Tuesday, September 11, 2007

I just want some mustard

I'm after a product, it should be easy I've got kind of addicted to particular type of mustard - Honeycup to be precise and I'm running out. Originally I got it from Waitrose, then Sainsbury's; but Waitrose packed up locally and Sainsbury's stopped doing it. First stop Google and it seems available if I want to get it from the States and if I want it by the case (which I might), but it's a little daft as it's a bloody English company making it.

Okay Waitrose. Hmm wants a postcode, but is side-steppable by clicking on the Waitrose Direct Grocery link, and there it is £1.79 with a £5 delivery charge... oh and a minimum spend of £50. I don't think so, nearest branch is Droitwich so not in any way a bad trip just seems a shame and waste to head in just for that.

Sainsbury's up next, no muss no fuss straight into the shop for groceries and away I go. Nope they don't do it, incidentally delivery charge is £6, but the minimum spend is £25.

Onto Tesco a click on groceries and wine/groceries and... a please log on or register. Um no I just want to find out if you sell what I want. I don't want to sign up for newsletters or be put into your system. Oh well let's see if I can get in.

I tried just hitting Register, but it validates; not only highlighting the offensive in red, but also via a pop-up demanding an email address. Heh foo@foo.com nope I didn't enter my Clubcard number, oh wait I don't have a Clubcard I should just tick that box stating

"Don't have a Clubcard? Click this box: †"
Wait what's that symbol for...
† By ticking this box you are signing up to Tesco.com and joining the Tesco Clubcard Scheme
Woah there horsie. Excuse me not only can I not even peruse your wares without handing over my email address, but I have to sign up to your loyalty scheme too?

Oh look a pop-up after ticking that box
To enter an existing Clubcard number click cancel.
To continue to create a new Clubcard click OK.
<sigh> Anyone looking for option 3 will be disappointed. Oh foo@foo.com is taken let's try @foobar instead. Heh I'm in, oh now it doesn't recognise my postcode of XX99 9XX, I'll try SW1 2AA instead (Number 10). Damn residential only - SW2 2AA? Yep Oh great now it wants me to fill in all these contact details. Nope sod off I'm not giving whoever lives around that postcode a slew of leaflets.

So here's the thought - imagine translating the online stores to the bricks and mortar equivalents; Sainsbury's I could walk straight in through those big doors and start looking around; Waitrose was a couple of guys with clipboards you could brush off; and Tesco's was the equivalent of airport customs and those guys over there snapping the latex gloves on.

Who do you want to shop with?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I use Sainsbury's online shopping atm, and have used Tesco in the past. I have two comments: Sainsbury's delivery fee is differentially priced, so it's only £6 at peak times, and down to £5 at others. If you order more than £silly, delivery costs only 50p.

Tesco needs your postcode to show you what they sell, because they actually hand-pick and deliver your goods from your local store, unlike Sainsbury who deliver from a big, automated warehouse.

Anonymous said...

Also, Sainsbury recently emailed me (for a second time, in fact), reminding me that they're swapping their website out for a new one this weekend. Fingers crossed, what?

FlipC said...

I did spot the different delivery prices for Sainsbury's, but as that wasn't the main point I didn't expound.

As for Tesco needing your postcode, they wouldn't let me even browse without signing up for a Clubcard.

Anyhoo someone who flits around Droitwich frequently said they'd grab one at some point for me.