Tesco shoppers’ fury as they wait over an hour to book Christmas delivery slots & say it’s easier to get Glasto tickets

TESCO customers have been left fuming after being forced to wait for more than an hour to secure a delivery slot for Christmas.

The supermarket released the slots for getting groceries at 7am this morning and had to put a virtual queuing system in place due to the high demand.

Shoppers have been left waiting for delivery slots online

Customers complained to Tesco on Twitter that they were left waiting for too long and that it was not clear where they stood in the queue, with some queuing online for more than an hour to secure the slots.

Many were left worried they would not be able to get a slot for the festive period, while others asked if the website was down.

Some people were also struggling to make payment once landing a slot, with the website crashing as they tried to check out.

One customer said: ” I’m at the 80 minute mark, waiting to book a Tesco Christmas delivery slot. My endurance is now flagging and patience wearing a bit thin. Massive fail for Tesco. At what point do I quit?”

And another said: “Terrible system @Tesco. Been waiting over an hour for a delivery slot. No indication whether we’re moving in the queue or even still in the queue! Merry Christmas!”

Another said: “Come on @Tesco have you learned nothing from last year? You know it’s going to be busy yet your system has fallen down again on Christmas delivery booking slot day. Clearly I haven’t learned from last year, hear I am again putting up with this awful service.”

One shopper even likened trying to get a slot to buying Glastonbury tickets.

They said: “Peak 2020 – trying to get a Christmas delivery slot from @Tesco like you’re trying to get tickets for Glastonbury.”

Tesco posted on its own Twitter account: ” A lot of customers are using our website and app at the moment. “So we’re temporarily using a virtual waiting room to help us manage the flow. We’re sorry if things take a bit longer than usual.”

Tesco told customers it has put a queuing system in place

The Christmas delivery slots are in high demand every year, but more people than ever are expected to shop online due to the coronavirus crisis and second lockdown.

The slots available from Tesco this morning are for its Delivery Saver Scheme customers.

The £7.99 a month pass offers early access to the slots ahead of other customers.

The supermarket said the website and app was “now running normally” by 1pm.

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

“We experienced high volumes of traffic to our website and groceries app this morning and temporarily limited the number of customers using it.

“We’ve now removed the waiting room and customers will be able to log straight on.

“We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused and would like to reassure customers that there are still slots available for both home delivery and click & collect over the Christmas period.”

Other supermarkets are also offering early access to the slots which are for delivery at the peak Christmas dates of 20-24 December.

Supermarket Christmas delivery slots

Here’s when you can start booking an online delivery slot at each supermarket:

Tesco: 7am on November 13 for delivery saver scheme customers and 7am on November 20 for everyone else

Asda: already open

Morrisons: not revealed yet

Sainsbury’s:

For delivery on 20 December, slots can be booked from 29 November
For delivery on 21 December, slots can be booked from 30 November
For delivery on 22 December, slots can be booked from 1 December
For delivery on 23 December, slots can be booked from 2 December

Iceland: business as usual with delivery slots released six days in advance so keep an eye out from December 14 to bag a slot for December 20

Waitrose: already available

Check out how Christmas delivery slots work and how to get them.

Many Tesco customers also complained that the slots were made available on a Friday when they had to work or get kids to school.

One shopper tweeted at the supermarket: “been in the queue for over an hour now to book Christmas delivery slot. Having to leave fr work now. What is the point in having priority booking? I’ve not secured a delivery for months now. Happy to take my money every month now.”

Another worried customer said: “In the queue for Christmas delivery. I have 20 minutes until I go on the school run. I’m not going to get a slot am I?”