Sainsburys Online Food Shop Issue

throughtheblue

I ordered an online grocery shop yesterday via Sainburys, which has turned into a headache today. 

Me and my partner live in a rural location and didn't have access to our car over the weekend. The food shop originally came to £47, and included a £12 'dining for 2' meal offer, with main, sides, desert and wine. The wheels fell off when the 2 small steaks (300g) was substituted with just 1 steak (220g) which doesn't constitute a meal. Now this further confused things as the substitute invalidated the meal deal because it wasn't part of the deal, so the wine went from £4.45 to £7.50, desert from £2.07 to £3.50 and the side went from £1.78 to £3.00. Also, they were unable to find a suitable substitute for milk, which seems utterly ridiculous. 

So, the price jumped up to £58, despite the replacement stake only being an extra £3.00, mainly because it undid the meal deal offer. Now, we have substitutes picked, but if we choose a meal deal, then it's hardly fair if they can't provide that for the deal to be off and us pay full price for those items. Also, they should substitute the unavailable product with a main meal from the deal. In the end, I tried to be clever and reject the steak and wine to keep the order at £40, but I think this took it to just under £40 so now expecting a £7 delivery charge. 

Because of our rural location, I felt like I couldn't just reject or cancel the whole order, but in the end it just felt like a pointless exercise. I don't know what to exactly ask for in this situation? I don't want a coupon, because I'd rather not bother with this again, so i don't know if I'm entitled to some money back?

The main issue is because something on the meal deal wasn't unavailable, the whole deal is a write off and they try and charge full price for the other items, and the attempt to substitute 2 small steaks on a 'dine for 2' with just one. 

visidigi

What did Sainsburys (who are the only who can advise you) say about it when you raised it with the CS team there?

throughtheblue

visidigi said:

What did Sainsburys (who are the only who can advise you) say about it when you raised it with the CS team there?

I haven't spoken with them yet, but preparing to. I don't know what to tell them other than they gave me a headache trying to work out what had happened with the pricing of everything.

cannugec5

I have had a similar experience with Tesco when a substitution invalidated a meal deal. I telephoned customer service the same day, explained the issue and had the difference refunded - directly onto my credit card. 

In my case the substitution was appropriate for two people so was acceptable to me. 

I think substituting a main element for two with a single steak is a separate issue and should also be brought to their attention. 

We don’t have any Sainsbury’s near here so I cannot comment on whether they are generally poor or if you were simply unlucky on this occasion. 

Aylesbury_Duck

Honestly?  I'd just talk to Sainsbury's.  I'm sure they'll sort it all out.  I don't think you need to 'prepare your defence' or similar, just explain what happened and that you feel short-changed.  I'm pretty certain they'll send you a voucher or a refund, because as I see it, you're £18 and a steak down on the intended deal.  I don't think they're going to quibble over something like £20.

HampshireH

Sainsbury's and Tesco are both very good with refunds on substitutions just give them a call

pinkshoes

Just accept the delivery the contact Sainsburys and they'll adjust the price.

I don't like Sainsbury's online shopping. I ordered a bottle of half price St Emillion with my shopping. They'd run out so replaced it with a £20 bottle. I either had to accept the £20 or GP without wine!! 😳😲

born_again

There is a option "NO SUBSITUTES"

Always use that option for online orders. As if something is not in stock, you get what the person picking, or the system decides to give you. 👍

New_in_the_fens

My sainsburys substitutes are typically fine. I use the no-subs option sparingly - just for those items I absolutely wouldn’t want an alternative version. 

If you reject a substitute at the door, you get a full refund to your card, if you accept a substitution, you’ll pay the full price, but get a voucher for the difference between what you would have paid and what you did pay, to use on the next shop. So the £20 bottle of wine would have cost you the price of the original product. 

This works very well for me, but I also can’t remember the last time I had a substitute so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Not that any of this answers the question - I would just phone customer services and explain. They are very helpful. 

user1977

born_again said:

There is a option "NO SUBSITUTES"

Always use that option for online orders. As if something is not in stock, you get what the person picking, or the system decides to give you. 👍

But wouldn’t that leave the OP in much the same position ie they receive some elements of the meal deal but don’t get the discount because the main course isn’t available?

Silver_Shark

This has happened to me with Tesco and they will adjust the price and issue a refund if you phone them.  Both Saiinsburys and Tesco are very good if you phone them with a delivery problem.

Tesco substituted 4 pint of  fresh milk for me with a carton of long life milk which I handed back to the driver. Not a problem except for me having to then go to a store to buy fresh milk. Can't believe the store had no fresh milk as a substitute, surely two two pints or a 6 pint would have been acceptable.