I feel I need to start this post by saying it isn’t a collaborative post and I haven’t been paid or incentivised in anyway to write it. I have been an Ocado customer for years and despite trying a few other home delivery services I haven’t found any others I am happy with. No company is perfect, and I’ve had a few grumbles, but I still love Ocado. Find out why...

It's Easy To Shop

I shop through the Ocado app. I can quickly add items when I remember whether I'm at the park, on the sofa or putting my youngest down for a nap. In the past I tried using a competitors websites and after losing my shopping basket twice I gave up.

It's Good Value

Ocado, like Waitrose, are seen as premium price supermarkets, but Ocado do a price comparison with Tesco for branded products. After each shop I receive an email telling me if my shop was more expensive and a voucher for the amount if it was, even when it was just a penny! There is a minimum spend per shop and you could shop more frugally from some of the cheaper supermarkets, but overall I find Ocado are great value.

Great Range Of Food

I’m always finding new and interesting products on Ocado, but I really became aware of how great the range is when I visited the Free From and Allergy Show. A lot of the exhibitors had products from small companies which are mainly of interest to people with intolerances, allergies or otherwise restricted diets. Whilst most supermarkets have a growing number of Free From products in store time and time again I was told that other than speciality shops and websites the main place to get the products was Ocado.

They Deliver To Your Kitchen

Ocado ask where you want them to leave your shopping, which includes taking your bags through to the kitchen. I was shocked when I had a delivery from Tesco and the driver brought the bags to just outside my door, but wouldn’t even pick them up and pass them to me. When the Ocado drivers helpfully ask where I would like the bags I normally say to put them in my hall because my house is too messy for them to come further in, but it’s the thought that counts. The bags are colour coded too so when you are in a hurry you can just put away the green (freezer) and red (fridge) bags.

They Charge For Carrier Bags, But Refund You

Like most supermarkets Ocado charge you for bags, but if you return them with your next shop they will refund you. You can even return other bags to them. I check my receipt for how many bags I should have been given because the drivers often combine the contents of bags and give less. Normally they will automatically take the amount off the bill, but not always. I normally speak to the driver to agree how many they will refund me, they might think I’m a bit mad but those 5 pences add up!

Ocado iPhone App

Great Customer Service

There is probably a minor problem with 1 in 5 of my deliveries e.g. a product has got damaged in transit etc, but you can arrange a refund easily through the app. When the problem has been more complicated I have called them and it’s been quickly resolved. I have even complained at them on twitter and they have managed to refund me without asking for a load of details. How awesome is that?

They Offer Rewards

There are often small free gifts and money off vouchers. For instance an option of a free gift when you are checking out your shopping or an emailed offer. I even received a voucher to buy Bubbly or chocolate on my anniversary of first purchase. Ocado know how to give that little bit extra to make customers happy.

A Helpful Receipt

You get an itemised receipt emailed to you and a paper copy when the shopping arrives. The receipt handily tells you when products need to be used by (if less than a week) so I stick this on my fridge to help reduce food waste.

Minimal Substitutions 

On the day of delivery you get a text telling you if there have been any substitutions (there rarely are) which gives you enough time to check out what they have offered and decide if you want it or not. If you don’t want it you just ask them to take that product back and it is taken off  the amount you pay. That same text also lets you know the name of your driver and which fruit or vegetable van they are driving which is pretty cute.

Use By Dates

When shopping it shows you the minimum life you can expect from the fresh food so you don’t end up with a load of products going off the day after delivery.

They Sell More Than Food

There is a growing range of other products available via Ocado including children's clothes, toys, home products and more. This can be helpful, but also risks making my shopping more expensive. In the past I have bought everything from birthday cards to Denby crockery to compost.

Of course Ocado isn't all perfect. There are things that annoy me too...

Punctuality isn’t always their strong point and on a few occasions I have had the driver calling to ask if they can deliver before the hour delivery slot (this is often helpful, but they have always been fine if I say no) and occasionally they are late. With hour time slots and traffic it's understandable that they sometime arrive outside of the window, but I don't think they have ever been very late.

When you search for an item the search results will have offers and previously bought similar products displayed first. This can be helpful, but you need to be careful. I searched for decaffeinated Earl Grey tea bags and the top result was 'on offer' normal tea, I saw the price, didn’t notice it was caffeinated and bought it, only to realise on unpacking the bags. 

The drivers take different levels of care. I have had drivers carefully check the eggs and warn me which bags have more delicate foods in, and I’ve also had a driver who left a bag on my floor with an upside down leaking bottle of shampoo which must have been noticeable before he brought it in. Thankfully it was easy to clean my hard wood floors leaving them smelling beautiful and feeling silky. Customer Services gave me a small voucher as an goodwill gesture when I called up.
Deliveries around Christmas are more expensive (even with a smart pass where you pre pay delivery) and the minimum spend is about £80. This puts me off, but given I usually spend that in the supermarket at Christmas and it means avoiding the queues I should probably just go for it.

If you haven't shopped with Ocado you should check them out, there are normally offers for your first shop available too.