Sainsbury's Online Shopping - Buy One ADD One Free?

teddyco

I didn't have time to do grocery shopping this week so I cleverly decided to order online with Sainsbury's and leave the shopping to them.

When I placed my order, I noticed some of the offers that appeared to be BOGOF's, but they were deceptively NOT!

The BOAOF is the newest beast to enter the online grocery store playing field and one that shoppers should approach with extreme caution. BOAOF stands for Buy One ADD One Free and if you don't read the fine print, you'll end up wishing you had gone to the store instead.

We all know what a BOGOF is, you buy one and Sainsbury's automatically includes one to your order. In the case of a BOAOF, you have to ADD one manually to your order to actually get it.

So on my recent order I had some BOGOF's and some BOAOF's. The first came in as planned, but the second didn't because I didn't follow the fine print and add them manually. Now this brings up an interesting concept; Who would buy one and then choose NOT to add another one free?

I have a better idea, maybe Sainsbury's could come up with BOSOTTSPIAF 'Buy One Send One To The Starving People In Africa Free'!

I called Sainsbury's customer service and was informed that this was 'my fault' because I didn't follow instructions and read the fine print. Silly me, I thought it was a BOGOF and not a BOAOF. So guess what? I have to drive to my local super market and pick up the 'free' items myself. Why didn't I think of that in the first place?

I was almost going to drop the online ordering several years ago when Sainsbury's kept sending me stuff that was almost at its' due date, and the produce was some of the lousiest stuff I have ever seen.

In many instances, the fresh produce was anything but fresh, and looked not too dissimilar from the stuff in my wife's garden compost bin.

So this is the last straw, the big Kahoona, no more online grocery shopping!

I'll just have to bite the bullet, put on my stab vest and battle the hoardes of raving lunatics with grocery trolley's - carton of milk in one hand and a mace in the other - as they fight, and push their way through aisles of baked goods, bags of crisps, and cartons of double cream.

You gotta love it, cause if you don't love it, someone else will.

mute_posting

Is only like if you go shopping yourself - the extra item doesn't magically jump into your trolley - you have to put it in!

Some people (for perhaps ethical or "green" reasons) may not want 2 of something - even if one of them is free.

MP

EDIT

Just seen Martin has recently talked about the same thing as I describe above in his blog..

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=10722511#post10722511

spencezoid

teddyco- i'm really suprised at the customer service you recieved as i was a person who never shopped on line as i felt i needed to pick and feel,and then about two xmas' ago both children were ill & i couldn't shop, i used tesco(i didn't like their packing ,i 'm not keen on asdas website so i started with sainsburys(which always being an asda shopper instore before really suprised myself)i only go about 3 times a year now just to have a look and spend my nectar point instore - i used to work in a call centre(for a different company) & always expect the service i would have given,i have always found sainsburys,boots,lush.m & s,forefill this,i would advise that you call again and if you are still not happy ask for a supervisor call back-because unfortunately not all customer service advisors think ahead of the query at hand and the continued sales and service to follow
I'M JUST PUTTING THIS INCAPS AS IF NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BOGOF,I WORK AT A PLAYGROUP AND WE WOULD THINK IT GREAT TO RECIEVE EXTRA FRUIT,VEG ETC -SO PLEASE CHECK AT SCHOOLS ,PLAYGROUPS,ANY LOCAL EVENTS,EG DEPENDING AT TIME OF YEAR SUMMER FETES,CHURCHES,PLEASE ASK YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

mute_posting

spencezoid wrote: »

teddyco- i'm really suprised at the customer service you recieved as i was a person who never shopped on line as i felt i needed to pick and feel,and then about two xmas' ago both children were ill & i couldn't shop, i used tesco(i didn't like their packing ,i 'm not keen on asdas website so i started with sainsburys(which always being an asda shopper instore before really suprised myself)i only go about 3 times a year now just to have a look and spend my nectar point instore - i used to work in a call centre(for a different company) & always expect the service i would have given,i have always found sainsburys,boots,lush.m & s,forefill this,i would advise that you call again and if you are still not happy ask for a supervisor call back-because unfortunately not all customer service advisors think ahead of the query at hand and the continued sales and service to follow
I'M JUST PUTTING THIS INCAPS AS IF NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BOGOF,I WORK AT A PLAYGROUP AND WE WOULD THINK IT GREAT TO RECIEVE EXTRA FRUIT,VEG ETC -SO PLEASE CHECK AT SCHOOLS ,PLAYGROUPS,ANY LOCAL EVENTS,EG DEPENDING AT TIME OF YEAR SUMMER FETES,CHURCHES,PLEASE ASK YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

<very long intake of breath>

wow that was a long sentance! :rotfl:

RadoJo

I shop with Tesco and it usually asks you to add two to your basket to receive the offer with this kind of thing - I suppose in the current climate of encouraging supermarkets to reduce packaging and news about wasted food, it is up to them to ensure that they do what they can to (at least be seen to) be doing their bit.

To be honest, there are so many different offers I always make sure I read the actual offer so I know I am doing it right, but I can see how it can be annoying. I would never give up shopping online though - I don't want to sacrifice an evening in the shop when I could do it in half the time without having to rely on my memory of what's in my store cupboards!

uktim29

Nice to see people who work in schools/play groups have a such a good grasp of punctuation.

hev_2

I shop at online at Sainsburys and I didn't add the 'add one free' bag of pears because I knew I would struggle to get through the first - and the programme reminded me!

Actually I think it is ethical because it reduces waste. I do understand the OP, however, because it is really irritating to lose out on something you need because of a computer glitch.

Now I have the heads up about donating fruit etc I shall certainly be adding the free ones!

Poosmate

"I'll just have to bite the bullet, put on my stab vest and battle the hoardes of raving lunatics with grocery trolley's - carton of milk in one hand and a mace in the other - as they fight, and push their way through aisles of baked goods, bags of crisps, and cartons of double cream."

Teddyco, you must live in a really rough area if that's how Sainsbury's customers behave. I've never had such problems at Morrisons even at Christmas!

I've never done my grocery shopping online because I wouldn't have enough room to store £50 worth of stuff! Well maybe if I stopped shopping for a few weeks and used up what is in my cupboards/freezer - but I like the security of having a supply of "back-up" food (it's my "armageddon" food. lol).

Good luck with shopping in the future - stay safe!

Poo

andyrules

uktim29 wrote: »

Nice to see people who work in schools/play groups have a such a good grasp of punctuation.

2 year olds generally aren't ready to be taught punctuation...;)

Great idea about using the spare one - I'd like to see that catch on, if BOGOFs have a future..

C_Ronaldo

What would be better would be if a prompt appeared saying something like warning this product is on BOAOF, would you like another one

hev_2

C_Ronaldo wrote: »

What would be better would be if a prompt appeared saying something like warning this product is on BOAOF, would you like another one

Sainsburys online shopping actually did this for me - I actually got a prompt asking if I wanted the second one added. They have been really good, and Tescos deliveries here are pants.