War & Peace - but please read before you consider using Asda.com (Asda.com)

Member Name: smitchloopy55

Product:	Asda.com
Date:	27/05/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use website, cheap delivery

Disadvantages: Late delivery, damaged products, terrible packing & poor communication

INTRO

I occasionally shop online and tend to use either Sainsburys or Tesco.
£££ was a bit tight last month and Asda seemed to have some great deals and cheap delivery so I thought I'd give it a go.

WEBSITE

I've got no complaints with the website. It was clear and I found it easy to use. I had no problems with getting the delivery date and slot I required - they come in 2 hour windows and I chose a 4-6pm time slot.
No issues with payment.

After I had completed the order my friends called and announced that they were in the area and coming over for dinner on the day of said delivery - and I was able to easily return to my order and add some bits to it so I could feed them too!

DELIVERY

4pm came and went - Tesco are normally dead on time but I wasn't concerned at all. It is after all a 2 hour window.
5pm came and went, thought it'll probably be here within the next 30 mins. 5.30 pm came and went... getting a little nervous now. The kids are hungry, my guests are arriving soon and I haven't been able to prepare anything! 6pm came and went so I phoned the helpline number on my order.

After being in a queue for 5 mins, I was greeted by a seemingly helpful chap who looked at my order, stated there's no problems written up on the job and offered to call the store to locate the delivery. I explained I needed to know within the next 5 mins if delivery was imminent, because if not I needed to go out then and there to buy some dinner for my family and guests. He promised to call back in 5 mins.

20 MINS LATER.... I called back. Spoke to someone else who said they couldn't get hold of the store! I asked again where my shopping was and how I go about getting a refund on the products I'm now going to have to go out and buy. She told me to speak to the driver when he turns up. No apology, no expected time of delivery, nothing!

AN HOUR after it should have arrived, the van finally appeared! The driver was very polite, apologetic and explained that my order had been missed off the afternoon vans, that the staff at the store knew and should have called me!!

He was also embarrassed by the state of my groceries. Some were packed in bags - most were just loose in the plastic delivery boxes. Uncooked meat in with fruit and veg, tins in with kiwi fruits - which were completely squashed and inedible. Bubble bath had leaked over fresh produce. It was basically a mess!

My husband, kids and guests had to help me bring the shopping in. I then started preparing dinner over 1 hour later than planned! The evening was rushed and not enjoyable, the kids were grumpy and in bed late, and this was all because of poor communication from ASDA.

'CUSTOMER SERVICE'

The next day I was sorting out my sons lunchbox for school, went to add a carton of juice which according to the receipt was delivered the day before. And they weren't there. I had to stop at a garage on the way to school at twenty to nine to pick up a drink for Harry. That was the final nail in the Asda coffin!

I emailed customer service and got no reply. Phoned the asda.com helpline and they offered me refunds on the missing items and the kiwi fruit. And a free delivery next time.... I explained there wasn't going to be a next time but they refused to refund me the delivery charge I'd paid!

Following several more phone calls and an angry letter to the store manager I finally had my measly £3.50 refund! The manager even stated that poor communication is the top complaint from asda.com customers! WELL WHY NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT??


WOULD I USE THEM AGAIN?

Erm...... NO!

I'm not an unreasonable person. I'm not angry at the mistakes made - I accept they do happen. However I was furious at the lack of communication. A simple phone call to let me know my delivery was going to be so late would have enabled me to go out and buy what I needed and avoid the drama we had.

Their subsequent 'customer service' has made sure that I'll never shop with them again.

Summary: You get what you pay for.... Avoid at all costs!