persatorpotopis.netlify.com

Tesco customers have been left furious after having to wait hours in a virtual queue to secure a Christmas delivery slot.

Tesco has started charging flat fees for grocery delivery and Click & Collect slots, in a major shake-up which means cheaper times are no longer available and some customers will have to pay much more. Tesco shoppers reported long waits when Christmas slots became available to its Delivery Saver customers earlier this month, and the supermarket has apologised that some may not be able to get the delivery time they want. Ocado has also sold out of slots already. Watch out if booking close to delivery date.

This morning the supermarket released slots for the week starting 21 December - but only to their delivery saver customers who pay a subscription fee.

But after waking up to log on at 7am, many complained they had still not been given a slot after two-and-a-half hours of waiting.

One person posted on Twitter: 'What an absolute joke. Been a delivery customer for years, have delivery saver.

Almost two and a half hours waiting and still in the queue 😡

— Sonia Bradley (@50N1ABR4DL3Y) November 13, 2020

'Went on at 6.45am. Been in the queue for two hours and 20 minutes. What is happening? Should I just shop elsewhere this Christmas?'

Another user posted: 'Been waiting 2.5 hours now (since 6.59) in a queue for Christmas slot. What's happening? Am I lost in cyber hell somewhere?'

Customers were faced with a message that read: 'You are currently in a queue - we'll put you through as soon as we can.'

On its Twitter page, the supermarket posted: 'A lot of customers are using our website and app at the moment. So we're temporarily using a virtual waiting room to help manage the flow.

'We're sorry if things take a bit longer than usual.'

Anyone else still in the online Tesco queue for a Christmas slot?! #tescopic.twitter.com/f4qKOrng2l

— SEN Resources Blog (@senresourceblog) November 13, 2020

While some were given slots after a long wait, others were unsuccessful and forced to shop for their Christmas dinner supplies elsewhere.

Those who did manage to book complained festive essentials like turkeys were not yet available.

There was also no mention of people on the government's vulnerable list, who are entitled to priority delivery slots because of coronavirus.

@Tesco been waiting 2.5 hours now (since 6.59) in a queue for Christmas slot. What's happening? Am I lost in cyber hell somewhere?

— annie (@annie6724) November 13, 2020

A Tesco spokesman said: 'Demand for online slots over the festive period is high, and we have more slots this Christmas than ever before.

'We are experiencing high volumes of traffic to our website and groceries app and are temporarily limiting the number of customers using it.'

They apologised for the inconvenience and claimed home delivery and click and collect slots are still available for the Christmas period.

© Publicity Picture

There’s no doubt that getting a shopping delivery slot has been harder than usual since the UK went into lockdown eight weeks ago.

In an attempt to take some of the stress away, Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com has compiled a list of top tips.

The list shows how far ahead each supermarket releases its slots and how you might get your hands on one, reports BirminghamLive.

The supermarket with the longest lead time appears to be Tesco with a massive 21 days, which assumes you know what you’ll want to eat three weeks in advance.

Waitrose and Morrisons release their slots just three days ahead.

So you might know what you want to eat but will you then have enough time to get your order in before all of the slots are quickly taken?

Tesco Online Delivery Slots

Here’s how the supermarket giants are operating according to Moneysavingexpert.

Three days ahead

Waitrose - used to be in partnership with Ocado but not any more.

So it might well be looking to expand times in due course.

For slots, it said it is 'advising customers to check each morning'.

Shoppers surveyed said they had success from 6am to 8am as well as randomly during the day.

Morrisons - shoppers top tip was to try just after midnight

Five days ahead

Co-op - told Martin Lewis that 'slots are launched every day, at around midnight'.

Seven days ahead

Iceland - the company said times were specific to stores, so Martin Lewis's 'Forumites' reported different results in tandem.

Sainsbury's - told Martin Lewis that 'when the slots are released will vary - there isn't a specific time and it doesn't depend on the store'.

One follower reported success every Monday.

Tesco Groceries No Delivery Slots Available Online

Ocado - the online supermarket was a former partner with Waitrose but recently jumped into bed with M&S and is due start selling its products, as well as its own, from September.

Tesco Groceries No Delivery Slots Available Items

It said there wasn't a fixed time when they were released, but priority customers were emailed about availability.

Once they've had a chance to book, non-priority customers are notified - via a message on the home page - and are then able to book any remaining slots.

14 days ahead

Asda - revealed that slots update as and when they become available in each area. Popular times to get a slot were typically 10pm or midnight, though some followers said between 2am and 4am.

21 days ahead

Tesco - Martin Lewis was told 'slots tend to be released at midnight for three weeks ahead' but that it's busy adding extra vans to create more slots.

Tesco Groceries Malaysia

Top tips include logging on ten minutes early and then trying to book after midnight.