Can online grocery sites change the price of items after being checked out?

dumpster_fire2025

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982080#Comment_81982080

I'd assume this is because Ocado pick their deliveries from warehouses whereas pretty much everyone else picks from a (relatively) nearby local store. If they're picking from an actual store they have no control over their stock levels as people will just walk in and buy stuff between you placing your order and it being picked, when the stock is in a warehouse they know what they have and what is in people's baskets etc so they can immediately put products out of stock when the total amount in people's baskets/orders meets their actual stock levels.

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81983131#Comment_81983131

Yes, absolutely!

The only puzzling part for me is that our Waitrose delivery comes from a fulfilment centre. I’m not entirely sure what that is? It sounds very 'new age contentment', but it’s more likely to be a warehouse that only does deliveries to customers and stores.

dumpster_fire2025

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81983138#Comment_81983138

It's a fancy way of saying warehouse.

I'm pretty sure the Amazon warehouses are called "fulfilment centres" too.

Unaffiliated

I have noticed the same thing with Sainsburys consistently charging more upon the day of delivery than was agreed to at checkout. Apparently this is legal, as prices are in the terms to be liable to change until day of delivery, but as a customer who shops around and never experiences this elsewhere it does really rub me the wrong way.

Only choice is to double check the receipt before accepting items at the door and refuse the items that are no longer priced the same as what you offered to pay at checkout.

GDB2222

"Only choice is to double check the receipt before accepting items at the door and refuse the items that are no longer priced the same as what you offered to pay at checkout."

That doesn't strike me as fair, either to Sainsburys or the driver who has a limited time to do his round. I suggest you choose a different retailer to give your custom to.

user1977

as a customer who shops around and never experiences this elsewhere 

Who else doesn't follow the same principle? I've just checked Tesco and they have similar terms.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81995765#Comment_81995765

Note that Sainsbury's both anticipates and permits this:

15.1 If whilst inspecting the goods at the time of delivery or collection, you identify goods you do not want, you are free to decline any product for any reason (including the price).

https://help.sainsburys.co.uk/help/terms-and-conditions/buying-online

Alderbank

@Unaffiliated's 'only choice' (above) might well strike you as unfair to Sainsburys, but it is in fact exactly what Sainsburys themselves tell customers to do (s15 in their T&Cs for grocery returns).

https://help.sainsburys.co.uk/help/terms-and-conditions/terms-conditions

Many grocery items, such as fresh and frozen foods, will only be refunded if handed back to the driver at the point of delivery.

Curiosity2017

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81995784#Comment_81995784

All that says is inspecting the goods, eg if bananas look too brown etc. It says nothing about then cross referencing every price on the receipt to the original price paid.

They actually email you way before delivery with a receipt anyway after it's been picked. The op could check that then automatically know which if any items to send back when receiving the delivery.

GDB2222

Clearly, picking through the groceries on the doorstep adds substantially to the store’s costs, which will be passed on to other customers, and it delays deliveries to other customers. There are online retailers that fix the prices at the moment of purchase, and unaffiliated would be better suited to using one of these.