Christmas Delivery Slots Open for Waitrose but charging Extra Fees

Sussex-Tanzanite

Just seen Waitrose Christmas 2026 Delivery Slots have been opened for booking.
However note the delivery fee is raised from the normal £2 or £4 upto £6 or £7 over this period, depending on date. Don’t recall them doing this previously.

I phoned customer services and they had to speak with another dept who advised it’s to align with competitors and as it’s a busy period. They advised they would look into posting something on their website soon,

I’m disabled and rely on deliveries, as I can’t shop instore.
Are Waitrose really telling me they are following the competition rather than being competitive and supporting their customer’s loyalty.

It’s not really about a few extra quid, but if they had told me their marvellous, hardworking delivery ladies and gentlemen were going to benefit directly from the extra cost and all extra monies would end up in staff pay packets as a nice Christmas bonus, then I’d been in favour.

Otherwise it seems like Waitrose are trying to profit from its loyal customers at Christmas, when they know slots are in high demand.

oldernonethewiser

Indeed. Supply and demand is the way of the world.

Stubod

"Customer loyalty" is long dead and buried and of no interest to the vast majority of suppliers / service providers who are just interested in maximising their profits, the way of the world now.

kimwp

I don't see how aligning with their competitors is a justification of higher delivery prices. It's an opportunity for them to increase their prices, not something that allows them to stay in business, unless they are making a loss the rest of the year and use this period of higher delivery prices (which I doubt). The fact that it's a busy period will mean economies of scale will be further enabled, so it will cost them less per delivery as they will be able be more efficient with fuel by grouping deliveries in smaller areas and fulling utilising their driver overhead.

MattMattMattUK

They are being competitive, their competitors are charging more so they, following the demand curve have increased their delivery charge for a high demand period. Profit is not a dirty word, it is what makes business exist.

Also note that Waitrose drivers are partners in the business, they get a share of profits (there are no shareholders) and their Christmas/December overtime is quite generous, they will be getting paid more.

Other, cheaper supermarkets are available.

Rosa_Damascena

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6684413/christmas-delivery-slots-open-for-waitrose-but-charging-extra-fees

Waitrose are many things, but they are certainly not competitive. My local store (food and home, currently having a super-duper refresh) is almost like a pensioner's social club, trolleys are full and till totals are eye-watering! It is great for finding obscure items / new tastes, and does have the occasional special offer. My guess is that Waitrose knows its demographic and their spending power well, and have priced their delivery service accordingly.

pumpkin89

@Rosa_Damascena it depends on what you want to buy. Waitrose are very competitive on upmarket products, because that's predominantly what people go to them for.

For instance, they are currently the cheapest place to buy Mutti canned tomatoes, Manilife peanut butter and wild sockeye salmon. They are also price matching Tesco Clubcard Prices on Tony's chocolate and Lanson champagne but without the need for a loyalty card.

p00hsticks

Peersonally I'd be surprised if any of the supermarkets are making a profit from home deliveries, they just now feel they have to offer it as a service in order to compete with other supermakrets.

StewedApple

Just seen Waitrose Christmas 2026 Delivery Slots have been opened for booking.
However note the delivery fee is raised from the normal £2 or £4 upto £6 or £7 over this period, depending on date. Don’t recall them doing this previously.

Waitrose also offer a delivery pass (like many competitors) - depending on how often you shop this may work-out cheaper than paying individually for each delivery

StewedApple

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82150836#Comment_82150836

This will be a period of very significantly increased goods-throughput - from stock-deliveries to shelf-refilling, to delivery-van loading and delivery itself. There will be a significant increase in costs to organise this work and a requirement to employ and train additional seasonal staff to ensure delivery in a very limited window.

From a business perspective a steady, even demand throughout the year (as opposed to peaks and troughs) is much easier to manage and much more profitable with lower labour costs, understandable that service-based industries look to recover the additional costs.

Farway

My guess is that Waitrose knows its demographic and their spending power well, and have priced their delivery service accordingly.

Very true, yesterday AM I booked my £6 slot for delivery, and nearly all the slots had already been taken by then.

They'll have no trouble selling the slots