Online shopping
Yesterday, my food order arrived at the appointed hour but as we chatted while the driver unloaded the bags from the crates, I noticed large bottles of water in one of the bags. I pointed out that I hadn’t ordered them. The driver was most apologetic although it wasn’t his fault. Then I spotted another bag containing something else I hadn’t ordered. More apologies were forthcoming. Poor man – perhaps some customers are unreasonable and unpleasant when such things happen and he had borne the brunt of their displeasure in the past.
Unpacking the bags in the kitchen I discovered more things I had not ordered. As the delivery van had long departed I ‘phoned the supermarket help line. The young man checked that I hadn’t been charged for them, which struck me as illogical since I hadn’t ordered them in the first place. Then he said that I could keep the unordered items. There were five packs of Thai green curry, retail price £18.75 in total. I passed them on to my daughter who normally makes this curry from scratch but the packets will sit in her store cupboard ‘for a rainy day.’ The two boxes of Balsam tissues I kept. They were £5.00. So the supermarket was willing to allow me to keep goods to the value of £23.75. That’s very generous and presumably means their profit margins are healthy, as I'm sure I'm not the only customer in the country who receives unexpected groceries. I suppose it's more cost effective to 'write off' such items rather than sending someone to collect and redistribute them!
I feel sorry for the person who will be missing these items in their shopping this week. I’m sure an apology will be forthcoming and perhaps a complimentary gift for the inconvenience.
Recently there were two frozen pizzas I had not ordered in a delivery. I spotted them as I was unpacking at the door – no bags from that supermarket – so the driver was able to take them back immediately. I joked at the time that I should have kept quiet about them.
Online shopping is very convenient provided everything ordered is in stock. Occasionally there are really bizarre substitutions – lemon washing-up liquid instead of lemons, for example – but generally I am happier to have the shopping delivered than to trawl the shops for myself.
When it comes to groceries and other household items I much prefer to walk to the shops and haul the goods home in my little trolley. That way I get exactly what I want or need. I do feel sorry for those who order items that get sent to the wrong house. They have to go through ordering all over again. The supermarket is at fault there, not properly checking the orders and numbering bags 1 of 10 or 1 of 6 and so on with an initial of the purchaser.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, I'm very satisfied with online shopping and enjoy a very occasional foray into the shops.
DeleteMuch as I hate trawling around retails paces I have not been tempted to try online food/grocery shopping. I like to choose my own amounts, varieties, packaging, substitutions etc - or simply choose to go without or try somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteMy order doesn't change much and usually fulfils my needs.
DeleteI suppose if you don't mind the mistakes or your family and friends can take what you didn't order and don't want, it doesn't matter. But many people read the ingredients of packets very carefully and will not touch any meat or product with meat in it (eg soup, sauce). Other people may have desperate allergic reactions to products with nuts inside or sushi with hidden shellfish bits.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, there are rarely mistakes or substitutions, so I'm happy to continue online shopping. I've been doing it for nearly 30 years and it works for me.
DeleteBeing a single person household and liking fresh food, I find I can fulfil my needs and also get exercise by cycling to the shops or walking Nobby there. I do prefer to see what I'm buying, and am the ultimate disloyal customer, with Sainsburys, M&S, Lidl, Tesco and the Co-op all within easy reach!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
From the comments it seems I am in the minority. I started when I was still working and only one other member of staff did the same. I suspect it's much the same now for many of the reasons other people have given.
DeleteSo...it's all round to yours for supper to~night
ReplyDeletethen....HeHe! I'll bring the wine...! :).
I would'nt go near On Line shopping...! :(
I love the thrill of the shop, the thrill of being
'IN' store shopping...Upsetting the the staff,
as soon as l walk into my Lidl store, all the
staff 'hide'. You see..it's great fun to shop....!
And..l certainly don't want anyone handling
'MY' shopping....!
🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾 🍾
You've started summat now Janice...HeHe!
DeleteHere's a comment on to~days Trustpilot.....
Re Ocado...
Going downhill...
Packing is getting more random, I don’t want smelly washing powder in the same bag as sugar.
More products are getting squashed in transit
Availability is becoming annoying- if something is in stock when ordered the evening before a morning delivery it is unacceptable for it to be out of stock and not delivered 12 hours later!
The drivers are all lovely, please sort your stock and packing issues out as they don’t deserve the flack they probably get.
I just don't like shopping!
DeleteI've tried both and definitely prefer getting it myself but then I do have the time nowadays (which is great). Like Gail, there's several shops within east distance and it's nice to ring the changes. xx
ReplyDeleteI'm ok with online ordering for store cupboard things, but fresh veg, fruit, meat and fish, I prefer to choose myself..
ReplyDeleteYears of 'weekly shops' with children in tow put me off for life.
DeleteI get carried away online shopping so I tend to stay away from it.
ReplyDeleteI'm more likely to get carried away shopping in person!
DeleteI have enough trouble with P bringing home the wrong things, let alone try online shopping. Mind you, it is impossible to get a delivery slot here anyway!
ReplyDeleteI'd rather get a delivery slot than try to find a parking spot!
DeleteTomorrow is our weekly shopping day where we go to Aldi and then another big chain supermarket to buy what Aldi doesn't have. I look forward to it. Maybe when I am really really old, I might order in grocery shopping. Online grocery shopping seems to be somewhat imperfect now from what you say and what I have heard locally. Shopping tomorrow will also be accompanied by coffee and brunch, a top up of the 'wine cellar' and putting on our Lotto tickets. I really like the physical shopping.
ReplyDeleteI hate shopping even though I'm not 'really , really old' - though that depends on your definition of old! It sounds as though you make an outing of it - maybe that's the answer.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post and comments - funny that so many don't do online shopping for groceries. I don't, either, but I would if I was physically unable to get out for some reason. It's good to read that despite the odd issue, you have continued. When my mother was still driving, she was going to the grocery store every day as an outing where she might see someone she knew. It was also easier for her to buy one or two things each day so she didn't have to carry it all in one trip. It's still the highlight of her week now that I take her. But our situation is probably far different - the store is very local, it has lots of parking, and it's small enough that you don't get worn out going from one end to the other :) Lemon dishwashing liquid instead of lemons is an interesting substitution!!
ReplyDeleteMy view is that it's very convenient and it saves yet another car on the road. I don't like crowds, either, so it avoids that. I should be a hermit really.
DeleteI'm not generally an online shopper, but I'm not ruling out that I won't be doing so in the future. Not sure that Belgian supermarkets would be as generous, but I'm sure "unexpected groceries" are unavoidable ... Had to laugh at lemon dishwashing liquid as a substitute for lemons though :-) xxx
ReplyDeleteHaving road-tested it for 30 years I'm satisfied with online shopping. Some places are better than others when substitutions are required;-) x x x
DeleteOur daughter does grocery pickup and loves it. We kind of mix it up. It really helps to have 40 lbs. of dog food loaded up,
ReplyDeletebut I prefer choosing my own meats and other fresh foods. Hilltop Post
Animal food and supplies are often heavy so it's good to use others' muscle power ;-)
ReplyDelete