They’re as rare as hen’s teeth and getting one feels like winning the jackpot: I’m talking about supermarket home delivery slots of course!
Who would have thought bagging one would ever prove so difficult?
I’ve always done our ‘big shop’ online and have happily booked our slot week by week for years – until lockdown changed all that and now the world and his wife wants one too.
So far we’ve managed to bag either a Tesco home delivery or click & collect slot every week since lockdown, initially because I booked a bundle before lockdown when pregnant women were advised to self-isolate and latterly because I’ve discovered there are certain tactics to going about it.
With a newborn baby at home and with Misery Guts being type 1 diabetic a supermarket is the last place we want to visit at the moment, and it turns out my knack of getting my hands on 90s boy band tickets back in the day has come in rather handy indeed!
So, if you’re having trouble getting your hands on one too I thought I’d share how I’ve gone about it for six weeks and counting now, meaning we haven’t had to visit a supermarket in weeks.
How I’ve bagged a supermarket home delivery slot every week since lockdown
1. Log into your account well before new slots are released
I’m talking an hour and a half before, not 10 minutes. With Tesco, once you’ve logged into your account you’re logged in for two hours, meaning if you do it well before new slots are released you don’t need to go through the rigmaroll of putting in your email address and password before being added to the queue – you’ll just go straight to the queue.
2. If slots are released at midnight, don’t wait until 11.55pm to refresh the page
I’ve found myself in a queue to book a slot as early as 11.30pm, so the sooner you refresh your page once logged in, the better.
3. Accept there’s no rhyme or reason to it
Something I learnt the hard way after staying up until midnight five nights in a row and failing to bag one. With Tesco, slots are now being released as and when they become available, rather than at set times on set days. Like everything else at the moment, it is what it is and you just have to go with it.
4. Check back at random times throughout the day
I managed to bag our latest delivery slot on a Thursday lunchtime after logging in to find three more days had suddenly been added. And it felt like winning the jackpot!
5. Network
The other day a friend in Surrey (thank you – you know who you are!) alerted me to the fact new slots might have been released where we are (Sussex) after her friend in Essex randomly logged on and managed to bag a slot. The more people you have onto it, the better!
6. Keep your eyes peeled on social media
It’s amazing what you hear on the grapevine, and by following local threads on social media you’ll be in the know when new delivery slots are released. And don’t forget to do your bit and tell others if slots suddenly become free in your area.
https://twitter.com/mrsnataliebrown/status/1255828259973083138?s=19
Have you been booking supermarket home delivery slots since lockdown? Do you have any top tips? I’d love to know what they are!
You’re very lucky that supermarkets deliver, in Germany they don’t. I have managed to just go to the supermarket once during lockdown by relying on our local butcher and markets. But I need to go again this week…
#MMBC
I struggled to get a delivery slot a few weeks ago but you’re right logging into Tesco an hour or so before the new slots are released at midnight really helps. I had it open on my computer and the app on my phone and at 11.55 was kicked into the queue. There is no sense to it. I got through on the app, got a slot and filled the basket all before I got on the site on my laptop. x
I’m glad you figured it out there in the UK. I’ve been lucky in my little town here in Florida and have easily gotten a delivery weekly from a local supermakret. What’s available changes some but I’ve really had not problems. #MMBC
Fab tips! We’ve been quite lucky when it comes to booking slots all but one or two times. Thankfully we have priority delivery slots now and that really helps! x
Great tips that we will all follow#kcacols@_karendennis
Great tips! I’ve still been going to the supermarket because, as much as I don’t like it, we’re lower risk so I haven’t wanted to take a slot from someone else who really needs it. Glad to hear you’ve been able to keep you and your family away from the madness of the supermarkets, I really wouldn’t want to be going with a newborn in the house. x
I haven’t used a delivery slot for the same reasons as your previous reader however I have may family members who do need to. I will pass on your great tips to them x x #DreamTeam
I had already signed up to an organinc fruit and vege delivery place prior to lockdown but our 3 pm slot has turned into around 6…so apparently everyone has got on board to avoid supermarkets. I just duck down to the local shop for cleaning products and TP. But I have heard it’s hard for people using the big chains.#Dreamteam
I’m glad you’ve managed to find these when you obviously need them Having two autistic kids I’ve also down click and collect or delivery for at least 5 years. But as hubby is working from home now I guess the only thing I’ve been able to do to support others is not use a delivery slot but so small shops at the local store instead.
#kcacols
Thanks for these tips – we have been pretty lucky to secure a delivery slot with Ocado most weeks too! Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time x
So glad to hear you’ve been managing to get delivery slots. These are fantastic tips for bagging a booking. You are right, sometimes there is no rhyme or reason as to how the slots appear and magically disappear – but if you stick at it, you could get lucky. And if not, there are still quite a number of smaller companies that are doing fruit/veg boxes for delivery, meat boxes and bakery deliveries. Oh – and we’ve actually tried that Morrisons food box – it’s pretty good! Thank you for bringing these much needed tips to the #DreamTeamLinky xx
Im actually obsessed with getting a delivery. I had some prebooked at the start, but then that stopped then for a while I could get Tescos, but not for weeks. Now I have been having luck with Asda. It is teaching me to be less last minute #DreamTeamLinky
Back again for #KCACOLS. Even as our restrictions ease, I’m not too keen on shops. Unless very small. #KCACOLS
Some great tips. I have been lucky enough to get click and collect orders, but it is so stressful. #KCACOLS