How often do you have delivery problems with online shopping?

I spoke too soon. Today we had a Waitrose delivery and there was an abnormal number of substitutions. They were understandable and sensible replacements but not what we wanted. The substitutions were all for mainstream stock items, not exotic and seasonal products. We don’t want to stop substitutions because then we would have to go out and get something elsewhere, but it is disappointing that the stock levels in the superstore that operates our delivery service are not sufficient to meet the demand, even though they have had five clear days in which to ensure they can do so. It is necessary to order well in advance so as to get a convenient delivery slot; I was hoping they would use that time to make sure they could supply what we ordered.

Waitrose did send an e-mail about an hour before the delivery slot listing the substitutions but by that time it was too late to ask for alternative replacements. At least they do not charge the higher price if the substitution is more expensive than the item ordered and they charge the lower price if the converse is the case. The only substitution that we thought could have been more acceptable was in respect of freshly-squeezed fruit juice where we ordered 2×1 litre cartons of each of two types of juice. They could not supply the pineapple or tropical juice ordered and substituted juices from concentrate; is that a reasonable substitution? I would have thought it should have been possible to supply freshly squeezed juice but from other fruit – even four litres of orange juice would have been better.

Apart from that, and the van driver losing his way, turning up late, and having a dodgy hand-held computer that would not take my signature, it was perfect. The driver didn’t seem to understand that sat-navs work on postcodes, not individual door numbers, and that a postcode can contain a number of individual addresses. He thought the marker on the screen pinpointed the precise house. I explained that you still have to look for the house number but he said they do not run consecutively so I also had to explain about odds and evens! He was smartly presented though, although not looking comfortable in the Waitrose uniform collar and tie.

I had forgotten about our recent Waitrose experience [see above] so this is just to bring the story to a conclusion.

After the delivery there was an on-line follow-up questionnaire, which I suspect is routine and not targetted, and I gave low scores for certain aspects of the service identifying key concerns. That was followed by an email from the central customer care team asking for more information which I fulsomely supplied. In response I received an explanation of the company’s order-picking approach, which I challenged because it was not intelligent enough, and information on how there had been words of advice and support given to management and personnel at the store where the deliveries come from. In summary, my points were recognised, I felt that excuses rather than reasons were given [but that is a commercial culture], managerial action had occurred, there was an expression of apology and a promise of better service in future, and a £5 discount voucher has been tendered [the order totalled £86.44 so that was under 6%]. Some of the responses were ‘templated’ across two communications but overall we are generally satisfied with Waitrose’s response and are taking no further action.

“Something “gotten ” hold of my (your) heart John ? Gene Pitney- Cilla Black-Marc Almond. For the record co-written by-ENGLISH singer/songwriter Roger Cook , born in Bristol and English songwriter/producer Roger Greenaway -born in Bristol . Maybe it was the sea air drifting over from America to the Bristol channel ?

Yes, it turns up in country music and romantic ballads because it has a sentimental old-time ring about it. Sometimes it is used to fit the metre. I prefer up-to-date language.

I was taught that “got” was a redundant word in many usages and better not used. For example in the intro “and you’ve got quite the perfect storm”

Indeed, but many writers still use it for effect. It’s a bit like the weather presenters who insist on saying things such as ‘the temperatures will be dropping down…’ I wait patiently in the hope of seeing something that drops up.

“The only begotten son.” “And Noah begat Shem, Ham and Japheth”.
I beget. You beget. He/she begets. They have begotten.
Then they began to beget and there was no end to their begetting. It was a case of the begetter and the begot.

To actually remain on topic On two occasions I received goods that the supplier knew were faulty and sent them anyway. Sending them back was a nuisance, but a local convenience store served as a collection depot. Having to be in for a delivery is also a nuisance when ordering on line. On one occasion a parcel was left round the back without notification. As it was undamaged I didn’t complain. It is the weak link in the on line chain, but one can specify a collection point in some cases and collect parcels when it suits. Actual delivery times are usually quicker than promised and packaging is usually very good.

I needed a large number of postage stamps so ordered them from the Post Office. They were delivered by UPS.

I expect that was a cheaper option. You could have had them post-haste but that would cost more.

I wonder if Frank at the Post Office would run them through his machine.

Annoyingly, all postage stamps available by the sheet nowadays are peel-off adhesive ones which I find take much longer to affix to a large number of envelopes. With the lick-&-stick type you could get up quite a rhythm with a perforated strip and a fan of envelopes [sounds like a nightclub act!].

Cue David Rose…

This case is nearly two years old and there is no point in dealing with it now, but why cannot Which? pick up these questions and answer them?

Those of us who volunteer to try to give consumer advice here are not experts in everything, and not necessarily ‘on duty’ when the questions arrive, but Which? is a normal weekday operation with continuous cover. If Which? is going to pose questions about delivery problems, what is the point if it is not going to handle them? After three days of no response from a ‘volunteer’ it should take the question in-house and deal with it. If that is not possible, please make it clear that Which? Conversation is not a consumer complaints service.

Which? has called for all this evidence. It would be interesting to know, eventually, what use has been made of it.