my whole cloves for black peppercorns. They look similar. The picker was put in this situation by my inexperience and not knowing how to specify no substitutions at the time. A perfect storm.

millie

I ordered 2 bottles of Asda salad cream 520g last week @ 62p each and was substituted with 2 605g bottles of Heinz salad cream @ £2.89 each. Well pleased with that.

Steve_L

JaneDoeJohnDoe said:

Beware with subs. If you order more than 1 of any item you might get a subs for an item which is more expensive per item but only get 1. Therefore the actual cost is less than the total of the items you ordered. So you lose out.
Example - ordered 3 Asda cheapo noodles at something like 22p each. Tot 66p
Got sent 1 Supernoodle at 58p.  

We've had an intriguing variation on this theme this morning. We ordered the wife's usual 2 x 4 pints = 8 pints of skimmed milk, 2 x £1.10 = £2.20. This was substituted for 1 x 2 pints of skimmed milk = 80p.

Now, when I shopped in store, it sometimes happened that I got there at the wrong time and the cage for the type and size of milk we wanted was empty or missing. Maybe a new one was being brought out from the warehouse. Or they've genuinely sold out. They may not have received as much as they ordered. I've worked in retail; this is normal. So, you do a bit more shopping, return to the milk aisle and see if things have changed. If the 4pt skimmed milk is there, as it often was, fine. If not, then I could always ask the ever-helpful shop floor staff to check "out back". If still no luck, then I had so see if we could switch to different sizes of skimmed or switch to semi-skimmed or whole.

Of course, the poor pickers aren't given the time to do any of this.

So, we've returned this, been refunded and will have to visit to get 2 x 4 pints, the cheapest option, of skimmed or a more logical alternative. I need to venture out  to collect a prescription on Thursday. It's not the end of the world. Please.