Tesco

Labels: shopping, shop, online
Reviewer: Andrew
Date: 16/02/2006
Rating: 4/5
Website: www.tesco.com

I could not live without Tesco. In my previous flat I lived around the corner from a Tesco Metro and its 6am to 11pm opening hours saved me again and again. Then I moved. I moved to a seaside town nestled right beside Edinburgh. The community recently fought off a supermarket's (don't know which) attempt to open a big store near by and the local shops, although better than expected, can't open 6am to 11pm!

Roll on Tesco.com. I will admit it took me a while to use the site. I'm happy to order books, games and even expensive electrical appliances online but it was the way the grocery is handled that put me off.

The grocery site is easy enough to use. Frames - but they're needed. They really are. You've the option of asking for close fits if the actual specific item you put in your shopping basket isn't available. I'm still not happy about that and tend to ignore that offering.

The leap of faith is picking a delivery time. You pick your two hour slot (I wish they could deliver within an hour) and pay for it - the more popular the slot, the more expensive it is, but you'll never pay much (certainly less than petrol).

There are other plus points too. Tesco is British (whereas Asda is owned by bullet selling American Wal-Mart). Tesco's record on fair trade and animal rights is good... well, good for a supermarket that is. Tesco, I'm sure, drive horribly harsh deals with their suppliers.

It's not just grocery shopping that you can manage on the site but your home insurance too. I use the system. For Tesco Club Card addicts - like me - then the web site loyally awards them for purchases.

The delivery service for the web site in Edinburgh is good. I've used it a half dozen times already - that's about two months worth of shopping for me - and never had an issue. If you care for second hand reviewing, I've only a few friends who have ever had problems with the service. When there is a problem it tends to be with the van coming early or late. It's rare to find anything missing. Tesco have been good with refunds and rebates when there has been a problem and friends have had their month's groceries for free before.