Marmite and Lawnmowers (tesco.com)

Member Name: aefra

Product:	tesco.com
Date:	26/10/04 (1124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: As review

Disadvantages: As review

I dithered before entering the world of online grocery shopping for several reasons: I had heard of mistakes being made with orders; Sainsburys charge £5 for the service; Asda is too far away for delivery and I had "left" my nearest Tesco some time ago. Then earlier this year I looked at the long list on my kitchen whiteboard, thought of driving 7 miles, finding somewhere to park not too far from the supermarket door and then enduring the (for me) stress of the checkout queue, not to mention hauling the whole lot back home again. Nothing ventured...... and I keyed in tesco.com and have been doing so ever since.

The newly upgraded site is inviting, fast and super efficient with registration made easy necessitating only your password to log in thereafter. Tesco remember who you are, any special instructions for delivery and flag every thing you have ordered as a "favourite" which stands out on the "shelf" with a red tick to catch your eye next time and is included in a separate list for your future use. So, having registered or logged on what happens next?

The Home Page has links to everything you need to know, including an animated online guide which can be downloaded. Perhaps it will help if I take you through with me as I enter my order. First I click on Delivery Slot and am shown a chart showing 3 weeks of 2 hour slots, daily from 9am - 10pm weekdays with a little shorter on saturday and sunday. Above each day is the delivery charge, ranging from £3.99 through £4.99 to £5.99 at weekends. I tend to pick the cheaper Tuesday and Wednesday slots. Once you have made your choice it will remain open for a couple of hours.

Clicking on Express Shopper I am shown a page with my chosen delivery slot in the RH column, beneath which will accumulate my order with a running sub-total and prices as low as expected from Tesco. On the left is a small notebook in which I key in my choice from their vast range, having first deleted the previous entry. This is where the fun starts. I type "yoghurt" on the notepad and am instantly transported to a list on which I should find my preference. Anything I have already ordered will be marked with that red tick and, if not immediately shown, I click on the link beneath each item which invites me to "the rest of the shelf". Should my request have not been too clear, the top of the list has links to other possible shelves. Beside my choice will be the figure 1 with a + or - sign fore and aft. I just add or subtract, press "add" and the amount I have chosen will show immediately on a list on the RH side and the running total adjusted. Back to Express Shopper, delete the previous entry and away I go again. Clicking on many items on the list will produce a pop-up showing more detailed descriptions. I have not found this option particularly useful though.

The first attempt may well take something like 50 minutes, but now I find the shopping experience simple, painless and above all stress free. I have just entered multiples of 20 items in 17 minutes from start to confirmation of order. Not only this but my slot for tomorrow from 12-2pm is available at only £3.99. A further confirmation from Tesco detailing my request is received immediately by email. How painless is that? I can think of nothing that can be done instore that can't be done faster and more easily online. Changing your mind once having passed through the virtual checkout causes no problem and may be done in some cases up to the early hours of the night before delivery.

"What about my reward card?", you ask. Sure enough when I received my accummulated points and vouchers through the post they were for the major store. I telephoned the tesco.com helpline, was anwered immediately by a call centre actually in the UK and my vouchers transferred to my online account there and then. I did have to wait until the next issue before I could use them and then keyed in the numbers of the vouchers at the checkout. In addition to special offers and BOGOF's I had an inexpensive shop that week. Application for your online clubcard as well as full information may be made on site. Payment is by secure credit card and is not taken until the order is despatched. I have found it to be accurate every time.

I have told you as briefly as I can how to use the system. For more information the tesco.com site is there to advise or reassure and the links on the LH of the Home Page will tell you what you wish to know about their Fair Trade policy (something I care about), special offers, recipe ideas, Clubcard information, details of items free from gluten, wheat or milk and much more. I find the vegetarian range enough for my needs.

I tend not to use the option for substitutions, preferring to do without. However it was gratifying to find that on what Tesco call "core items" substitutions are automatically made. Thus I have not been left without tea, bread, milk, sweetener or any other vital pantry food although this has happened rarely. I cannot tell you anything about fruit and veg as I buy from local farm shops.

So what about delivery and can it be that perfect? Of course not. My drivers are obliging and on time and the bags used are bio-degradable to the extent that they are breaking down from the moment they are manufactured. So you won't have to wonder what on earth to do environmentally with the carriers used for your delivery. Just chuck them in the wheelie bin. You will be handed your order listed with anything unavailable or substituted at the top. The driver will advise you anyway. Incidentally perishable items have always been well in date, meaning that I can order in the quantities I need without the worry of having to consume them quickly. I have received a supply of baked beans that I haven't ordered (not charged for) and on one occasion the van was late and I was not telephoned. It seems that the vehicle had broken down. However, despite the fact that they must have received calls both to the helpline and the warehouse from every customer waiting for their groceries, I received only courtesy and genuine attempts to correct things. In fact the driver returned to base and I had my shopping only a couple of hours later. The following day I received an email apologising again for the hitch. Considering my orders are not going to add much to Tesco's fortune, I am delighted with the feeling that I am valued. A pity not all their stores are like this.

It is fortunate that the tesco.com site is fast as it does not support the speedy Opera. Knowing how slow and awkward Internet Explorer is, I almost decided not to bother. How fortunate that I did as I have not been held up by the slower browser at all. My bank's upgraded site also no longer supports Opera, making me wonder if there is a conspiracy headed by Bill Gates and Co.

My title? Well tesco.com delivered my competitively priced lawnmower and a new electric kettle as well - although not with the groceries.

Summary: