Sainsbury's Substitution Promise isn't what it seems!

serendipitytoo

Customers who order their shopping online at Sainsbury's (and possibly other supermarkets) should be made aware that the Substitution Promise only applies to the cost of the original items, not the number or weight of the substitutions.
For example: If you order two items at £1 each and are sent only one costing £2 you would assume you would get a £1 credit back. The algorithm doesn't see that, it only sees the difference between the amount you would pay for the original items and the amount you are eventually charged, so you would get no refund.
This happened to me, I ordered three of the same item and was sent two, one of the original items and one costing over twice as much. I only got a refund for the difference between the two totals. I was told that was correct and I could have returned the substituted items to the delivery person if I didn't agree. I didn't know I would be charged for it, but I do now and other shoppers should know this.

maisie_cat

Not sure why you are complaining, if you do not want a sub simply reject it

elsien

“For example: If you order two items at £1 each and are sent only one costing £2 you would assume you would get a £1 credit back”

Actually, I wouldn’t assume that at all. I’d assume I was paying the cost of whatever item I got, and I’d return it if I thought it was too expensive. 

mjm3346

"For example: If you order two items at £1 each and are sent only one costing £2 you would assume you would get a £1 credit back."

I wouldn't assume anything - I would check the bill 

pearl123

"If the product we’re delivering is more expensive and covered by our Substitution Promise,"

Product is grammatically single, not plural 'products'. 

Sainsburys need to explain their price promise more clearly. 

Hawksmoor99

We have just been hit by this "scam" substitution policy.
We live miles from anywhere and get all groceries delivered by Sainsbury's.
We ordered 4 bottles of wine at an offer price of £6 per bottle for a weekend get-together.
Sainsbury's sent 2 bottles of a different wine each costing £8 as substitutes.
As I see it they only delivered two bottles of wine (which we had to accept as otherwise we would have had no wine at all for the get-together) as substitutes for two of the cheaper bottles, and they failed to deliver the other two bottles at all, so they owe me a substitution voucher for £2 per bottle = £4.
As they see it I ordered 4 bottles of wine at £6 each = £24 line total, and they supplied 2 bottles of wine at £8 each = £16 line total, so I am in pocket by the line total difference of £8, so no voucher for £4.
To me that is a total scam, leaves a very bad taste, and we are going over to Tesco now.

elsien

It’s really isn’t a scam. You have the option to keep the substitutions or not. 

They can’t deliver you what they don’t have in. 

Don’t expect Tesco substitutions to work any differently. 

Mnoee

The Sainsbury's policy seems identical to the Tesco one to me, aside from a voucher instead of a straight refund. It's frustrating and annoying when it doesn't work in your favour, but plenty of times I've got better quality/bigger packs for the cheaper price too. In 18 years of online grocery shopping, I think it's roughly evened out - if you focus too much on one particular item or instance you'll only end up frustrated. 

J63320

Hawksmoor99 said:

As they see it I ordered 4 bottles of wine at £6 each = £24 line total, and they supplied 2 bottles of wine at £8 each = £16 line total, so I am in pocket by the line total difference of £8, so no voucher for £4.

That’s ridiculous. It makes a nonsense of the entire process. People order the quantity they need. It’s not for the store to say “we’re supplying less than you asked for but be grateful because we’ve saved you money”.