Grumble in the Jungle-Tesco V Sainsburys Home Shopping (Online shopping - Comments & Tips)

Member Name: Tezzz

Product:	Online shopping - Comments & Tips
Date:	20/08/08 (117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Food delivered to your door with no loss of sanity

Disadvantages: Some services are better than others

Hi all,

Welcome to Grumble in the Jungle - there's a few ringside seats left, make yourself at home.

If you're considering supermarket home delivery services, or thinking about changing suppliers - here's some things to consider.(Feel free to cheer or boo as appropriate)

This contest is between two of the largest home shopping delivery services...in the blue corner - Tesco (every little helps) and in the red corner - Sainsburys (spends money on service, not quirky slogans)

Stamina ratings: I've been with Tesco 3 years, Sainsburys 1 year

DING DING!!!!! No hitting below the belt.......

Round 1 - Ordering

Both are quick and easy to register with, both sites have a massive range of own and top name items.

You can order food, off licence drinks, household goods, stationery, baby items, pet foods and accessories and even seasonal gifts.

Your first order can take up to 1.5 hours to prepare, as you have to go to the individual shelves and choose your items, one by one. Please don't let this put your off.

Because both supermarkets keep your Shopping lists - the next time you shop - go direct to "my usuals" and there, like magic, is all the foods you've placed the week before. Any new items will be stored in this original shipping list - so the more you shop, the quicker and easier it gets.

Say goodbye to the tedious job of making a list before you shop.

TESCO - keeps a list of all items you buy - regardless of whether they're out of stock

SAINSBURYS - for some reason, often "usual" items are left off, which is really annoying, because you may miss important items, and they're left off if out of stock

Once you've done your order, go to checkout - give details as requested (which are saved, if requested, for even easier future orders). Sit back and wait for delivery of goodies

Round 2 - Delivery times and prices

TESCO - You can only order in a two hour time slot. I used to order 1-3pm Wednesdays. This can be any time from 11.40am (I kid you not) to 3.40pm. Sometimes the deliveryman rings beforehand to ask if this is convenient. More often than not, he just arrives, knowing he has you under his spell, and you get used to waiting in most of the day.

I did once ask why they couldn't be on time - and was told I was lucky to get it all, as they were now over-stretched by TescoDirect deliveries too. Oh, happy days.....

Prices: Between £4-6 depending on day and time (guffaws at the "time" scenario)

SAINSBURYS - You order in a one hour time slot - they deliver in the one hour time slot

(Inside information here - if they are just one minute late, you can complain and get a £10 sorry voucher)

I have thought about setting traps, trip wires etc, but I know they will still arrive on time - doh!

Prices: FREE (yes, free) if order is over £100 on Tues, Wed and Thurs, otherwise £3.50-6.50 for orders over £40. Standard charge of £6 if under £40.

Round 3 - Quality of items delivered

TESCO - Overall good quality, but there are two main issues I'd like to point out here.

Firstly, sell by dates are often close to order date, I have known them deliver goods where the sell by date was yesterday. I did ring to say my Tardis was out of action - refund given.

Secondly - you won't believe this one! Two summers ago, all my frozen food was being delivered completely thawed. I rang manager of depot. He told me this was imposible as they had new vans. (Now, you know me, I'm not in the habit of defrauding anyone with a pack of floppy fish fingers, limp leek quiche, or straggly sausages)

They grudgingly gave me a refund.

Same thing happened over the next 3 weeks. This time I showed the deliveryman and made him sign that I was returning because the frozen items were indeed room temperature.

When I explained to customer services I was fed up eating refund sandwiches every day, and actually wanted the goods (if they'd be so kind) I was told to contact depot manager.

Not being lily-livered....I rang Sir Terence Leahy - owner of Tesco.com. He was on holiday and spoke to his (very charming) financial director instead. (Must say he sounded a bit bemused that a lowly customer had managed to get through to the Bigboys room - but then, they don't know me and my wiley guises ;) ;) nudge, nudge. )

What I pointed out to him was that many unsuspecting folks could easily take their thawed food, not realising it was in that state and pop it into the freezer, storing it for months. When they came to defrost this food - it may well be a serious threat to health.

Salmonella, E.coli etc will proliferate under these conditions, remembering they thawed out when the weather was at it's hottest and may have been in the van for hours.

SAINSBURYS - Excellent - very long sell by dates (they even tell you on the receipt which items they suggest you eat quickly)

Twice I've had cause for minor complaints - apology email, refund, plus compensation vouchers.

ROUND 4 - Out of stock items and substitutions

TESCO - Many items out of stock - so not delivered, even when subs must have been in stock - ie eggs (a supermarket with NO eggs?) cheese (ditto?)

One week I had 13 items either out of stock or substituted. Tesco generally sub items that are more expensive than the original item ordered (nice one, Tesco :S)

This is where Tesco excels in the amusement section...here are a few of the subs received:

Ordered a loaf of white bread......got a bunch of broccoli

Ordered a pack of rich tea biscuits......got a tin of Whiskas cat food (didn't dunk as well in tea, by the way)

Ordered a pack of spring greens.....got a pack of Green tea

SAINSBURYS - in a whole year, only 2 items out of stock, subs have been similar price, and often I've got to try different makes that I've preferred.

ROUND 5 - Promotional items/incentives

TESCO - Many BOGOF and special offers, Tesco clubcard points - can't use in many places other than Tescos.

SAINSBURYS - Many BOGOF and special offers, Nectar points - can use loads of places.....and very handy they are too!

ROUND 6 - Deliverymen

TESCO - Sometimes lovely, many a bit fed up - at one point wouldn't place your bags inside the door because of "insurance" rules. Doing me a favour delivering at all (see delivery times above)

I can assure you I don't look like an agony aunt....but I've heard all about their relationship problems (one married 3 times and paying 3 lots of alimony), dating problems, one needed a sympathy biscuit cos he ran over a duck...duck was OK, deliveryman was not.

SAINSBURYS - Cheerful, efficient, helpful........have no idea whether their current girl/boyfriends are suing them for paternity monies.....

FINAL ROUND!!!!

Apart from Sainsburys sometimes not keeping your shopping list up-to-date, I feel there is no contest, and can't believe I stayed with Tesco for so long (maybe I was insecure at the time, or fascinated to hear whether 3 times married chappie ever found true love.......)

Who are the champions???? Sainsburys every time......for me, it's a Knockout!!!!

Summary: Shop 'till you drop? Not for me thanks...